I was alarmed by the letter in Wednesday’s Tribune about the increase in “government intrusion” in the lives of citizens.

Government is changing, without question, and Mr. Burton certainly has the right to express his opinions, but his letter was obviously an attempt to reinforce Limbaugh-style misinformation, anger, and fear.

For example, his contention that “voter apathy gave us a president bent on removing God from our nation” ignores the fact that voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election was the highest in 40 years, as well as the fact that the president is a Christian.

His belief that “government has no place in business” overlooks the fact that lack of regulation allowed the crazed risk-taking that triggered the recent economic crisis, and ignores the frantic ongoing effort to avoid a full-scale meltdown.

The “student loan law” Mr. Burton is angry about prevents banks from charging large fees to participants in federal student loan programs, which will undoubtedly result in more college graduates, and certainly more college graduates who manage to repay their loans.

Despite Mr. Burton’s right to free speech, recent events involving angry mobs and death threats illustrate how dangerous his reckless statements, unsupported by facts, may prove to be.

“Next he will try to destroy our armed forces” and “(politicians) are there to expand socialism” are breathtaking in their incendiary, fact-free ugliness.

Anger that is dependent on the free flow of misinformation isn’t particularly inspiring, and is singularly un-American.

Abby Fowler

Ironton