Our real problem is an overly intrusive government Re: “Does America have a lawyer problem, or a law problem?” Sunday Reflection, Feb. 4
When there is one lawyer for every 272 people, we have a problem, one that is largely responsible for our deeply rooted social, political and economic dilemmas.
Our laws were meant to be simple and understandable, and to control criminal and civil behavior under constitutional limitations. They were never meant to be so numerous and complicated that they adversely effected our society. The Constitution never intended that laws would diminish our freedoms and control nearly every aspect of our lives, liberty and property. But over the decades, our system has become corrupted by political ideology, the unbridled growth of government, and selfish interests.
Lawyers are not the problem, but the proliferation of an overly expanded, insidious government legal system that passes too many laws, makes too many legislative decisions in court, and allows too many unreasonable product liability, medical malpractice, and class action cases wherein lawyers are the only winners.
Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.
Fairfax supervisors have role in student discipline
At the Feb. 8 regular meeting of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Penny Gross and I moved to engage Fairfax County Public Schools and community organizations in a discussion about how to help students and parents turn a FCPS disciplinary action into a learning experience.
Working together, we can do a better job of helping students understand that while there are serious consequences to infractions of school rules, the community is there to help the family cope with the emotional response that may follow and provide an appropriate level of support.
Disciplinary situations, if handled compassionately, can help a child develop a balanced understanding that should ultimately translate into a mature, responsible adult. Lessons can be painful, but they need not result in either the child or family feeling alone in their ability to address the situation and see a path to a hopeful future.
Commandeering FCPS’ disciplinary process is not the board’s role, but we demonstrated in the past how well we can work together when we created the Fairfax Partnership for Youth. We need to do so again before another precious life is lost.
Supervisor Cathy Hudgins
Hunter Mill District
Transportation planners keep pushing outdated technology
The mentality of transit planners must change. We should be building cantilevered or conventional monorail instead of heavy rail systems like Metrorail.
A cantilevered monorail would have nearly the same capacity as heavy rail at much less cost and less obtrusiveness, and provide greater convenience and better service to its users.
G. Stanley Doore
Silver Spring
