Dueling over a D.C. deal

Most of the letters printed in The Times since the government shutdown began on Oct. 1 blamed Republicans for the gridlock in Washington. This mix actually reflects what our readers have sent us (I promise), which in turn reflects polls showing that public opinion on this issue is against the GOP.

Where the conservative opinion has achieved some balance has been among letters responding to other letters (although liberals have been well represented there too).

Here is a selection of those letters from the last two weeks.

Charles P. Martin of L.A. says one letter on Tuesday accusing Republicans of partisan-fueled obstruction of President Obama nailed it:

“Just when I think I’ve reached my saturation point with all the vitriol about our first black president, now comes a piece by letter writer Barbara Carlton that truly makes one think about the way they think.

“I hope Carlton has a great dinner and a great bottle of wine to go with it.”

San Diego resident Mike Schooling, weighing in on a letter Wednesday noting that Obama voted against a debt ceiling increase as a senator, provides some budget context:

“Obama did vote against the debt ceiling increase in 2006, but it was obvious it would still pass without his vote. What the writer fails to mention is that we would not be in this mess if President Bush had kept the Clinton tax rates in place. With those rates, there was some talk of actually paying off the national debt.”

Responding to an Oct. 9 letter from a professor unfavorably comparing today’s leaders to the nation’s founders, Robin Johnson of Pasadena offers a history lesson:

“Professor John H. Geerken must have forgotten the nose-pulling, cane beatings and of course the rationale behind the Alien and Sedition Act enacted in 1798 by President John Adams. As for name-calling, I have a few Thomas Paine pamphlets if the professor would like a refresher course.”

Pomona resident Charles Appleby, responding to an Oct. 8 letter declaring the Affordable Care Act the law of the land, offers his take on the liberal mind:

“Interesting how the liberal mind works. They are all for law and order until they don’t like the law.

“Case in point: Many say the laws that make it illegal for the undocumented to be in the U.S. should not be enforced. And those who feel that they should are made out to be horrible people.

“Both Obamacare and illegal immigration have one thing in common: They are drags on our economy, and we cannot sustain the costs brought on by these two problems.”

Lillian Brock of Chino Hills takes issue with the letters we’ve printed:

“For two weeks now this publication has printed letters primarily from the Democrats’ point of view concerning the government shutdown. I have decided to rename your paper the Left Angeles Times.”

More letters to the editor ...