Dear Editor: After reading Lee Hamilton’s op-ed, “Why Government Fails, and What We Should Do About It” (8/7/14), I think I can make it more concise.

Our first and biggest problem is we need honest people in government. We need statesmen and not politicians. Unfortunately, once elected their next thought is how to raise money to run again, which means in a sense they are beholden to their benefactors.

We’re in debt, much of it because politicians spend huge amounts foolishly; global warming, etc., setting up “giveaway” programs for many who receive more from the government than they make working, so why work? There is a program for this and a program for that, voting for bills they haven’t read nor understand – for instance the ObamaCare bill that now has 15,000 pages of regulations, 11.8 million words and is now 16 times longer than the Bible.

There are all these indiscretions, lying and cheating in government, yet no one or very few are held accountable, they just receive bonuses.

Now I’d like to address Assemblywoman Garcia’s op-ed (“U.S. Should Do Its Part with Child Immigrants,” 8/7/14). Does it not seem strange that all this crisis at the border just happened in President Obama’s second term? yes, Congress’ response is frustrating to me too. Neither party has the guts to close our border and send them home. Why? Because they don’t want to lose the Hispanic vote. It’s that simple.

If these politicians (federal and state) had compassion, they would not have allowed the murder of thousands and thousands of U.S. babies for the “convenience” of the mother by abortion. Or where is your compassion for the Christian Kurds and others in Muslim countries who will die for their religion?

Assemblywoman Garcia mentions crime and lack of opportunities. Is that not prevalent worldwide? Assemblywoman Garcia, could the billions being spent on them be better spent to help them in their own country? She says “meeting their potential” – could that not be applied worldwide? Hers and other Democratic politicians’ term is always the “best and brightest.” How do you determine that? Also, please state specifically what international policies helped create or fuel the violent environment to destroy self-sustaining communities. It seems she put the U.S. in this category.

Sorry, Ms. Garcia, you haven’t convinced me that this isn’t about votes for the Democrats for generations to come.

Republicans will act because they don’t want to give Democrats this advantage for many years to come. Please note: people from 75 countries have crossed in this crisis. Do you suppose one or more could be a terrorist?

I’ll close by quoting a bumper sticker: “Politicians are like dirty diapers, they need to be changed often.” We need term limits.

Elsa Van Leuven

Downey

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Published: Aug. 14, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 18