LETTERS

Re “Our neocon nightmare,” Opinion, Nov. 4

I have struggled to get past Cato Institute President Edward Crane’s opening sentence, but I just can’t. It isn’t technically true that the founders envisioned a federal government “constitutionally limited” to defending our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

No, if it’s the founders’ vision of the Constitution -- and not the Declaration of Independence -- that’s of interest, read the preamble, which calls on government to “promote the general welfare.” This, arguably, indicates an intent to enumerate not limited but very broad powers in the Constitution.

Nevertheless, I’m sure the founders also intended that those who represent us in government be rational and have common sense. Just in case reason was sometimes in short supply, they designed the Constitution’s checks and balances to provide limits.

Jeffrey B. Schneider

Glendale

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Kudos to The Times for publishing Crane’s article on the neocons. All too often these days, what passes for conservative opposition is restricted to the media-dominant neocon perspective.

It’s high time to thoroughly repudiate the big government and military adventurism of the neocons and return to Americans’ historical values of maximum freedom at home and a foreign policy based on Thomas Jefferson’s adage of friendship to all, entangling alliances with none.

If the establishment of the Republican Party is unwilling to move in this direction, the voters have numerous alternatives, such as the Constitution Party and the Libertarian Party, that do stand by these timeless principles.

Russ Condon

North Hills