Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009

Letters 11/12

Irresponsible vote

After receiving one or two return e-mails from U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello (12th district) concerning the latest trillion-dollar spending spree that the U.S. House of Representatives is considering, I was fairly sure that Costello would vote against the health care reform bill. Boy, was I wrong.

With only 220 votes, (218 needed to pass) Costello assisted in creating more debt for the American taxpayers. Our children and grandchildren will be paying additional taxes to fund this 2,000-page travesty if it becomes law.

This potential expansion of debt is irresponsible at this juncture due to the state and American economy.

The Democratic Party is bound and determined to make the irresponsible spending during the George W. Bush presidency look like a candle compared to a bonfire.

I hope people in the 12th District will contact Costello and voice their displeasure with his siding with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her gang of spend and borrow Democrats. Also, they should remind him that in November 2010 they will be voting.

We are talking $1 trillion -- and that is just an estimate. With the state raising our taxes (for goods) and borrowing money to be able to balance its budget, how many more times are we, the taxpayers, going to be stabbed in the wallet by our politicians before we toss them out on their ears?

Et tu, Mr. Costello?

John Haley

Belleville

AARP's big win

The AARP got a financial windfall in return for its support of the health care bill.

Over the past decade, the AARP has morphed from an advocacy group to an insurance company (through its subsidiary company). It is one of the main suppliers of Medi-gap insurance, a high-cost, privately purchased coverage that picks up where Medicare leaves off.

President Bush 43 passed the Medicare Advantage program, which offered a subsidized, lower-cost alternative to Medi-gap. Under Medicare Advantage, the elderly get all the extra coverage they need plus coordinated, well-managed care, usually by the same physician. So more than 10 million seniors went with Medicare Advantage, cutting into AARP Medi-gap revenues.

Presto! President Barack Obama solved their problem. He wants to eliminate subsidies for Medicare Advantage. The elderly will have to pay more for coverage under Medi-gap, but the AARP -- which supposedly represents them -- will make more money.

If this galls you, join the American Seniors Association, the alternative group. Contact sbarton@americanseniors.org. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Jim Bonnevier

Belleville

New virus identified

There's way too much worry in the nation about H1N1. But how many Americans are aware of a much more dangerous disease called "Pelosi-itis?" This deadly disease is guaranteed to cause your economic health and freedom feel worst than a junk yard dog eating a dead, rabid skunk. I'm not a doctor or lawyer, but what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is practicing is legislative malpractice.

In closing, President Barack Hussein Obama and his Congress are like Orwell's "1984" on steroids.

Chapo Jones

Swansea

Negotiating chip

It looks like Rep. John Shimkus caved into intense pressure from insurance industry lobbyists and voted against the recently passed health care reform bill. He will be receiving money from the insurance lobbyists for his campaign's war chest while thousands may be deprived of the coverage they need, literally, to survive.

Would those who, like Shimkus, are against health care reform be more willing to come to the negotiating table if their own health care coverage were rescinded until such time as the same coverage congressmen and women now enjoy was provided to everyone in America?

Ken Kelley

Maryville

Positive vote

I'd like to thank Rep. Jerry Costello for supporting the Affordable Health Care for America Act. His vote will help provide stable coverage for Americans both with and without health insurance. Our congressman deserves much thanks for resisting pressure from the insurance industry lobbyists and standing up for his constituents.

Keith Brown

Belleville

Voice for the people

I am proud of my congressman, Rep. Jerry Costello. He truly reflects the views of most of his constituency and was willing to stand up for what he believes in despite the pressure and scare tactics of special interest groups and other bullying forces.

Thank you to Costello for making a difference in mine and so many others' lives. His courageous vote helped make history.

I wonder how Rep. John Shimkus' constituency feels right now knowing how their congressman voted?

Brenda Sprengeler

Belleville

Shimkus caved

Unfortunately, U.S. Rep. John Shimkus is hiding his real motives from his constituency. He apparently does not value his word to his voters.

It now looks as if he is willing to have his out front person say one thing (to look good to us) and then he will do another (to look good to whomever apparently has deeper pockets)/

Recently Shimkus' representative thanked my husband, Edward, and I for our calls asking for his support on the health care reform bill and indicated to us (in two separate conversations) that Shimkus would vote for it. Instead, Shimkus caved in to the insurance industry's ways and voted against the bill.

It's clear that Shimkus supports his own interests instead of his constituents' interests. Never again should he get their votes; he won't get ours.

Suzanne Goewert

Elsah

Misplaced loyalties

Rep. John Shimkus needs to stop supporting insurance industry lobbyists and help pass the health care reform.

Helena Schultz

Collinsville

Fair play or foul?

At the Mater Dei- Freeburg football game on Friday at Freeburg, one of the coaches was thrown out of the game. It is my understanding that the former head coach came out of the stands to fill in coaching. He is no longer employed by Mater Dei; he is the head coach at Centralia.

I would think that the Illinois High School Association would have a rule that would make this against the rules. When a player is tossed out of a game the team becomes short-handed. Does this not apply to the coaching staff?

If a team uses an ineligible player, it forfeits any games he played in. I think this should apply to the coaches also.

Don't you think the head coach should be held responsible for this? Maybe the next team should be given a bye.

Feel free to correct me if any of this is wrong. Remember, this is high school football, not the Super Bowl.

Jim Chadderton

Belleville