Mailbag: Obama doesn’t deserve all the blame

Regarding “Protestors demonstrate outside Rohrabacher’s office,” July 28:

It is my considered opinion that Republicans are casting blame on the wrong president. President Obama inherited big government, including two wars and a shrinking (vanishing) economy.

Speaker John Boehner needs to realize that someone, anyone needs to “step up” to the leadership role that he has been shirking by listening to the “no...not...never” faction of partisan politicians. Congress is supposed to be a consortium of Americans who fight for their inherited freedoms and preserve liberty for all.

I believe that Washington can come together in order to resolve ideological differences if they would just remember that we are all in this mess together, and remember these lyrics by Neil Young: “Instead of cursing the darkness — light a candle for where we’re going.”

Terry P. Anderson

Huntington Beach

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We’re footing the bill for wars

Regarding “Protestors demonstrate outside Rohrabacher’s office,” July 28:

OK, cut some spending, $1 of defense for every $1 of cuts in any other programs. Also, close tax loopholes for a $1 increase in revenue for every $1 cut in spending. And, No. 1, pass a war tax to pay for the two wars (never mind whether you agree with the wars or not, they need to be paid for) started under the Bush administration!

John Gulsby

Huntington Beach

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Cross out this puzzle word

I’m just finishing the crossword puzzle from the July 14 edition.

One of the answers is a word I’m not used to seeing or hearing because it is vulgar and offensive, even though the same word is used for a particular fowl that is somewhere between a duck and a swan. I’ve never seen ugly, vulgar words in crossword puzzles and I hope I never see one again. It’s possible that your puzzle editor is too young to know the original meaning of the word and how crude and disgusting it is. We should not have to put up with this language — it’s insulting to readers and unworthy for public media.

Carol Cooperman

Fountain Valley

Editor’s note: The July 14 crossword puzzle contains the clue “Prodded into action,” for which the answer is “goosed.” Dictionary.com and other dictionaries support this definition.