Tuesday’s election was not a referendum on President Obama’s policies, but a referendum on lazy Virginia Democrats camping out under a magnolia tree, sipping mint juleps in the sunny weather instead of going to the polls.—Ernest Irby, Henrico

. . . I watched a news clip that showed an orphanage in Afghanistan full of happy girls and a few boys. A lot of private American donations have gone to fund similar places in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Guess what will happen to those girls if and when America backs out of another helpless country? We have done it before. For some reason, we never quite commit enough to finish what we start. This is a Christian-based country—regardless of whether some prefer not to have that mentioned. Are we our brother’s keeper? Yes.

Conservatives please note: Liberals are also concerned about the deficit. It skyrocketed with the Bush administration’s bank bailouts and the wasteful Iraq war. It was further increased to stimulate the economy. Your disdain for the latter action smacks of sour grapes. The president and Democratic Congress were elected to serve middleand working-class interests. If you wish to return to government that primarily rewards the country-club set, please vote for GOP candidates.

To understand the original intent of America, simply read the poem on the Statue of Liberty. It is all about receiving people yearning for freedom. There is nothing in there about taking care of anyone, fixing anyone, or taking stuff from one person and giving it to another.—Mike Walton, Henrico

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Health care insurers usually raise their rates in the fall—but not this fall. They want to see what Congress does with so-called health care reform, so they’ll know better whether to triple the rates, or just double them. Cut out this comment, paste it in your checkbook, and then brace yourself for the crash.—Ernest Irby, Henrico

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Virginia is for lovers—and Richmond is for Flying Squirrels, Flatheads, Hambones, Rock Hoppers, or Rhinos. What a classy selection for the capital of Virginia.—Noreen Brown, Richmond

. . . Those who do not like the banner that the owner of Club Velvet put up on his building about President Obama should remember that free speech is a two-way street. Not everyone is going to agree with everything you say. There are many things that so-called artists do that I find offensive, but in America we have the right to do those types of things. That is what makes this such a great country.

America should bring Roman Polanski home to pay the price for his crime. I’m not convinced that Polanski, being rich and famous, will get the same justice as other perverts. The rich can buy their way out of crimes they commit. America, don’t let this sex criminal escape justice.—James R. Flinn, Richmond

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To all those who supported the man who now occupies the White House, I ask: Would you give him your vote again?—James M. Trent, Richmond.

. . . If this proposed health care is so good, I believe members of Congress, the White House staff, and their families should try the program for at least a year and then report back to the American people and let them know how they like it.

Lesson of the week: Do not elect someone to the U.S. Senate who is not yet 30 years old at election even if he will be when he takes office. Cases in point: Ted Kennedy (46 years in office) and Joe Biden (36 years). They stay there much too long—Jim Hill, Irvingto

. . . People should stop referring to President Obama’s appointees as corrupt. The politically correct term is morally challenged.

Creigh Deeds is focusing on character assassination—something Democrats always do when they can’t win on the issues. This is not new for liberals. It’s the first play in their playbook. Deeds wants voters to focus on something Bob McDonnell wrote in graduate school and not on jobs, taxes, and other problems that Virginians face. This tactic only proves that Deeds doesn’t have the answers for the real problems of Virginia and McDonnell should be the next governor.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has died and with him not only the last remnants of the real Democratic Party—the one that used to care about the average Joe—but most likely the future of the middle class in this country, as well.—Mark Graser, Montpelier

. . . Ironically, the news has reported that Social Security recipients may not receive a cost-of-living increase for two years. Since the “death panel” controversy has been eliminated, perhaps this is a more subtle way to get rid of older people who have little to contribute to society. At least we will have a choice: food or medicine. My guess is there will be an increase in the cost of Medicare.

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.

Why is it that most Americans are having a tough time making ends meet when there is so much money floating around Washington? We have czars, new planes, and everyone in Washington is taking trips. Yet, the poor working American is sending his hard-earned money to pay for these players to cavort around. Those officials are entertaining someone every day—but they criticize those who hold tea parties to voice their opinions on President Obama and Congress. We need to stand up for ourselves, since others are trying to walk over us by taking our money. When the next election comes up, pull the handle for the person that is opposing the current officeholder. A new broom sweeps clean.

My grandson loves trains so I took him on his first train ride this week. We rode the government-owned Amtrak. It took us more than two hours to get from Richmond to Ashland. Please don’t let the government manage my health care!—Ron Durrer, New Kent

. . . Where are all the anti-war protestors—the Democratic congressmen who trashed our military members for a job they sent them to do (Murtha, Kerry, Durbin, Reid, and Speaker Pelosi)? Where is the media’s never-ending barrage of how bad things are in the war zone or the daily feed of body counts? I guess war is OK with all of the above when the president is a Democrat—the same President Obama who struggled to admit the surge worked but is now conducting his own surge.

Webster’s defines barbaric as: uncivilized, primitive, wild, crude, unrestrained. It doesn’t speculate on the length of time it takes a civilization to go full circle, or whether it is a trickle up or trickle down process.—Al Schalow, Midlothia

. . . Health care reform is a cruel joke perpetrated on the American people by congressional Democrats and Republicans. They are using smoke and mirrors to make it appear they are doing something—when actually they’re accepting donations left and right from big insurance, big pharmacy, and the American Medical Association to change absolutely nothing. Nobody wants health care reform but poor people. And we all know what chance they have of getting it—the same as that snowball in you-know-where.

When is President Obama going to appoint a VP czar? This person could accompany Vice President Biden on speaking engagements and—after he is finished, explain to us what Biden meant to say.—Harold W. Fleenor, Richmond

. . . That great American philosopher, Yogi Berra, must have had our government’s current energy policy in mind when he observed, “In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is.“ The theory is that some day, alternative energy sources will be discovered and developed. But in practice, until that happens, we are all driving petroleum-powered vehicles. If we could somehow require all politicians who oppose oil exploration in the U. S. to drive wind-powered or solar cars, we’d be drilling for oil before sundown.