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Readers Write for Wednesday, Sept. 16
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PAWLENTY AND THE 10TH
If he gets his way, what would seniors face?
So Gov. Tim Pawlenty thinks he can cite the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to keep the president's health care plan out of Minnesota.
If this lawsuit were successful, wouldn't it mean seniors could also lose Medicare because that benefit too would be unconstitutional. Could it also apply to Social Security? Possibly, since all benefits that citizens would receive from the federal government would be unconstitutional.
Seniors would no longer be able to get medical treatment. Without Social Security, they wouldn't be able to pay for their utility bills. They could all lose their homes. There wouldn't be enough income to buy food. Sounds like Pawlenty is the one trying to create death panels.
NEAL B. RICHARDS, ST. ANTHONY
•••
Some Minnesota lawmakers want to put into the state Constitution a guarantee that citizens have the right to choose private health care plans. I agree.
Health care is not one of the unalienable rights mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, and no federal role in health care is enumerated in the U.S. Constitution. Health care is reserved to the respective states, or the people, as guaranteed by the 10th Amendment.
To paraphrase James Madison, the principal author of the Constitution, the "general Welfare" clause in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution is not an excuse for federal elected officials to do whatever they want.
With respect to health care, I say to the federal government: Leave us alone!
BOB JENTGES, NORTH MANKATO, MINN.
•••
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is an embarrassment to the state of Minnesota, which produced such great statesmen as Hubert Humphrey, Paul Wellstone and Walter Mondale. Floating the idea of using the 10th Amendment to make a political statement is shameful.
SYLVIA K. GOLDMAN, ANOKA
GUNS AT OBAMA RALLY
How did a man with a record keep his permit?
Josh Hendrickson, the man who brought two concealed handguns to President Obama's rally Saturday in downtown Minneapolis, has a conviction for assault, which is a violent crime. According to Minnesota Statute 624.713, that should make him ineligible to carry a firearm -- a restriction that is explicitly acknowledged by the conceal-and-carry law.
Doesn't anyone in the Hennepin County Sheriff's office revoke concealed-carry permits for newly convicted violent felons? If not, why not?
KEITH PICKERING, WATERTOWN
H1N1 FLU
The damage has been done to pork producers
Thank you for finally printing an article highlighting the lack of risk that pigs play in the spread of the H1N1 influenza virus ("Despite its name, swine flu hasn't infected any U.S. hogs," Sept. 11).
The media hysteria over this virus and the mislabeling it as swine flu has had a disastrous impact on the Minnesota pig farmer and Minnesota's economy in general. Minnesota pig farmers are on the verge of financial collapse -- partially due to the negative impact of the "swine flu" label to the recent influenza virus. The collapse of this $3.9 billion industry and the 55,000 jobs it provides will be felt beyond the open roads in the country.
KEITH WILSON, WORTHINGTON, MINN.
ANTI-ABORTIONIST KILLED
Where was the media's blanket coverage
When an anti-abortion kook earlier this year murdered Dr. George Tiller, who performed abortions, the Star Tribune gave the crime wide coverage.
Last week, a prochoice kook shot and killed a peaceful 82-year-old antiabortion activist. The Star Tribune's coverage: very little. Journalists are judged as much by what they cover up as by what they cover.
HAP CORBETT, STAPLES, MINN.
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