Republican outsiders press for change: #tellusatoday

Letters to the editor:

It seems that those who are not especially politically astute are bewildered that leading GOP candidates for president are political outsiders. But if we’ve paid any attention at all to what has happened in Washington these past seven years, we would know why insiders, and current and ex-office holders, are at the bottom of the polls.

The public simply wants to get things done, and many voters blame Republican lawmakers for blocking legislation. One of President Obama’s slogans in 2008 was “Change we can believe in.” It worked for him, and maybe conservatives in the upcoming election might want to give it a try.

Stonewalling by conservative leadership could be a thing of the past. This might be the hope of their constituency, and with enough audacity, the GOP can carry it through.

James D. Cook; Schaumburg, Ill.

POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media

In the commentary “Non-politicians just as dangerous as politicians,” I was struck by the fact that the writer who lampooned Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson as being too inexperienced to govern this nation, failed to mention the current president (Opinion, Sept. 18).

President Obama, who had very little political experience, and little other experience qualifying him to be president, likely could not have stepped into and handled any of the vocations the others excelled at, yet he became chief executive of a great nation!

Of course, the very disappointing results of that event give some credence to what the writer implies.

Bill Rhoads; Cincinnati

Jeb Bush’s and Donald Trump’s tax cut plans are examples of conservative supply side “voodoo” economics that have historically guaranteed two results: The rich get richer, and the deficit gets bigger (“Trump, Bush peddle more tax cut snake oil,” Our view, Presidential race, Wednesday).

Haven’t we all had enough of this type of fiscal irresponsibility?

Jeff Clauser; Charlotte

We asked followers: What do you think of GOP plans to reduce taxes? How should those cuts be paid for? Comments from Twitter are edited for clarity and grammar:

I feel the same way about them as I feel about Bernie Sanders’ tax plan. They’ll cost a fortune.

— @MiscAlaynieous

The plans sounded interesting but on second look will create even more national debt in the trillions. Will not work!

— @Coop2400

Nobody pays for them. You cut spending. I know that’s hard for some people to wrap their heads around.

— @PrinciplesofGov

The idea of small government is an 18th century ideal that should be put to bed. We are not a nation of farmers and local craftsmen.

— @JorgetheBull

For more discussions, follow @USATOpinion or #tellusatoday.