Letters to the Editor

Abusive driver fees definition of excessive

Let's start with a definition. Excessive: "Going beyond the usual, necessary, or proper limit or degree." 

The recently imposed penalties on Virginians for a variety of traffic offenses are by this and any definition excessive. $2,500 for speeding in a 75 mph zone- Excessive.

How about another definition- Fine: "A sum of money imposed as a penalty for an offense or dereliction." Sounds like that $2,500 bill.

There's only one problem:  Excessive fines are unconstitutional.  Here's another quote:
"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

That's the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. You probably know it better for the "cruel and unusual" part, but it does apply to fines as well.

But wait — Virginia doesn't call some of these penalties fines, they call them "fees." I wonder what the definition of a "fee" is- "A charge or payment for services." It doesn't take a Philadelphia lawyer to figure out that there's something wrong here.

Clearly, a fine and a fee are two different animals, but lawmakers made them the same to get around the Constitution.  However, they're as different as night and day, and calling a fine a fee doesn't make it one.

I rest my case. Call them what you like, these fines are unconstitutional.

Councilman Frank S. Lucente

Waynesboro

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Straight-party views prove to be narrow

I feel that I must speak out on an article that was in The News Virginian last week ("Dedicated partiers," Nov. 6).

I in no way want to attack anyone's character or his or her way of living his or her life, if it's for Jesus.

Let me say, I vote for the candidate, not the party.

Up front, I want to say that I have eaten in The Purple Foot, the restaurant owned by Erwin and Barbara Bohmfalk, and can recommend it to anyone as the food and service are second to none!

My family and I have traveled the world and find it much different than do the Bohmfalks. 

Do you remember the Vietnam War- I do as I was in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years, hauling equipment into Vietnam and bodies back home. And I can tell you, we hauled more bodies from Vietnam in one month than has been returned from Iraq since this war started under this Republican president. 

When I married my wife, Betty Lou Falls, I was too ashamed of my uniform to wear it to our wedding. 

As I remember, Democrats and Republicans both had their hands in that war.

After retiring from the Air Force, I moved my family to Saudi Arabia for 16 more years of flying and flew to places that I hadn't in the military. 

I can tell you the United States and its citizens are still looked up to. I can take you to places where Americans are loved and places where Americans are hated.

As the article states, "… the two have been steadfast Democrats, never tempted to stray to the opposing party." 

My question is, in all those years, am I to believe there has never been a bad Democrat, or Republican for that matter-
Would you just not vote for that candidate or hold "steadfast" and vote because the name was on the Democratic ticket-

Can you pick a person from either party that's running to be our next president and feel good to lay your head down at night and not worry about terrorists invading our homeland again as he or she "know what they are doing"-

As stated in the article, "I think the current situation in our government is what really, really scares me though." 

Might I ask what "situation"- As the article continues, "The respect the United States has had all these years, until recently, was just great … people thought the world of us. We were welcome everywhere we went. But the situation the last six or eight years has turned that all around. A lot of people hate us and that's just sickening. People just do not respect the United States anymore." 

If we look at our history, those statements have been made since July 4, 1776.

Davis E. Campbell

Waynesboro