Domestic violence is local, not federal issue

Re: "Domestic violence bill now political battleground," May 14

Once again, both the Democrats and the Republicans got it wrong when they passed the Violence Against Women Act. The federal government has once again stepped into an area clearly never intended to be a part of their enumerated powers as outlined in the Constitution.

Violence against women is a local issue that should be taken care of at the city, county and state level.The only purpose for this bill was to allow politicians to say they did something about domestic violence.It's only used as political mud by one party to dirty up the other.

Since both Democrats and Republicans are responsible, both need to take a hard look at how the federal government is inserting itself into what is not -- and never has been -- their business.

Randy Mathson

Alexandria

Hybrid HOV exemption ignores carpoolers, caters to rich

Re: "HOV rules forhybrids different on every Va. road," May 11

The hybrid HOV exemption rules on Virginia's highways differ for each road and are based upon the date of the hybrid tag.However, the larger issue is that hybrid exemption is unfair, elitist, and clogs traffic.

In crafting the HOV access rules for hybrids over the past decade, Virginia legislators lost sight of the purpose of HOV lanes: to move more people and to encourage carpooling.They caved to a coalition of auto dealers and environmentalists and forgot about the tens of thousands of people who carpool and take the bus -- who are the true environmentalists.

The hybrid exemption on I-95 became so popular that I recall being surrounded by hybrids on many occasions. That is no longer the case on that road, but there are still thousands of "grandfathered" hybrids.

And get this: those who got a hybrid tag early and were grandfathered in can transfer that tag to a new big-buck vehicle every year.

Legislators should be ashamed of such pandering.

Bob Hugman

Woodbridge

Critic protests Edwards' trial a bit too much

Re: "The wasteful, adrenaline-filled case against John Edwards," May 10

The article by Jeff Smith should have more appropriately been headlined: "Birds of a Feather."

Lawrence J. Chisholm

Lost City, W.Va.

Biden also went off-script on religious beliefs

Re: "Yes. Biden was off-script on gay marriage comments," Beltway Confidential, May 7

Vice President Biden's approval of gay marriage appears to have had a catalytic effect on the president.But every one knows that God created man and woman to procreate.It was pathetic to see him ignore God's way of creation and do things against His will.

Believers can never accept the concept of gay marriage.

Daniel Chellaraj

Arlington