The United States is not a democracy, it’s a republic ("Democracy will decide," letter, Oct. 21). The basic concept of a self-governing democracy is a mockery, and that’s exactly what we have now in the United States.

Health care is an individual "responsibility." Most Americans have lots of needs that go unmet daily. That is because the Constitution spells out what the role is of government in our personal lives.

All of the current problems we face today were great government programs at one time. What we don’t need is another great government program to fix it. The nanny state won’t work; it will, however, bankrupt and destroy the nation.

Staff. Sgt Mark JennrichCamp Humphreys, South Korea