From the Enquirer's Letters to the Editor:

There have been several letters expressing outrage at a recent letter writer's suggestion that taxpayer money should not be used to aid the tsunami victims ("Tsunami aid should not be from taxpayers," Jan. 5).

The letter writer is correct that there is no constitutional basis for such aid. The founders were not opposed to such aid, but they believed that charity was the role of private citizens and organizations, not the government.

Though there is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that justifies such spending, people should not be worried. There are myriad government programs without constitutional basis, such as education and welfare.

Everyone should relax. Our country departed from constitutional governance a long time ago, and we are in no danger of returning to it anytime soon.

Dave Matre

White Oak

How can you not admire irony as masterful as that? It's a thing of beauty.