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Car dealership closings amount to seizure

Your editorial "Micromanaging Chrysler and GM" (July 21) states that "closed dealerships create no compelling public interest" justifying congressional intervention. I disagree. Here's why:

At Dominion Dodge (now Dominion Service & Parts), the welfare of 35 employees and their families has been put in serious jeopardy. We were willing to keep our employees but cannot do so without a franchise. Nationwide, 159,000 dealership jobs will be lost. This is a "compelling public interest."

Salem estimates its annual loss of revenue resulting from the closure of our dealership will be $100,000. Multiply that by thousands of dealers across the country during a time of municipal budget deficits -- more "compelling public interest."

Dealerships such as ours regularly support nonprofits, community events and sports teams. Reduced support for these civic causes creates another "compelling public interest."

Dominion Dodge was a franchised dealer for 33 years when we were terminated. It was a privately owned business operating with its own capital. With this decision by Chrysler (with support of the administration), this business was taken from us without compensation. It is a "compelling public interest" to make sure that private property is never again taken away from any owner.

First lady has too large a staff

According to an article in the Canada Free Press, tinyurl.com/nxeg93, our first lady has more than 20 people on her staff. We taxpayers are paying all these salaries in addition to the 30 or so "czars" our president has appointed. Meanwhile, the president urges us all to make sacrifices and tighten our belts. Is this change we can believe in?

A roundabout solution for VDOT

As that humorist Will Rogers would say, "All I know is what I read in the newspapers." So it is with my information on VDOT.

As I understand it, it costs $300,000 to maintain a rest stop for one year. We are closing 24 of them, so that's a savings of $7.2 million per year. On the other hand, I understand we are constructing two roundabouts in Roanoke -- one at Cave Spring for $3 million and another at Ninth Street Southeast, the amount yet to be announced. Another one in Blacksburg will cost $12 million.

The Cave Spring roundabout could keep nine rest stops open for one year at $300,000 each. Blacksburg could keep all 24 open for one year, with 12 more for a second year.

I asked a VDOT employee why we didn't postpone the Cave Spring roundabout until the economy improved. The answer was, "It's a dangerous intersection." Well, what about the dangers along 400 miles of Interstate 81?

I wonder if the media could find out how many roundabouts are on the books for Virginia. Surely someone can foresee the major problems that will occur with both travelers and truckers and stop this terrible situation.

Raise taxes or

cut benefits

Barack Obama's election was historic; his subsequent performance has been much less so: apologies to everyone for America's past alleged transgressions; saying he will look to the future one day, then blaming his predecessor for all the problems he "inherited" the next; lecturing Congress on pay-as-you-go budgets, then proposing trillion-dollar spending for his programs.

Has anyone seen the actual organizational chart for health care reform alone? It's in the 1,000-plus page Democratic proposal in the House.

Logically, you have only a few choices to solve the economic problems: raise taxes or reduce benefits. Unless, of course, you want a European-style welfare state with the government providing cradle-to-grave benefits, declining birth rates because the citizens want all kinds of material goods and are too self-interested to raise children, reduced productivity, and everyone having rights but no responsibilities.

Businesses offer travelers' services

I sense that many are expressing undue concern about the closing of rest areas along the interstates. The closings are the result of insufficient funds to continue their operation; this is a consequence of inadequate user fees to maintain them -- gasoline tax.

The rest stops were probably not designed or intended for overnight truck rest areas. There are numerous small and large, independent, taxpaying businesses along the interstates where travelers may stop and find rest rooms, beverages, snacks and gasoline -- all in one convenient location. Those businesses provide an excellent alternative to state-operated rest areas.

Can't blame dam for drowning

I take exception to the headline "Dam causes another drowning" (July 25 news story). The dam didn't cause any drowning. Inexperience and ignorance cause people to be drowned in such situations.

As an experienced canoer and EMS professional, I find that these tragedies come from failure to recognize that rivers are dangerous places that can seem peaceful and innocuous.

Any person who canoes any river after dark without a life vest is taking serious chances with safety. Youthful people are drawn to adventure -- with their innate sense of immortality, safety concerns are secondary, and there is a big difference between canoeing on a pond and on a moving river.

Even in daylight, life vests should be worn. After dark, they are essential. Nighttime cruising requires lights to mark the craft and illuminate potential hazards. Water currents are tricky and dangerous, and water levels rise and fall.

Education is essential. All water craft should practice safe boating practices.

There will always be adventurous young people wanting to have a good time without the resources or knowledge to safely navigate unexpected hazards.

Please don't blame this tragedy on the dam. It is just one more hazard encountered on any river.

Casey attack was unfair to McDonnell

Columnist Dan Casey's attack on Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell's transportation plan is typical of the "not invented here" mentality of the liberal Democrats who represent this newspaper ("Is McDonnell attack really just a smoke screen?" July 28 column).

Since McDonnell's opponent has no plan, Casey chooses to critique the plan that does exist. I can only imagine when Democrat Creigh Deeds does come up with a plan how objectively Casey will compare them.

I continue to marvel at the "balanced" reporting from this newspaper. Has the newspaper endorsed a candidate in this race yet? I can hardly wait.