Walter Winters

Editor,

After the Connecticut school massacre, the December 18 "Our View: Massacre demands safety solutions," offered suggestions for safer schools, and called for "answers and solutions from Congress," but the Second Amendment prohibits Congress to regulate firearms of any kind; under any circumstances. All criminal abuse of firearms, including murder, falls under the capable jurisdiction of state legislatures.

Editor,

Contrary to the writer’s interpretation in the September 18 "Viewpoint" commentary, the "general welfare" clause of the Constitution does not authorize federal welfare programs (Vijay Mathur, "Ryan’s muddled thoughts are of Rand, Hayek"). Actually, it forbids them by prohibiting Congress to show favoritism toward one state, county, city, or special interest group over another, including the rich or poor, with federal funds. Like the term "common defense" (same clause), it means that every American citizen must benefit equally and impartially.

Editor,

The writer of the Aug. 5 "Viewpoints" commentary, "Grenades don’t kill people, people kill people" is mistaken in the belief that Congress and the Supreme Court have the authority to limit citizens’ ownership of certain firearms, contrary to the intent of the Second Amendment which states, "The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

His stated opposition to "commitment to the Second Amendment" exposed his lack of respect for the Constitution and the rule of law. If the government is not strictly bound by constitutional laws, it is above the law and an unaccountable dictatorship, and our divinely inspired Constitution is meaningless.

Editor,

In the March 1 guest commentary by John Reynolds, "The inconvenience of economic ignorance," Reynolds stated, "When it comes to 'economic ignorance'... no one can hold a candle to U.S. Rep. Ron Paul.... He seems obsessed with bringing down economic institutions and returning to the 'gold standard.'"

The writer was misinformed. Congressman Paul is a brilliant Austrian Economics scholar and champion of a free market; the only economic system that, like the "gold standard," is in harmony with the Constitution. Despite his perfect voting record of defending the Constitution, his campaign has been sabotaged by the neo-con, RINO (Republican-in-name-only) and left-wing establishment media, propaganda. Paul has been labeled "too radical.' Iowa's governor said he would ignore their primary results if Paul won, as Maine did.

Editor,

President Obama recently signed the National Defense Authorization Act to allow the U.S. military to arrest and detain anyone indefinitely, even Americans he suspects of terrorist activities or assistance, without "due process", in violation of the Fifth and Sixth Amendments of the Constitution. "No person ... shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of the law", a "speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury", etc. It also violates the Geneva Convention Treaty that guarantees "due process" and humane treatment to foreign prisoners.

(UNEDITED) As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama criticized President Bush's unconstitutional "military commissions" trials for terror suspects. As President, he continued Bush's policy of detaining them indefinitely, and torturing them without trial, or charges, in violation of the Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments of the Constitution: "No person [including terror suspects] ... shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of the law", "habeas corpus", a "speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury", "counsel for his defense", or receive "cruel and unusual punishment", etc., even during wartime. Both administrations denied these rights to military prisoners, including American civilian whistleblowers, like torture victims, Donald Vance (for 97 days), and terrorist suspect, Robert Arar (for 3 years). Both won federal lawsuits.