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When entering a building, why are we always instructed to "open the other door"?

-- Gene Puckett, Midlothian

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During his entire administration, Gov. Tim Kaine has painted a dire transportation scenario of the sky falling if large new taxes were not enacted to infuse cash into Virginia roads. After three and a half years of crying wolf, I have noticed no difference for the worse in my road travels through the state. And that is without any large tax increases for transportation that I am aware of. As Kaine's term limps to its conclusion, I have yet to feel that piece of sky fall on my head.

-- Max Maizels, Richmond

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President Obama let the cat out of the bag several times during his ABC infomercial on health care. He actually stated that health rationing for the elderly will be part of his plan: "Maybe you're better off not having the surgery and taking the painkiller, " he said, while also suggesting that one way to save costs is to stop procedures on people who will ultimately die. I guess this is the type of "shovel-ready projects" he really meant -- think gravediggers. And some folks would be more equal than others. It seems that he refused to say that the Obama family would be part of the public national health plan. This, the capand-trade energy plan, and amnesty for illegal aliens are being shoved down our throats no matter what the cost. If we cannot stop them, then I welcome you to the newest Third World country!

-- Larry Uloth, Gum Spring

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So now the Bible-believing, America-loving, flag-draped patriots on the right want to boycott GM. If GM ultimately fails, the Treasury -- that means us -- doesn't get its money back, tens, maybe hundreds of thousands will lose their jobs, communities will be trashed, and families will lose their future. I'd hate to see what these clowns would be in favor of if they hated America.

-- Jim O'Connor, Richmond

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I'm amazed at the audacity of President Obama running public service announcements on the radio to recruit volunteers for his community service organization. Taxpayers already work approximately five months or more each year just to pay their federal income taxes, only to see their hard-earned money squandered by this administration and Congress on pork-barrel spending, bailouts, and payoffs for votes. The president would have better luck hoping for snow in Washington, D.C., in July than to ever get me as a volunteer.

-- J. Howard Humphreys, Richmond

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Isn't it time for all the participants of presidential press conferences (including the president) to become members of Actors' Equity?

-- Arthur Muroff, Port Haywood

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First Tim Kaine comes out of Minnesota. Then Jesse Ventura gets elected governor. Now Al Franken is elected senator. Move over West Virginia, Minnesota is now the national punchline!

-- Randy Francis, Henrico

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The greenies' plans to sequester an ever-increasing quantity of carbon dioxide are overlooking a truly inconvenient truth. For each atom of carbon removed from the atmosphere, two atoms of oxygen must also be removed. There doesn't seem to be very much of a future in that policy.

-- R. Adrian Davies, Richmond

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Do you wish to have government control your life or do you wish to control your life? On this Independence Day weekend, let's begin the process to take another stand for liberty and independence -- yours and mine! -- Ron Durrer, New Kent