Speak Out 4/2/10

Repeal Obamacare

WHEN are the health care lemmings going to wake up? Obamacare will prove to be one of the biggest mistakes ever made. The so-called reforms will destroy the American health insurance industry, bankrupt us and ruin our country. Taxes and premiums will go up, and care will go down. Bureaucracy will become maddening, and we will continue to lose our rights to privacy and personal choice. Our children will increasingly be burdened with debts that they will never get out from under and will further be subjugated by a government that seeks total control over our lives and property. Obamacare needs to be repealed quickly before it can do any real damage.

Tax tyranny

IT is now law you must purchase insurance whether you want it or not. If your employer provides you with a great plan, you'll pay 40 percent in taxes on it. If you do not purchase insurance, you must pay a fine. If you do not pay the fine, one of the 17,000 new IRS agents the bill created will come after you. Welcome to tyranny.

Will was violated

WITH the health care bill, the will of the American people was violated, just as was the Constitution. Thirty-six percent of people supported the bill, and it is obviously unconstitutional to require citizens to purchase a service as a condition of citizenship.

Not enough

WHAT a hoot. Some Republicans representatives are returning to their districts and telling constituents they didn't vote for the health care reform bill because it didn't go far enough.

Education grants

CONGRATULATIONS to Delaware and Tennessee for winning the federal Race to the Top grants to make substantial and much-needed educational innovations to improve student achievement. Shame on Missouri politicians for making little more than a token effort to get the money, likely because of fear and trembling in the face of Missouri's organized teacher opposition.

Making history

REGARDING the comment that equated President Obama's speech about doing something historic with Dec. 7, 1941. We won that war. I hope we win this one too. Health care is not fair for everyone. As a physician I firmly believe this and am in favor of health care legislation. I may be in the minority of physicians, but I do care about people. Let's make some history in a good way, just like we did in World War II.

Mortgage help

I see the taxpayers are going to help people who can't pay their mortgages. This is something that I'm sure these people need, but if they bought houses they could not afford, they need to start taking responsibility for their own actions. They make their own problems and then holler for help. That's not right.

Pit bull danger

IT'S a shame you can't walk in the 900 block of South Pacific Street because of the pit bulls. The other day I almost was bitten. The city needs to ban people from having pit bulls at all. Some child is going to get hurt.

Say thank you

I wish parents would start teaching their children how to say thank you. It is a shame children are not saying thank you when you do something for them. It's important, and I wish parents would teach children to be polite.

Time for change

REGARDING the comment that we have "the best health care plan in the world." We do not. People who had money were able to fly to India for medical procedures. This is not the best health care in the world when people go overseas for cheaper and better medical care. We do not have the best health care in the world, and that's why it is a time for a change. People voted for change. I'm glad for President Obama and the success he had in this and the hard work he put in to get this health care legislation passed.

Freedom of choice

PLANNED Parenthood has done a lot of good for this country. I did not have children before I needed to have them. There are some who would force women to do things the way they want things done. I'm glad to live in an America where I have a choice. I'm thankful Planned Parenthood was there for me. The greatest thing we have is our freedom to choose. That's what America is about.