Elect lawmakers who will reduce spending

To the editor:

Kim Reem's letter ('Candidates should address national debt,” Dec. 9) encourages voters to support a candidate who will better control government spending and reduce our national debt. The actual size of the debt is unfathomable (it isn't the $18.5 trillion we hear so much about; it also includes unfunded liabilities and IOU's that have replaced the Social Security lockbox; more likely totaling $210 trillion).

Politicians often cite the penalty our grandchildren will have to pay for the mistakes made in Washington, but don't seriously consider the debt that they are passing on to our grandchildren to be one of them - it's wrong and it's immoral.

Using the words of the late Vince Flynn, they have shown that their own personal greed and the goals of their political parties are more important than the economic security and future of America. As a result, we are burdened with a national debt that is growing at a rate of more than a billion dollars a day. If the national debt is not confronted, it will plunge our country into economic chaos. And, no one is willing to face the real problems and do what's right. Our government leaders refuse to acknowledge the fact that we are in the midst of the biggest peacetime crisis we've seen since the Depression. I hope voters will consider the seriousness of this economic crisis and elect representatives who will work to reduce wasteful spending.

Gary Fischer

Iowa City