Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

Letters 10/30

No deal, AARP

I received AARP's request to send letters of support for health care reform to Sens Dick Durbin and Roland Burris and Rep. Jerry Costello. I have chosen not to send the letters supplied. I do not support AARP's efforts as set out in its recent pamphlet. I have sent e-mails to all three legislators with my comments and concerns.

I support health care for all. However, I have taken a lesson from the 1938 Munich Agreement providing "Peace in our time." I do not support health care for all at any price.

There are at least three concerns I have:

1) The Democratic majority is using health care reform as a payoff for trial lawyers. Without meaningful tort reform, I oppose any reform bill.

2) I completely oppose a "public option." Any public option will quickly become the majority player. Health care will become a political toy with favors and penalties handed out in much the same way defense contracting is now done. Think not? Ask some of the Medicare Advantage members.

3) I am pro-life. I will not support any legislation that makes the taking of the life of the innocent pre-born a mere choice.

If and when AARP stops following the mandates of the Democratic Party, I will reconsider supporting AARP's call for coverage. For my support, it must be coverage that is logical and meaningful.

David Griffith

Belleville

Just say no to Ameren

Once again, Ameren is trying to dig into our pocketbooks. The company's request for yet another rate increase is simply appalling. At a time when the economy is down and individuals everywhere are struggling to make ends meet, it is not the time for the Illinois Commerce Commission to approve another rate increase for Ameren.

I thought the ICC was supposed to have the interests of consumers in mind. Clearly that is not the case if the ICC approves this rate increase. Maybe it's time that Gov. Quinn fulfill his responsibilities and step in to appoint an ICC chairman and commissioner who actually does have the interests of consumers in mind.

Ameren got a $162 million increase last year and continues to make millions of dollars in profit. The ICC simply must not approve another rate increase. Illinois consumers deserve better.

Wanda Clayton

President, AARP Belleville Uptown Chapter 2827 Swansea

Civil to the truth

During the past few weeks Rep. John Shimkus has been accused of not being civil when he walked out of the chamber during President Barack Obama's bombastic utterances on the proposed government takeover of health care. The accusation comes from leftists, socialists, some Republicans and most Democrats.

What these people really mean when they say, "Be civil," is "Shut up and never in any way, shape or form criticize what we, the anointed, have decided to force on you."

Of course civility as practiced by leftists is shouting down guest speakers like David Horowitz or throwing blood on Phyllis Schlafly at a public rally.

In the best interest of civil law, the Republicans should have, whenever Obama told a lie, stood up as a group, and stated, "That's a lie. See page number ? of Bill ?," and then sat back down.

In the final analysis, Shimkus was being civil. When he walked out he was being civil to truth.

Steve Conway

Edwardsville

Government, stay out

I think everyone would agree with your editorial, "Promising the moon," at least those whose mind doesn't concentrate on the moon too much.

You're right that in a few years, employers will drop their insurance plans and send workers to "government mandated" insurance. We have examples of this happening already. Some businesses make sure workers don't work a 40-hour week, keeping them from being considered full time. Those employees then go to the government for subsidized health care.

The president and members of Congress who support HR 3200 or other bills have modified the number of people who are without health care. They began saying that 65 million people didn't have health care. That number settled at 45 million for a while. Now the president says 30 million. I agree with you that it is less than half that; in fact, it is probably around 10 million -- a number that is tragically too high.

What we are seeing on a grand scale, is how inept Congress has been. Lawmakers refuse to acknowledge that the majority of Americans do not want a government-run plan. The people know that anytime the government runs something it becomes a bureaucratic nightmare of corruption, graft and red tape. The people against abortion know that this bill will permit the government to pay for abortion.

People feel that the government taxes us and spends too much. People feel that the government refuses to listen to them. According to some polls, 58 percent are against government plans.

Jim Shively

Belleville

Medicare truths

In reference to socialized medicine, try to decipher the charges for a medical procedure on the statements sent to you by Medicare. The charges that are discounted or written off add to the confusion.

We even feel we are paying for this due to the payment deducted (again) from our Social Security payment, which is definitely socialistic. For me not to admit this would make me as two-faced as the federal government.

Don't get this wrong. This system has been great for me. I just wish they would refer to it as what it is.

Fred Busch

New Baden

Bring home our troops

Americans continue to die in Afghan-istan in one of the longest wars in U.S. history. Neo-conservatives and military lobbyists push for escalation. But where does this end? Is war and occupation really protecting America from terrorism? Are we even fighting Al-Qaida anymore?

Endless war and insurgency are the cost of managing an empire. No empire is immune. Ask the British how well it worked for them when they tried to occupy America.

For too long we've had troops in every corner of the globe. We've sacrificed lives and treasure for generations. And for what purpose? "Protecting American interests?" "Preserving democracy?"

Under those premises we've compromised principles, sacrificed soldiers, spent trillions and slaughtered thousands -- too many of whom were innocent civilians.

And what American interests are we protecting? Too often our military is tasked with protecting huge multinational corporations -- so they can continue exploiting cheap labor and plundering resources overseas.

Preserving democracy is a fallacy also, as most resources are directed at cold-war stalemates, often supporting tyrannical regimes. Those sometimes return to haunt us, like supporting Osama bin Laden against the Soviets, and Saddam Hussein in his war with Iran.

It's time for a wholesale change with America's role in the world. We have a tremendous military that's quite capable of the destruction of any other nation. That massive defense capability should be used as a deterrent to aggression, not a primary instrument of foreign policy.

It's time to bring our troops home -- all of them -- and do our nation building in America.

Kevin J. Gagen

Belleville