Letters for Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009

Lies fuel the current debate on health care

Sarah Palin is right. “Death Panels” do exist. But she won’t admit that these panels are put in place and controlled by America’s health care insurance industries. Like every American institution, these industries have been collectively undermined by unbridled love and lust for money. Most Americans are naive on this subject. We are unaware that lies fuel the current debate on health care. Health care insurance industries often fund these lies. They are aided by self-serving politicians and media talking heads. if we “follow the money.” This truth will be revealed. Sadly we are not interested in doing this. We find it easier to indulge in mindless pursuits like sports, and “American Idol.”

In the time it takes to read this letter, health care insurers will deny thousands of insured Americans life-saving medical treatment. It will not matter that their premiums are paid. Insurance executives will decide that treating them is too expensive. Their decisions will only consider their industries bottom line.

Increasingly that bottom line is outrageous and excessive profit. The mansions, yachts and toys enjoyed by insurance executives and share holders total billions. They are the fruits of greed. Every hour, every minute, every second, thousands of American families are victimized by it.

In July, my father-in-law died in Canada at age 95. Over the course of several years before his death, he had been in failing health. He had several heart operations. For a long time, he received professional health care visits at home. Finally he was placed in a very nice nursing home. The Canadian Health Care System provided him years of excellent care and service, at no cost to him. He was not required to go bankrupt to receive this care. He was not made to forfeit the nice home that he worked all of his life to pay for. In the end his family and estate were not left with medical bills to pay. Such a fortunate outcome is not possible under America’s present health care system.

Denial of medical treatment for America’s insured drives them into bankruptcy. It also hastens their deaths. No matter. When they are dead, insurers quickly take them off their books. And forget about them. We all need to be proactive on this issue. We can start by following the money. Investigation will reveal some shocking facts. Dear reader do you have insurance? Are you covered? Are you sure? You may be the next victim of a greedy and callous health care insurance provider. Whatever you think of Obama he has placed the issue of health care on America’s mind. As a former Republican, I support his efforts. So should we all.



W. Mack Rose

Valdosta

US Army (Ret.)



We the people need to use our vote to make a difference

We the people, those are strong words. Say them, listen to them. We the people went into the Cumberland gap, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and the Ohio Valley. We the people crossed the Mississippi River. We the people crossed the Rockies and settled in Washington State and Oregon. We fought wars to free California and Texas from Mexican rule.

Now what have we the people done? We’ve given our country away. This is still the land of the free and home of the brave, but if you really want it to stay that way then you better get off your cans and wake up. If you think your vote doesn’t count, your voice doesn’t matter then you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Our president has surrounded himself with the very trash that every soldier takes an oath to defend this country against. (Domestic enemies) Democrat has become a hateful word. Some people will tell you that our founding fathers meant to keep church and state separate. Not so.

What they meant was to keep the government out of the church as it was in England. Now, some not so well intended people have twisted the meaning around. Our history has been bent, twisted and changed. Now, we the American people are in danger of hyper inflation.

I believe all this stuff being thrust upon us is simply to break America’s back, so it can be rebuilt the way the socialist wants it. I pray that you will wake up. The only non-violent way left, is to vote all this trash in Congress out. Evict them.

If you don’t, even more violent means may not work. I hope we never have to find out. Your vote, your voice do make a difference, but won’t if you don’t use it. Let the sound of freedom be the sound of you voting.

Michael G. Morgan

Homerville

Sons of Liberty



The impeccable character of coach Bowden

I wonder if the readers have felt the total disgust as I have over the recent criticism leveled toward FSU Coach Bobby Bowden and his football program.

Perhaps some of the “Power Party,” located in the Tallahassee area have inhaled excessive diesel fumes from the forever construction projects on the I-10 highway.

Have they forgotten the original goals of Coach Bowden when he took over in the mid-’70s to “play any team, any where and any time” and how much progress he has made?

I will dare to venture that Florida A&M and the Seminole baseball program had consistently more fans attending their games prior to the arrival of Coach Bowden.

Think about his accomplishments since joining the ACC (Which used to be the doormat conference overall in the Division I A category), nine straight titles. He raised the bar for all the other ACC teams in recruitment, just like Penn State Coach Joe Paterno after joining The Big Ten. During the 2008 season, all but one of the FSU opponents played in a bowl game.

Not long ago FSU, University of Florida and the University of Miami led the recruitment overall of the top Florida high school players. Lately the competition has also come from South Florida, Florida Atlantic, Central Florida and Florida International with onsets to their Division I A programs. (Not to mention the neighboring SEC and even our not so neighboring northern states.)

Years past, when Georgia Tech was a member of the SEC, their legendary coach, Bobby Dodd, often stated “Any SEC team could defeat another SEC team on any given Saturday.” Well thanks to “Gentleman Bowden,” the same can be said for the ACC. Who would have believed that Wake Forest would ever have a chance to play for their ACC championship?

Perhaps the folks ruling over the FSU football program will wake up and continue to honor the impeccable character of coach Bowden and his daring courage to climb and conquer the mountains. By the way, this letter writer is a ‘semi-rabid’ University of Georgia Bulldog fan who, for years, bleeds red and black.

H.W. Van Houten

Valdosta