In the March 5 letter, “Obama’s ideas will not improve the economy,” Gary Fischer trots out the often-repeated conservative canard that “significant jobs are created only in the private sector.”

I’m sure our police, firefighters and EMTs, the road crews who plow our streets, and the doctors, nurses and staff at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics are happy to hear their jobs are not significant. Oh, and Fischer, thanks for supporting our troops.

John Solow

Iowa City