Larison makes good point

"The American Conservative" is a bimonthly publication which reflects traditional American Conservatism. It has argued vigorously against such things as debt-based fiscal policy and government growth. It is, therefore, interesting to read what Daniel Larison, who is a senior editor at this publication, has to say about the partial government shutdown and the possibility that the Congress will not raise the debt ceiling.

In part Mr. Larison states:

"It would be bad enough if small-government Republicans were merely being shortsighted and committed to a losing strategy, but what makes these tactics more harmful to the cause of small-government conservatism is that they reflect no sense of prudence or consideration of unintended consequences …. It is also a question of matching means to ends, and making a correct assessment of the risks and costs involved. If this is how they approach the most basic responsibilities of governing, why are voters going to trust them to implement their larger policy agenda?"

He goes on to say, "…. If one seriously wants to control and reduce government debt, raising the debt ceiling ought to be the last thing that one worries about, since refusing to raise it simply makes paying off the debt that has already been incurred more expensive. Making useless 'stands' of this kind not only make small-government conservative ideas unappealing to many other Americans, … but they make even those that agree with many of those ideas conclude that their representatives are ill-suited to governing."

We should listen to Mr. Larison.

JOHN PIEPHO, Cape Girardeau