U.S. needs to join modern world on health care issue

U.S. needs to join modern world on health care issue

EDITOR:

I read with great interest the letter from Eric Horner from Edinburg, Pa., on his loss of health insurance bringing him to the brink of death. Why is it, if he lived in Canada, England, Spain, France or any other industrialized country he would have his health care issues taken care of without the risk of losing his home, is life savings or even his life?

Why is the richest country on the planet the only one out of 25 industrialized countries where access to health care is a privilege and not a right? The answer is a simple and sad one — it’s the money the insurance industry lobbyists spend to buy the influence of our congressmen and senators. If true universal health care were to become a reality in this country, the health insurance industry would be out of business. The millions they make off the American people with the blessings of the best government money can buy would be lost.

Our people are told by politicians that the Canadian and other systems like it are flawed and not in the best interest of the American people. Well, if the Canadian government told its people they were going to a system like ours, there would be rioting in the streets. The only people happy about that decision would be the insurance companies who could then pillage the Canadian people for the millions they’ve pillaged off the American citizens for years, at the expense of countless American lives.

Universal health care should be a right in this country like it is in countless other countries in the world. During a debate on the subject of the cost of universal health care on the Oprah Winfrey Show, a noted economist said the money we spend in three months in Iraq would provide health care for every citizen in the U.S.A. for 1 year. So why can’t a country that can find the money to go overseas and kill people in a war that 80 percent of the country doesn’t want provide the resources to take care of a basic need like health care for its citizens? It’s because it’s not in the best interest of the special interest groups who fill their pockets with contributions.

There’s a bill before Congress, HR676 which would provide universal health care, without insurance company involvement, before Congress. Congressman Tim Ryan is in favor and a co-sponsor of this bill. Congressman Phil English of District 3 in Pennsylvania is against this bill.

I own a small business and have seen my health insurance premiums for my employees go through the roof, while reading about record profits being made and huge bonuses being paid to CEOs of the companies. It’s time for this travesty thrust on the American people to come to an end. Contact your congressmen and voice your support for HR676. Its passing may save you or one of your loved ones from someday being in the sad position of Mr. Horner.

TOM BAYUS

Hermitage

Little project takes long time

EDITOR:

I just finished the article on the pathetic delay of detention pond. It is a good thing the people at OEPA don’t work in the private sector; they wouldn’t last one day. Six months to read an application for a third of an acre pond and a whole 65 foot stream. Any competent person should have read it with his/her morning coffee and processed it (a minuscule project) immediately to get it off his/her desk.

I hate to think what and how long a real/larger project would take, assuming they could understand it. Issues dealing with correcting recurring flooding should be expedited, not stretched out. In this case the project has been moved out of ideal earth moving and compacting weather of late summer into winter.

DANIEL VICTOR BIENKO

Canfield