Editor:

When I was a young woman in the late 1960s, Republicans were known as safe, conservative, bean-counter types. In spite of the fact that I am a liberal, I voted for some from time to time when I felt the Democrat was not acceptable. An “old school” Republican was Sen. John Warner. He was respected for putting America over party. Today, too many Republicans have become extreme, putting party before America.

I could give many examples, from “playing” the process of democracy through gerrymandering, voter ID laws, and now, trying to keep felons from ever being allowed to vote, to tacitly approving of the anarchists who were supporting Mr. Bundy’s lawlessness in Nevada and who aimed high-powered rifles at law enforcement. But the one I’d like to highlight is their turn on their own past strength, fiscal responsibility, by shutting down our government. When they shut down the federal government to force a majority to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Republicans knew they didn’t have the votes. Yet they did it anyway, costing us taxpayers $24 billion (Standard & Poor’s, 2013) and raising our interest rates on our debt.

To me, too many Republicans have become extremists who care more about their party than Virginia or America.

Sandy Bruton

Cumberland