Hacks on the bench

I have a question for Kirby K. Gordon regarding his letter (“Judiciary’s purview,” April 7), expressing how he read with “profound sadness” President Barack Obama’s comments about our unelected Supreme Court and the present overreaching of their power.

Was he equally filled with “profound sadness” when former President George W. Bush said, The Supreme Court “is the only branch of the government that is unelected and whose officers serve for life. Unfortunately, some justices give into temptation and make law instead of interpreting it. Such judicial lawlessness is a threat to our democracy — and it has to stop.”

I suggest Mr. Gordon do an online search for “Romney and Bush split on the Supreme Court” and see the video for himself. I’d also suggest, for his edification, Maureen Dowd’s excellent column in The Tribune (April 6) entitled “ ‘Hacks’ dressed in black robes,” in which she describes how this Supreme Court is the most partisan, divisive court in modern history.

I am profoundly sorry that those hacks on the Supreme Court have a job for life and will continue to bring ruin on this country with their partisan decisions, such as when they stopped the vote count in the previous election and appointed George W. Bush president.

Eleanor Johnson

San Luis Obispo

Health care for all

In Charles Krauthammer’s column of April 6, he writes, “With Obamacare remaking onesixth of the economy …” Very true, but he does not add that “Obamacare” is trying to reduce the cost of health care. We Americans spend some 17 percent of our GDP on health services, the highest rate in the world. Other first-world nations spend half that, like the French, where health care concerns consume about 8 percent of their GDP … and they live longer than we do.

Those extra dollars go into the pockets of executives who claim that health care should be profitable … which doesn’t make sense because if you want to make money, you don’t want to insure someone with cancer. We fund public education for our young people because we know that ignorance is not an asset to our society. Nor are sick or injured citizens, which is why we should have a single-payer health service for all Americans. A healthy America will be a prosperous America, and money saved on health care will be better spent elsewhere.

Clement Salvadori

Atascadero

Doing unto others

This is in response to Zachary M. Hall’s letter of April 6 “Do unto others ...” in reply to his question, “Why are you not inviting the homeless people to sleep overnight in your driveways?”

A few years ago, I heard about a homeless woman along with her adult daughter and four grandchildren. By the time they walked to the homeless shelter in SLO, there were no beds available to them. I personally transported this family to our tiny little home, fed them, bathed their children and provided them with warm beds.

Another time, I heard of a woman whose purse was stolen from her shopping cart at the supermarket; that purse contained her cash to pay rent. I personally paid her rent to her landlord for so that she would not be evicted.

I have handed out food to those in need at the food bank, and my husband has donated countless hours to the plight of our county’s homeless.

The fact is that most homeless families don’t choose to be homeless; they are the victims of circumstance. So I agree: Not only should we “Do unto others,” but we should also remember “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”

Have a kind heart and a good soul. Give this program a chance to change someone’s life for the better.

Betty J. Guthrie

Arroyo Grande

Library is needed

It’s National Library Week, and Templeton is the only community in San Luis Obispo County without a library. Why does Templeton need one? Libraries remain a cornerstone to a democratic society in providing individuals with valuable free access to information and resources for personal development.

Libraries serve their communities beyond their traditional role as a repository of collections of books. Templeton’s library, given adequate financial support, will be a community resource center. Some of the capabilities, services and programs in the new library are: programs for K-12 students to develop a love for the written word and build a foundation for lifelong learning; a safe place for students and seniors to pursue research and other academic activities without having to travel to Atascadero or Paso Robles; print, electronic and other technological resources; adult literacy program and more. In time of financial stress, libraries are experiencing a major increase in usage.

A library is an investment in the future. A Templeton library is needed now more than ever; the county library system has suffered major funding cuts and is not currently able to provide financial resources. A Templeton library can become a reality with community financial support.

Wayne Petersen

President, Templeton Community Library Association

Thank you, friend

While ordering some food from one of our local drive-in restaurants, I heard someone standing in back of me telling the cashier that she wanted to pay for what I had ordered.

I turned around and saw a smiling young lady who said that she had seen my Navy hat. She said that her dad had been in the Navy and her brother was now in the Navy. She liked doing things for us older servicemen. Before I could thank her, she went out the door.

So, young lady, all I can say is, “Thank you very much!” for what you have done. I have several young men and ladies who thank me for my service, which I thought was very nice. I always wear my Navy hat, which I am proud of. We even have a clothing store named after us. It is called Old Navy.

Bill West

Paso Robles

Dowd’s diatribe

The commentary by Maureen Dowd of The New York Times on the Supreme Court’s review of “Obamacare” (The Tribune, April 6) is nothing but a liberal diatribe, full of half-truths, innuendos and outright falsehoods, especially insofar as the high court’s traditional oversight of congressional legislation is concerned.

Thank you, Tribune, for putting Charles Krauthammer’s counterpoint commentary on the opposite page. It is well placed, timely and unlike Dowd’s rant provides facts necessary to judge this issue.

This bullying by Dowd and other liberals, from the president on down, may or may not sway the high court. But if the court performs its review and duly rejects “Obamacare” as unconstitutional, it will give the liberals another false argument — that the high court has yet again “robbed” the American people, this time of their “right” to health care — in the months before the November election. They can point and say: “There, there! We told you so!”

This is probably the real purpose of all this liberal commentary of late. It appears that the liberals themselves believe they’ve already lost any legal argument over the health care law.

John Braun

Paso Robles