No vote on DeMint’s term limit resolution
Re: “Term limits die again, just as they did in 1995,” Editorial, Feb. 7
What Examiner readers may not know is that Sen. Jim DeMint introduced a Senate Joint Resolution (SJ Res 11) for term limits, but his resolution was not voted on.
DeMint introduced an amendment to the STOCK bill (S. 2038), that would have only added the text: “The Senate should pass a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution that limits the number of terms a Member of Congress may serve.” However, this amendment would have served little purpose, since it only suggests that the Senate pass the joint resolution and does not actually force it to do so.
Our citizenry has a horrible grasp on how our legislative branch works as it is. Please assist those of us who want to look up bills in the Congressional Record by including bill numbers in your articles so that we can properly complain to our representatives.
Michael Soh
Alexandria
HHS mandate clearly violates religious freedom
Re: “HHS regulations are a good compromise,” From Readers, Feb. 6
The Obamacare mandate requires people of all faiths to support oral contraceptives, which cause breast cancer, and abortifacients, which kill unborn human beings, in their health care plans. It doesn’t matter if you take government funds or not. The one trivial exception is meaningless.
Our Constitution guarantees that the Congress make no law restricting the free exercise of religion — which the Catholic Church does with its hospitals and social service agencies treating and serving many millions of sick and needy people. Catholics can’t obey Obama’s mandate, so he is risking that the Church will close its hospitals, schools and social service agencies, which will put thousands out of work and cost taxpayers a great deal.
If Obama is willing to violate the Constitution in his first term, what will he do in a second term?
Let’s not find out. Hope for a change!
William Luksic
Rockville
Teacher evaluations should combine two approaches
Re: “Extremes show disparity between schools,” Jan. 29
Grading teachers is truly a grind, as it is governed by two differing philosophies.
One philosophy measures a teacher’s efficacy and effectiveness according to her/his students’ success on exams. Another philosophy lays more emphasis on the teacher’s professional knowledge, experience and expertise, regardless of what the students’ outputs are.
To be fair and square, a combination of both should be used as a valid yardstick for evaluating teachers.
A. Soheili
Gaithersburg
