Congressman David Price must be pleased at the recent deluge of letters thanking him for supporting the 2,000-page "health care " bill. So many similar -- several all but identical -- effusive letters leads a cynic to suspect a propaganda campaign by Price himself.
Will we next see a wave of letters thanking Price for his last year's 134 earmarks, totaling 176 million taxpayer dollars to his favorite projects, some apparently his financial backers? (http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/member/429/Rep_David_Price/page/3/sort/amount/type/desc/year/all.html) I, too, would thank Price if he would simply answer a few of my questions, like: Just how will $500 billion be cut from Medicare services? Has he even read the bill he voted for? I would really thank him if he would promise that he and his family would limit themselves to the same health care he wants to force on the rest of us. Maybe we will have a choice next November.
JON MILLER
Durham
Objective data
Most of the recent letters written to say thank you for the votes cast for HB 3962 to "reform" health care, are long on subjective opinion and short on objective data. For example, we are not underinsured as most seem to think, but overinsured.
Yes, health costs have increased from 5 percent of GDP in 1960 to 16 percent in 2006. Out-of-pocket costs have dropped from 47 percent of health care costs to 15 percent over the same period. The government's expenditure has gone from 10 percent to 31 percent, and insurance payments have gone from 21 percent to 33 percent.
When individuals lose sight of how much they are spending they are not concerned about how much they spend. If we would pay for the annual check up as we do for our oil change, costs would decrease.
ROBERT H APPLEBY
Durham
Overtime 'scandal'?
I have followed with interest the so-called overtime scandal involving Officer Taylor-Robinson, who by the way is a respected officer with a good reputation. What I have found most interesting is the total lack of evidence of any wrongdoing on her part.
Yes, she doubled her salary in overtime while doing a job that only she could do at the time. She couldn't go on vacation and leave someone else to do it so, yes she put in overtime on vacation and holidays. Since her firing the department has hired three officers to do her job! By my estimation she saved the department about $50,000 in salary alone.
Unless there is some evidence that se falsified overtime records she deserves the same benefit of the doubt that would be expected in other professions. Or is the problem that we just can't stand to see a police officer make a living wage?
GARY SHAW
Raleigh
Strong bill or no bill
The Republicans have offered zilch -- the Blue Dogs, nada. Now, the Democrats have the leverage but it's not clear that they realize it -- especially after Bill Clinton's pep talk advising any health reform bill is better than no bill. (Though, he did make a good point on controlling costs.)
If the Senate Democrats can scrape together enough guts to back serious reform with a strong public option (not the weak, expensive House version) and these obstructionists block it, then the party of no will be finished. Why? Because the overwhelming majority of Americans have spoken and they are demanding serious reform now. Real reform now!
Go ahead, Senator Leiberman, be the Grinch that stole Christmas -- we dare you! The worst case scenario for the Democrats would be to follow Clinton's advise and pass a weak bill that ends up being a windfall for the insurance companies. If, after passage, the American public just sees a messy bill that does little to alleviate their pain, the Republicans and their hatchet men will exploit these shortcomings to their full advantage in 2010/2012.
LOU MEYERS
Durham
Negative impact
I want to thank David Price for voting for the health care bill, the cap and trade bill and the stimulus bill.
All of which will directly impact every citizens guarantee to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in a negative way. Thank you, Mr. Price, for taking the fruits of our labor and redistributing it to others. Thank you, Mr. Price, for mandating my health care decisions for me. Thank you,, Mr. Price, for making it more costly for us to do business in the United States and sending more jobs overseas. Thank you, Mr. Price, for increasing the deficit and our taxes. Finally, Mr. Price, thank you for not recognizing the long term impact of your votes on "we the people."
J.P. HANSON
Durham
Thanking Landfried
It was with regret, yet a sense of sincere appreciation, that I read Ron Landfried's last column for The Herald-Sun. In my opinion, Ron was a great newspaper man.
Over the years, I have always appreciated that Ron asked good -- and sometimes tough -- questions about our downtown revitalization plans, and wanted to understand the "big picture" connection among the many individual downtown revitalization projects. While we did not agree on some issues, he always treated me respectfully and fairly, and took the time to listen to what I had to say. And, I appreciated that Ron always took the time to say thank you for the role that DDI has played in our community's efforts to revitalize downtown.
While there were many cynics and doubters in the early years of our downtown revitalization efforts, Ron in his role as an editorial page editor stood firm in his support of our efforts. On behalf of Downtown Durham Inc., we thank Ron for his support.
Just as life threw my family a "cancer curve ball," so it did to Ron. Over the past few years, our relationship transcended the professional to touch on the personal related to his battle against cancer. My thoughts, prayers and best wishes are with Ron as he continues his battle against cancer and enters this new phase of his life.
BILL KALKHOF
The writer is president of Downtown Durham Inc.
Seeing red
Someone I know works for the University of North Carolina. How can I ever convince myself to forgive him for permitting a designer to put red on a UNC basketball uniform?
Am I wrong to feel that doing so is being disrespectful to all students and all Tar Heel athletes who came prior to 2009?
Are there others who feel as I do?
CLAUDIA C. CANNADY
Chapel Hill
Not the answer
Rep. David Price should be chastised, not praised, for his vote to pass HB3962. The act should be identified as the "Un-affordable Health Care Act." No one knows how much it will cost, but most agree the cost will greatly exceed the estimates presented by the Democrats. Even the most biased supporters can't make the numbers look feasible. The proposed savings from Medicare will be an unconscionable hit on senior citizens.
It was interesting that many letters described the passage as bipartisan because one Republican voted for passage. The only real bipartisan voting was the 15 percent of Democrats that joined Republicans against passage. Every poll indicates the majority of Americans oppose this bill.
While most Americans support health care reform, they know that this cobbled-up 2,000-page monstrosity is not the answer. It will hurt what is good in the current system and do little to correct the identified problems.
It is clear that no one really knows all that is contained in the 2,000 pages and how the various provisions will affect them personally, but everyone seems to agree that this is one of the most important issues facing our country.
Therefore, congress owes it to their constituents to take the time to hold public hearings and receive expert testimony in an open forum. Then write another bill with an honest attempt at bipartisanship and run some field testa before they destroy the best health care system the world has ever known.
HARRY DAWLEY
Durham
