Conservatives and Congress in today’s letters to the editor.

Pick of the day: GOP likes some ‘big government’ just fine

It’s interesting to see George Will (“Starting all over again,” Nov. 11 column) taking a rational view of such issues as immigration, same-sex marriage and drug policy, but he still indulges in a stereotype: that liberals always prefer big government.

Conservatives have little problem with big government when it serves their interests, and we saw in Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin what they thought served their interests the past couple of years. Isn’t it interesting that President Obama won all those states?

The reason may be that Republicans proved that regulatory agencies aren’t the only groups that like to bully. They’ve also proven over the years that they also like big government, especially when it funds the military, which, if it isn’t the best funded part of the government, is at least right up there with Medicare and Medicaid. Until Republicans are willing to cut the programs they like, why should Democrats compromise with them?

Conservatives like Will may believe that their view is the most plausible. Until conservatives start changing their minds about at least the issues Will mentioned, I suspect voters may disagree.

ALLEN STARBUCK

ELLISTON