Hospital patient getting a deal

Hospital patient getting a deal

A letter last Sunday was humorous and would seem to reflect the opinion of many from that writer’s generation, and the Tea Party, about the government and health care.

The writer says he wants to “keep government and insurance companies out of my (hospital) room.” That is an easy problem to fix, just pay cash for your medical services. Fifty-four days in the hospital. He’d better be related to Mr. Romney to pay cash for that. In fact, all those who just hate “government intrusion” should just pay in cash. But the humorous part of that would be the amount of services “they” would receive if “they” were footing the bill, instead of the smorgasbord of services that the awful government program called Medicare pays for (and from which they receive much more in benefits than they ever paid into the program themselves).

I’ve been in health care for 36 years and I can assure last Sunday’s writer that his caregivers have a free hand in his care; there are no government agents in the hallways blocking access to care. And, in point of fact, he probably knows little, if anything, about the new health-care law that he complains about. He and all those like him, should pray daily for the health of those of us who are still in the workforce paying into programs that provide extraordinary health care services to those who could not otherwise afford them. He is getting the deal of the century. He should be quiet and a bit more thankful.

Frank Dundee, Boardman

Yet another Republican problem

The Vindicator last Sunday had no trouble pointing out the difficulty Republicans have in recruiting candidates for countywide office, suggesting it amounts to “political nonfeasance.”

It should also report on its own bias and nonfeasance in reporting on political events. Case in point: on Sunday Sen. Sherrod Brown, D, was the keynote speaker at the Democratic Hall of Fame Dinner. Two days earlier, Sen. Rob Portman, R, was the keynote speaker at the annual Republican McKinley Banquet.

Democrats got a color photo and a top of page headline in the local section. Republicans got ignored. While there are many reasons why it’s a challenge to recruit Republicans for countywide office in Mahoning County, it has to be recognized The Vindicator is one of them.

Mark E. Munroe, Youngstown

The writer is chairman of the Mahoning County Republican Party.

Arm yourself to cut down violence

I read the article by Reginald Fields in last Sunday’s Vindicator, “More Ohioans seek licenses to carry concealed firearms.”

The part of the article that really caught my attentions was the comment made by Toby Hoover of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, where she says, “gun supporters use scare tactics to drive more people to want to be armed.”

I believe this Toby Hoover either lives on another planet or doesn’t read the newspapers, or watch her local and national newscasts. If she did, there are more incidents of gun violence committed by felons walking our streets than the very few committed by those in domestic violence.

If those people who aren’t law abiding citizens know that any law abiding citizen they might accost on the streets just might be carrying, it just might give the law abiding citizen the edge they need to deter the common and uncommon criminal from confronting the law abiding citizen. If Ms. Hoover, or a member of her family was ever a victim of a felonious assault, I doubt she’d be so quick to criticize those who seek a concealed carry license. So please, give me a break from these people. Your time would be better spent helping your local police department volunteering for block watch patrols.

Robert DeFelice, Poland

Slinging mud is bad politics

When will candidates seek- ing public office realize that they display childish behavior and cheapen their own platform by making their opponent appear unworthy?

As a life long voter, I am concerned about issues and the promises that candidates make and that I expect to be kept.

As for digging up dirt about candidates, I personally believe that should be the job for investigators and reporters. Anyone living in the real world should realize that unless we expect candidates to be canonized for sainthood, dirt could be found even in the cleanest of closets.

In this coming election I will cast my vote for the candidate who shares my interests, needs and beliefs and also has the wisdom to know that the way a person acts helps to determine his level of class.

Too often when words are spoken without thought, rewards are lost and consequences gained.

Mary Lou Jurina, Youngstown