Readers Write (June 10): Big Brother, spitting in public, gay-business boycott, state auditor, passports, hospital care

People need to get over themselves if they think the government is endlessly fascinated with what they get up to in their private lives. How much do you think it would cost to subject hundreds of millions of Americans to "Big Brother"- style scrutiny? That snooper plane the other day was obviously looking for something specific rather than just canvassing the entire population looking for anything juicy they could find.

And enough of this slippery slope/conspiracy theory paranoia. We are not "slowly losing our freedom." I don't know what's more absurd: that there is an evil cabal within the government that is secretly ginning up a totalitarian agenda, or that we're all going to go to sleep after putting the legislative process on automatic pilot. We have separation of powers in this country, and the U.S. government is the most intensely scrutinized in the world. Constitutionally iffy policies sometimes slip through the cracks, but more egregious violations are easily beaten back.

A more accurate model than the slippery slope is the "pendulum." The more you try to push in one direction, the stronger the counterswing. But politics doesn't follow the laws of physics like pendulums do, so the counterswing — the "backlash," that is — is often more powerful than the initial movement. We're seeing lot of that lately.

Spitting in public is a disgusting habit, but the Minneapolis City Council is right not to make it a function of government to oversee its prohibition. It is the responsibility of individuals and private entities to enforce personal and group control of an unnecessary habit Particularly onerous is the practice of athletes, primarily baseball players, to expectorate while on the playing field. Urination in public in overcrowded countries is less reprehensible than the "show" put on to demonstrate machismo in America, with television exposing all of us to this unsanitary practice.

At a time when our nation is suffering the disastrous consequences of the Citizens' United decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which struck down campaign finance reform and allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns, and at a time when public campaign financing is desperately needed, Gov. Mark Dayton signed the omnibus budget bill, which included a suspension of the Political Contribution Refund Program.

This program refunded up to $50 per individual for contributions to a party or candidate per year. Republicans like to call public campaign financing "welfare for politicians," but the alternative is Republican and Democratic parties that are receiving huge amounts of money from wealthy donors and have allegiance to money, not the people. But there's another sinister reason behind this bipartisan measure. The two-party tyranny was shocked at how well minor parties used this money against them in the last election. The suspension period precisely targets minor parties from building a campaign war chest while doing little harm to their duopoly. The two-party tyranny believes it has an entitlement to power, and it despises a multiparty democracy that can tip the balance of power.

Shamefully, Minnesota government is quick to throw the democracy-baby out with the bath water.

He claims to want to be Christlike in his life and business, but this isn't what the Bible says Christ had on his agenda while on Earth. Besides, with this boycott, good luck finding places to shop for food, clothes, gasoline, etc.

Don't you hate being flimflammed? I sure do. Gov. Mark Dayton is backing off his strong defense of the state auditor's office. Consider this: Most of the prep for this coup d'état was done under cover of darkness, hidden from voters and all but a few chosen legislators. They've just sanctioned partisan power-grabbing and contempt for our state's Constitution. Who are "they?" Good question. Plenty of blame to go around.

On Nov. 4, 2014, I voted for Rebecca Otto's re-election as state auditor because she's done a stellar job all along the way. It now appears that our vote is irrelevant, that our opinion doesn't matter and that we're to ignore how the big kids play gotcha politics.

There's something going on here that is more deeply damaging than the pap we're being fed suggests. As to forcing privatization of the state audit function, remember this: Arthur Andersen. Bad for everyone.

I am a Jew, a Zionist and a frequent visitor to Israel. I am also an American, born and bred, happy to live under a Constitution as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court. Its wise decision on the status of Jerusalem in U.S. passports serves many purposes — determining that the executive branch of the U.S. government decides this foreign-policy matter; possibly pushing the Israeli government a step closer to recognizing that peace with the Palestinians is inevitable; distinguishing Israel the political entity from Israel the nonpolitical product of a Jewish messiah; raising yet again the need to settle the struggle of two peoples attached to one land.

As a patient of Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) for 35 years, I highly recommend the facility to Twin Citians with private insurance ("HCMC struggles to improve patient mix," June 9).

I used private insurance until Medicare, and always knew I had the best care available. Since HCMC is a teaching hospital, I appreciated that my doctors had taught many other physicians in the area. And those doctors have kept me kicking through three chronic illnesses.

Thanks, HCMC.