I agree with Jeff Jared’s tirade against government that only graduating one third of students is an educational travesty, but the two thirds that do graduate are obviously not faring well – exhibit A: Jeff Jared. “F” in civics and history for him. Get rid of government involvement in the post office because of the lines? Dude, the post office is an independent agency (and since its reorganization into an independent organization in the early 1980s, the USPS has not received taxpayer-dollars). When services are needed, people line up. Just look at your local Starbuck’s at 7:30 a.m. But kudos to the post office for adapting to the times.

His other “examples” of supposed failure (welfare, public housing, VA care …) again demonstrate little historical context and lots of libertarian ranting requiring that we throw out the babies and bathwater. If privatized competition is needed so badly to get government efficiency, why do libertarians rail against a public option in the healthcare reform bills? And I suppose Jared supports Eyman’s latest and worst initiative, I-1033, to further constrict government’s ability to do anything (in this case, basic safety and maintenance)?

Please, Mr. Jared, don’t count on others getting their kids immunized so you don’t have to get your kid her shots. Enough “free rider” seekers with no civic sense whatsoever endangers us all.

Debi Golden, Kirkland