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Recently I attended a job fair hosted by Rep. Eric Cantor. Right now, it looks like things are going to be OK, but I saw the faces of the thousands of people standing in line looking for work. We have rising foreclosures, declining tax revenue, a Congress that just wants to spend. Our credit card interest rates have increased and lines of credit have decreased. And the commercial real estate bubble is ready to explode. We are in the eye of the hurricane -- just wait until we come out of the eye.

-- Ron Melancon, Glen Allen

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Webster's Dictionary defines bereave: to deprive, take away by force, leave in a sad or lonely state. President Obama should consider the slogan: Change You Can Bereave In.

-- Al Schalow, Midlothian

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The people who do not want the proposed new health plan are called goons when they show up to oppose it. This is demonizing others' freedom of speech -- if the viewpoint does not agree with the Obama administration. Those opposed are considered to be a small vocal minority belonging to the far right. There is nothing small about the number of people who do not want the government in their health care, and there is always the matter of freedom of speech. There is a tidal wave of opposition against this bill and the politicians are hearing it loud and clear.

-- Charles Dawson, Midlothian

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Can someone please point out to me a country that has thrived and prospered with a tax structure like ours? Where the top 1 percent of the earners pays more than the bottom 95 percent? And that same 95 percent whines that the rich don't pay enough? With Medicare and Social Security problems, the climate-change bill and push for health insurance are distractions from the real issue -- the government is essentially broke.

-- Michael Walton, Henrico

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How can the president tell me or anyone else what the health care bill is going to do when Congress is still drafting the bill? If the nationalized health care plan that Congress is developing is so good, then why won't the president and Congress sign up for the plan? They'll be keeping their current private insurance. If the plan is not good enough for Congress or the president, it is not good enough for the public either.

-- James Howard Humphreys, Richmond

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If inventors and designers can make cookware that can withstand high levels of heat, why can't they design roads that withstand high levels of heat?

-- Patrice Jones, Richmond

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I'll admit he's paid his debt to society, but I still would not wear a Michael Vick jersey to a dogfight.

-- Jim Seay, Henrico

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Apparently, Congress will not pass health care reform that includes the option of a government-run plan. Of course, the members' ethical values of equality and justice will compel them to eliminate their own excellent government-provided health plan. They couldn't possibly accept something they would deny to the rest of us.

-- Carol Buckingham, Richmond

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State workers have to rely on VITA/Northrop Grumman for every piece of information used in their job, day in and day out. Every e-mail, every function, everything that involves a computer. Mark Warner had this idea and pushed it through and it helped him get elected. Do not let him separate himself from this. He should be standing by the train crash.

-- Tracy Helmsley, Richmond

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Just when the righties think they can play a good game of "gotcha" because Sen. Jim Webb is out of the country for the August recess, the guy just absolutely blows it for them by winning the release of an American being held in Myanmar -- and he meets with the reclusive leader of Myanmar and hopefully will open up further U.S. engagement with that country. Sorry to disappoint the righties, but I think that's a good record for a summer vacation.

-- Annette Jackson, Petersburg