Overhaul Secret Service from the top: Your Say

Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigned Wednesday, the day after testifying before Congress about a security breach at the White House. Letters to the editor:

Secret Service agents, as the protectors of the president and defenders of the White House, have failed.

The entire group, however many, should be fired. Make it a complete house cleaning. Director Julia Pierson resigning is just a start.

So many fine men and women in our country, trained for real life on the battlefield, would appreciate a good job. They would honor their commitment. Why can't there be a wholesale turnover and replacements found among those willing and able to do the job?

Donna Rosenheck; Scottsdale, Ariz.

Congress responded to the Secret Service scandal in the same way that it reacted to mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In both cases, Congress seems blind to the fact that it denies needed money for these two agencies to function properly. Is our Congress blind? Yes, blind indeed.

Curt Bonser; Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Paste BN's editorial highlights the problems the Secret Service has had protecting the president ("Secret Service chief fails to reassure: Our view"). Get rid of the Secret Service. Replace its agents with the Navy SEALs — the elite of the elite. Have the SEALs protect the president. They caught Osama bin Laden and can enhance chances of safely protecting our president.

Paul Feiner; reenburgh

Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

As the head of the Secret Service was questioned on Capitol Hill, it became more clear why Washington is broken. Pierson responded to questions with rote answers and clichés that remind me of professional athletes.

The breach was a monumental failure by this agency.

— Bob Sommers

Secret Service agents are honorable and dedicated, but the agents cannot overcome the failure of their leadership and faulty policies.

— Roger C Starr

There is little doubt Pierson did not meaningfully change the agency in her 18 months as director.

I'm sure the small-minded, self-righteous members of Congress who enjoyed their moment in the sun by piling on during her testimony would have done much better, except they were too busy making sure no change occurred in Congress.

Implementing change in any bureaucracy is a difficult and lengthy process. I'm not giving an excuse, just stating a fact based on personal experience.

I am not defending Pierson, but I was offended by the sneering assaults on her by members of Congress who are some of the most ineffective, overpaid people in government.

— Roy Willard

The Secret Service should never have been merged into the Department of Homeland Security. That was a bad decision to start with. Also, female agents are not the problem.

Attitudes in today's Secret Service need to be adjusted, big time. Supervisors the day of the breach were derelict on several levels. One agent, one gun, one bullet to this guy's head: Problem solved, and other intruders put on notice.

— Mary Melcher

The Secret Service has a job to do, entrusted to them by the American people. It is their duty to do their job to the best of their ability. If they cannot do that, they need to resign.

— Steve Evets