Florida Story Slighted Jamestown
Editor, Times-Dispatch: The Associated Press has now joined the chorus of the historically challenged by heralding Plymouth Rock and ignoring Jamestown. The interesting story about St. Augustine, Fla., stated that 1594, the year of the St. Augustine documents featured in the story, was 26 years before that publicized landing of the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. The idea prevailing in too much of America that 1620 came before 1607 is absurd and misleading.

Hamilton Opposed Unlimited Power
Editor, Times-Dispatch: I commend Correspondent of the Day Edward Blackwell for advocating that both sides of the health care debate reflect seriously on the Constitution. He is also correct that we could learn a lot by understanding the relationship of the current constitutional debate with those of previous generations. He chooses a wonderful historical example as well: the clash between Jefferson and Hamilton over the powers granted to Congress by Article I, Section 8.

Growing Smarter Means Growing Safer
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Michael Paul Williams is to be commended for his keen insight in bringing the need for smarter growth to the attention of readers. In his recent column, “Remnants of Malls Point to Need for Smarter Growth,“ he relays the Partnership for Smarter Growth’s effort to highlight how regional development patterns have caused inner suburbs to decay while sprawl continues to devour the Richmond region’s outer suburbs.

I read Walter Williams’ Op/Ed column, “Constitution? What Constitution?“ that described Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s refusal to answer a reporter’s query asking where the Constitution gives Congress the right to force people to buy health insurance.

Beware Big Business And Big Government
Editor, Times-Dispatch: I am amazed that you would select for Correspondent of the Day someone who states, “It is big government that the little guy needs protection from—not big business.“ Need I remind Hank Pezzella and The Times-Dispatch that it was big business’s decision to engage in the shady practice of derivatives trading and granting subprime loans that led to the destabilization of the “too big to fail” banks? That, in turn, led to the economic crisis being felt by a great many little guys.

Recent legislative activity regarding health care has presented a teachable moment on the U.S. Constitution. Health care has traditionally been a state domain—it has more often than not fallen under the heading of “powers reserved to the states” (Amendment 10). Doctors and nurses’ licenses, hospital and nursing home inspections, public health clinics, etc. are controlled by state and local governments.

Benefits Come At the Cost of Freedom
Editor, Times-Dispatch: I don’t know how many readers noticed the coincidence of a recent headline announcing the passage of the health care bill by the House of Representatives and another news article from The Washington Post: “In Germany’s East, Some Look Back in Fondness.“

Will UAW Repeat 1979 Mistakes?
Editor, Times-Dispatch: The time was November 1979. I and 35,000 United Auto Workers walked out of the International Harvester plants. When a new contract was signed six months later, International Harvester’s 1979 record earnings of $369 million were replaced by a 1980 loss of $400 million. By the end of the year IH folded and we all lost our jobs.

Leave Handicapped Spaces for Disabled
Editor, Times-Dispatch: In a lazy society where patrons will drive around the mall for 15 minutes to find a convenient parking space, some able-bodied drivers illegally take handicapped spaces. Although that is morally and legally wrong, a much more serious picture exists. I am the father of two young handicapped sons with severe disabilities (and I am a spokesperson for Greater Richmond ARC). Our family has too often gone to local malls and Maymont Park only to find a vehicle without handicapped identification occupying the only space where we can unload wheelchairs with a ramp from a handicapped van.

Ole Virginny Still Lives
Editor, Times-Dispatch: A post2009 gubernatorial note to Gov. Tim Kaine could accurately read: “Ole Virginny is alive and well.“ It appears that Kaine’s exuberance in declaring old Virginny dead after last fall’s election was not only mean-spirited, it was premature and very wrong.

Need Job, Money? Join the Military
Editor, Times-Dispatch: I read with interest Maya Enista’s Op/Ed column, “It’s Time to Invest in Millennials,“ about the challenges faced by that generation. As I understood her column, she believes that the government should do something about this generation’s education-related debt and lack of health care. Further, she feels that something should be done to especially empower this generation to make itself (and its needs) heard in the corridors of power. I assume that her Mobilize.org organization is to be the answer to that unmet need.

Political Phone Calls Lost This Reader’s Vote
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Now that the election season is over, I would like to take the various campaigns to task. I do not want phone calls from you. I know who you are and calling me does not positively influence my opinion of a candidate. I pay for my telephone and a fee to the service provider for my use and convenience; I do not pay for phone service so that every person in the world with a cause has access to me. You are invading my personal space and my privacy.

I went to the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda to visit a friend who was wounded in Afghanistan via a gunshot to his face and ended up having a major stroke. He is a member of the Special Forces of the Marines Corps. While visiting this sergeant in Bethesda, we were amazed by the stories from parents visiting their loved ones. Each story was sadder than the other, and seeing parents who have been there months while their loved ones have had 15-20 surgeries just breaks your heart. Aaron has been here at our VA hospital now for two weeks.

Congratulations to President Obama for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. The president has the opportunity to show himself as a peacemaker to the eyes of the world and reap the blessings thereof by bringing the troops home now. Afghanistan is an uncauterized wound bleeding the best of America—young men and women of the military who volunteered for a cause in which they believed, but is not attainable. Afghanistan is a country divided into tribal, ethnic, and sectarian spheres of influence. Contrary to the widely held misconception, Afghanistan has been conquered several times in the course of its history. However, in modern times the closest it has come to being one functioning political entity was while under the control of the Taliban.

Congress Should Heed Designated Rulebook
Editor, Times-Dispatch: The Founders designed the Constitution as a fair guide and set of rules for civil behavior and protection—not as a moving target at the whim of those in power. This rulebook authorizes Congress to do certain specific things. Nowhere on that list does it authorize big government to bail out banks or manage car companies. It is big government that the little guy needs protection from—not big business. The only protections available are the Constitution and the ballot box. We can blame politicians for the trampling of our liberty, but the bulk of the blame lies with us voters. Principled politicians seldom depart or cave to pressure.