Readers React: Protect Americans first; jobs will follow

To the editor: Doyle McManus cites a Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll this month that found most Americans say “job creation and the economy” are what the government should address, not “national security and terrorism,” as the Republican primary voters say. (“A flock of GOP hawks try out their presidential wings,” op-ed, May 12)

Evidently, most Americans do not understand that the primary responsibility of the federal government is to protect us. The private sector creates jobs when the federal government provides the proper environment, which it has not done in the last six years.

Bob Guarrera, Laguna Niguel

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To the editor: Can defense hawks win over war-weary voters in 2016? Good God, I hope not.

As one of the thoroughly war-weary, I’m sick to death of the constant beating of war drums as hawks look for more targets. And they’ve already started. What lies are we going to be treated to this time?

Yellowcake? Done that. Weapons of mass destruction? Done that too. Enslaved virgins? Nukes? Global jihad? Commies in the closet? I can hardly wait.

And who gets the bill for this ill-considered, costly nonsense? Democrats may be “tax and spend,” but Republicans are “tax-cut, spend and bomb off-budget.”

Instead, why not have four years of reason, fiscal responsibility, infrastructure rebuilding, onshoring of jobs and behaving as if we really want a future worth having?

Chuck Almdale, North Hills

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