Those in need should be heard

To the editor:

Rod Jetton, speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives, is on record as being in favor of drastic cuts to Medicaid. Interestingly, it has just come to light that Jetton was on Medicaid at one time. It gave him that extra security for him to go to college and become what he feels is a productive citizen. Now, he seems to feel that people in the same situation don't deserve the same opportunity.

In order for change to be positive and to truly work, leaders must quit trying to make what appears to be a quick fix. If you have a flat tire, you can air it up a thousand times and it won't do any good until you put a plug in it. Every year our legislators try to cut necessary services to air up the tire, but it doesn't work because that's not the problem. Now, they are trying to plug the tire by lowering eligibility guidelines and cutting life sustaining services.

Our legislators propose a commission to reorganize Medicaid once it has been dismantled. The makeup of this commission would be five senators and five representatives. I have a problem with this. It is quite obvious that even being on the system at one time doesn't ensure humility, dignity, respect and integrity. I feel it is important for people who are living it to have a voice, and this voice should be heard before the rug is pulled out, not once everyone is desperate and frustrated.

ROGER CROME, Fredericktown, Mo.