Policies not in our best interests

To the editor:

Members of the Bush administration are showing that their highest priority is to their bank accounts and their second highest is to the corporations that helped get them elected. The actions of Tommy Thompson, secretary of health and human services, demonstrate this well. He sent a bill through Congress that prevents the government from negotiating lower drug rates while giving the drug companies $139 billion over the next eight years at the expense of the American taxpayers. The bill also gives huge subsidies to insurance companies, most of whom already make trillions per year.

Thompson also fought to keep Americans from obtaining cheaper drugs from Canada by saying they wouldn't be safe, even though many of the drugs were made here and forced to meet Canadian and American health standards. Under his watch the number of uninsured Americans has risen to 45 million. I am one of them.

The Institute of Medicine reports that 18,000 unnecessary deaths occur each year because of lack of health insurance and that the country loses between $65 billion to $130 billion annually due to the poor health and early deaths of uninsured adults.

Thompson now plans to seek employment in the health industry. Undoubtedly he will use his clout to help companies evade requirements and regulations.

When it comes to health, there is nothing pro-life about the Bush administration, and there is nothing it is doing to help the average American. It is all about their own financial gain.

KERRIE LINTNER, Cape Girardeau