No insurance? Pay it all yourself
Critics of the new health care bill complain that it is unconstitutional for the government to require that an individual buy health insurance that he does not want or need.
I have no trouble with this, if everyone who does not obtain insurance signs a legal document agreeing that he will pay in full for any medical treatment be receives from private or government providers, without any assistance from the rest of us.
DAN AUDA
Health care plan will save lives
I am a fiscal conservative. I don’t believe there was any reason for debt since 17 percent of our GNP goes to health care that carries a load of bureaucracy. Other industrialized countries can cover everyone on about 11 percent of the GNP. And the people live longer!
One would think that fiscal conservatives would have taken about a week to examine the other countries’ plans and picked one. Why reinvent the wheel? They breached their principles because politicians are bribed by the insurance companies.
Companies can invest a few thousand dollars and reap billions in return. Public-funded campaigns would save mega-billions and free politicians to work for the country.
The health care plan that emerged fell short of single-payer but it will still save thousands of lives annually.
These self-proclaimed fiscal conservative Tea Partiers are protesting the wrong thing.
We spend as much on the military as the entire world combined.
Pentagon pork is a drag on our economy. More of our treasury will be wasted on Afghanistan and Iraq wars than we will spend on the health care plan that emerged.
As a devout fiscal conservative, I would be a skunk at the Tea Party.
FRED H. WRIGHT
Ronald McDonald has a good side
I saw in the paper that some group in Chicago (health professionals, parents and corporate accountability advocates) is waging war on Ronald McDonald and his influence on society.
Granted, he pushes McDonald’s food, which has mostly unhealthy items, but there are a few healthy items. Regardless of anyone’s recommendations, people are going to eat junk.
But Ronald McDonald has another side — his presence in the work of the Ronald McDonald House, a very valuable institution in the treatment of sick or injured children, providing help to families in financial need when they need to stay close.
Also, it offers an opportunity for people to help others, cooking, donating supplies, providing needed services.
I think the pluses far outweigh any minuses involved and we would definitely miss his presence.
PATTY COUNTS
Health, education terms offer help
I am happy that finally movement has been made in our country to provide people with affordable health care and to positively deal with the rising cost of education.
I worry if my child would be cared for medically if, God forbid, my husband or I lose our jobs. I am thankful we live in a state that has been decades ahead of the rest of the country with TennCare. However, I would prefer to provide my family with our own coverage, and the new law will make it possible due to the competition in the market and canceling of pre-existing conditions clauses.
Also, I worry about the rising cost of education and fear that with our modest lower-middle-class income, even if we save for college, that just won’t be enough to provide a community and state college education. With these provisions set in place, we will have an opportunity to have our child assisted by financial aid.
It gives me hope that America will not lose the talents of our young and brilliant scholars who have a drive and desire to serve others and not be guided by how much they can make so they can repay their student loans.
TONYA CRUMSEY
Bravo to Congress for passing reform
I and thousands of other Tennesseans thank Congress for helping pass health care reform. My husband and I are both retired and caring for my 98-year-old mother who lives with us. We had to deal with the “doughnut hole” this year for my mother’s expensive medications, and I am grateful that now the insurance companies will be held accountable for raising costs or denying benefits to those who need them most.
I am pleased that once everyone has health care coverage, we will no longer be paying for those who are uninsured, and I am hopeful that the waiting time in an emergency room will be shortened as everyone will have a doctor they can see for illness and the emergency room will be for emergencies! Thank you again for your service and for listening to your constituents.
MARCIA MILLER
Dunlap, Tenn.
Elect Hullander country trustee
Hamilton county needs Bill Hullander as their county trustee. My family has known Bill for many years; in fact, he drove the school bus that picked up our children for school. He is a family man, a successful businessman, a proven public servant and a dedicated Christian.
He is active in our community and has worked with my husband in the Gideons, and has been active in the Ruritan and other civic groups. He has served us well as our commissioner in District 9 for 12 years.
I have never known Bill to fail to answer a call for assistance or to make every effort to help with a problem. Bill Hullander has the needs of those he serves at heart. He is a compassionate and dedicated public servant. With the many foreclosures on properties in Hamilton County, and with people struggling to pay their taxes and keep their homes, that office needs a man of compassion and a willingness to help. We need Bill Hullander.
CHRISTINE TAYLOR
Apison, Tenn.
Crab effect prevails in Dalton
Unemployed and homeless on and off in Dalton, Ga., with the highest unemployment level in the state, the bill signed by President Obama will make my personal, epic struggle to get a degree and a job from it more possible. It is quite possible already, in spite of a mean spirit around me and against me, for Dalton has a huge number of people who have no use for education, or higher education especially, whatsoever.
Then there is the crab effect. When you go crabbing on the beach, you do not have to put a lid on the crab bucket. Every time one crab tries to climb out, the rest pull him back down. Nowhere is the crab effect more prevalent than Dalton, although there are the few and far between in this town who do not ridicule and discourage me all they can for being homeless and still going to college in spite of it.
As a staunch Democrat and supporter of the president, I may be outnumbered more in Dalton than Custer ever was, but I support him in spite of the great hostility toward me for it.
BOBBY SEAY
Raines a hero for water study
My heroes have always been the characters played by John Wayne and Clint Eastwood who “cleaned up the town,” but that has recently changed.
My new hero is Bill Raines, who spent many hours of his time to devise a more sensible plan for the old stormwater program now known as the water quality program. This “mandated” program with extreme fees to fund it was apparently voted on blindly by our City Council without any thought of the repercussions that it would cause the citizens and businesses of the area.
Fortunately, Mr. Raines was selected as chairman of a committee to study the program and come up with a more reasonable, but still not popular, plan.
It took an experienced businessman to look at the program from a common-sense standpoint and cut the “fat” out of the operating expenses in order to lower the fees.
At least a majority of the council recognized this sensible solution and voted it in after Mr. Raines and the committee did all of the work.
Thank you, Bill, for a job well done. The community should be proud of what you have accomplished.
RICHARD A. ABERCROMBIE
Obama leads ‘blind’ around like sheep
Think Obama’s health insurance plan is a good thing? So does Fidel Castro. If you can’t see the dismal significance of this situation, then there really is no hope for you.
It is true that there is no one so blind as he who will not see. Obama — as others in history — knows this. He leads these “blind” around like so many sheep.
All Americans who love their country should pray for God’s mercy and forgiveness for the ways in which we have separated from Him. I personally pray that God will cleanse our government the way that Jesus ran out those who sullied the Temple so many years ago. The spirit of the interloper will continue to take over if we aren’t watchful and knowledgeable enough to stop it.
MARY ANNE COOK
Shooters must be stopped quickly
The fact that another kid with a gun caused injury (and fortunately no deaths this time) is sad.
Obviously, there is a social problem with thugs who need a firearm to improve their “street creds.”
In the Coolidge Park aftermath, I was very disappointed to hear comments from the chief and assistant chief that licensed gun owners would have compounded the problem.
Seriously, an active shooter, which is a term that we are becoming more and more familiar with, firing into a crowd needs to be stopped quickly, stopped by anyone in a position to do so.
The police cannot be everywhere, and only luck saved lives that night.
JERRY MACCAULEY
(Retired Police Officer)
Let’s pull together, make reform work
It’s time for Americans to stand together and to stop the name calling and doing things for the purpose of getting elected. We need to work with each other to make the new health care law effective for all our citizens.
Will it cost money? Yes, but how better to spend our tax dollars than to provide good health care for our people. Will it need to be improved? Yes, and we need to cooperate to make it better. Social Security and Medicare were not perfect when they were first passed.
Remember the picture of the large boy carrying a boy on his shoulders at Boy’s Town and he says to Father Flanagan, “He’s not heavy, Father, he’s my brother.”
Sure, the tax burden is heavy but we still are our brothers’ keepers. So, in final analysis, it is a moral question. Let us pull together and make health care reform work.
CHARLES “ROCKY” RENNEISEN
Signal Mountain