Letter writer Michael Pastorkovich characterizes conservatives and "the tea-bag crowd" as violent stalkers of President Barack Obama, and racist bigots who want to secede from the Union ("Today's Conservatives Could Use Some Class," Sept. 27). This is either a pathetic distraction from more serious issues or a colossal misunderstanding of what is really taking place.

The fact is that many people are "waking up" because the president has championed a number of massive expansions of the federal government in rapid-fire fashion. These range from interference with financial institutions, to manufacturing/industry, education and now mandated health care. Throw in an additional 25,000 people employed by the Fed since last December, unaccountable and unvetted czars, recent White House attempts to influence artists and an openness to bailing out newspapers, for good measure.

People are just realizing that the government, for years, under both Republican and Democratic leadership, has been trampling on the Constitution, encroaching on the liberty of the states and their citizens (see Article I, Section 8), taxing us to do it, and botching things all along the way. It's just that this president has no qualms about picking up that ball and running with it as fast as he can; that's why Americans are taking notice, and objecting with so much passion.

Thomas Jefferson once wrote: "The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." I believe Jefferson. Concentrations of power and influence in the government cannot help but pose a threat to our liberty, virtue, happiness and long-term viability as a nation.

STEVEN D. THOMAS
Murrysville

Bush had worse

The Sept. 27 letter by Michael Pastorkovich really belongs in the comics section of the Post-Gazette instead of the Letters to the Editor.

In his stated 61 years, he has never seen a president so disrespected? Where was his letter when "Death of a President," a fictional documentary depicting President Bush's assassination, was released while he was in office? Where was he when Michael Moore released the pointedly disrespectful "Fahrenheit 911" during President Bush's re-election campaign? Did he miss the jackass-eared depictions of our president in the Post-Gazette by Rob Rogers on a nearly daily basis? I think he doth protest .... unfairly!

You can call me many names, Mr. Pastorkovich. I have indeed attended "tea parties." I am against socialized medicine as well as the rest of the Socialist platform. I did not vote for our current president and will likely not vote for him in 2012.

Yes, I am conservative and do not believe that the dissent shown President Obama is, in any way, more egregious than the dissent shown our last president. That previous eight years of ugliness created a stage that President Obama, unfortunately, has to suffer.

This conservative still respects the office and, very often, I am upset by the stage on which current politics takes place. However, I didn't build it. It was built long ago. If you liked it or tolerated it during the last presidency... guess who built it? You did!

JACQUE ADAMIAK
O'Hara

The real problem

So-called conservatives continue to take a strongly biased anti-government view. Consider last month's March on D.C. organized by FreedomWorks under the theme "Lower Taxes, Less Government, More Freedom." When will it protest the constant "tax" increases by corporations?

Banks "tax" us with 50 percent increases in fees to cover their mistakes. Health insurance administrative costs increased from 11 percent to 20 percent, while Medicare overhead is 4 percent.

The CEO "greed tax" -- a compensation increase from 40 to 300 times average income -- could easily pay for health-care cost overruns. The American Family Association, claiming to pursue pro-life Christian family values, is in reality anti-government. It is against providing health care for over 40 million Americans resulting in 18,000 unnecessary deaths annually. When will it protest against the death panels of health-insurance companies? When will it take a stand on other pro-life issues -- health care for all, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the 30,000 annual firearm-related deaths in the United States?

The role of government is to provide for the welfare of its people and protect them against the excesses of capitalism, which when unchallenged turn into totalitarianism. The Bible says to love your neighbor as yourself and to take care of children and the poor.

PETER FEILER
Shadyside

Trust betrayed

Before Sen. Edward Kennedy died, he stated that he would like the governor to appoint an interim senator to serve until the special election is complete. This would have been against the law. Massachusetts law stated that if a senator dies in office a special election will be held to replace him or her.

But in order to keep a 60-vote Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate, President Obama sought a change in Massachusetts law. The Democratic-dominated Massachusetts Legislature changed the state's Senate succession law to restore the governor's power to appoint an interim replacement. The governor appointed Democrat Paul Kirk.

And politicians wonder why Americans don't trust them? They change laws to suit their needs. They are so far out of touch with most Americans.

BILL WILSHIRE
Irwin

Helping hands

Thank you for sharing the excellent story about my profession, occupational therapy, and the impact our practice is having on these two men with hand transplants and their newly developing quality of life ("Getting a Helping Hand," Sept. 27).

This is joy in the work OTs do each day in not just restoring function but ensuring full engagement in life!

OTs such as Kim Zeske-Maguire help our patients celebrate doing the mundane tasks in life again -- daily activities that so many of us take for granted until we are cheated of being able to do our routine self-care tasks.

While the public debates the rightfulness of doing transplants for other reasons than saving life, this story testifies that self-determination and independence are essential to well-being, productivity and loving fully.

The journey of these two men reported in your story gives life to our professional mottos: "Living Life to Its Fullest" and "Skills for the Job of Living"

PATRICIA CRIST
Founding Chair & Professor,
Occupational Therapy
Duquesne University
Uptown

Put up, move on

On the Rivers Casino payment for the new arena ("Bill Could Force Payment from Rivers," Oct. 1):

If it isn't in writing, it didn't happen. For Dan Fee and Neil Bluhm to contend that they were told that they wouldn't have to make a $7.5 million payment until next year instead of this year is just not how it works in business. If it's in black and white in the payment schedule on the bonds then it's a contract and there is no dispute.

The Rivers Casino may not be making as much money as the owners expected, but eventually it will, and if Mr. Bluhm can afford to start construction of another casino he can afford this payment now. It shouldn't take an act of our esteemed Legislature to hold the table games license over their heads to resolve this. Put up and move on.

BILL CHARLTON
Troy Hill

Punish lawmakers for not doing their jobs

Governor, senators and representatives, it has been more than 90 days and still there's no budget, but you still get your pay and benefits.

If I got paid for violating the law, I might do the same thing. What good is a law that rewards you for the violation? The longer the budget is not passed the more money you can collect in per diem, $158 per day, for not doing your job.

I am looking for legislation that will penalize both the legislative and executive branches for not passing a budget by the June 30 deadline, which is the law.

My suggestion -- the loss of two days pay and benefits for every day the budget is late. The people of Pennsylvania suffer while the legislators collect additional compensation for not doing their job.

I look forward to seeing a bill passed that will penalize our legislative and executive branches for violating the law.

AL STOCK
Whitehall

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