I must respond to Ms. Cooper’s criticism on Dec. 22 of Thurman Metcalf’s pro-health-care letter. She criticizes him for the title “GOP leaders obstruct progress,” but I know for a fact that it was submitted without any title. The editors must have added the heading.
Then she misrepresents the Democratic senators as a “super majority.” As the readers know, it takes 60 Democratic senators to make a majority. So when all 58 Democrats are joined by the two independents, the winning vote is in fact a bipartisan one.
Next she misrepresents the religiosity of Congress, referring to it as secular. The fact is it is 54.7 percent Protestant, 30 percent Catholic, 2.6 percent Mormon and 8.4 percent Jewish, for a total of 95.7 percent religious.
I am disappointed that Ms.
Cooper feels the Congress and White House have had no intelligence, compassion or problem-solving skills “for over a century.” Our space program and the research conducted because of it has given us better science and added intelligence. Surely she must value the great progress this nationhas made, not just for itself, but also when coming to the defense of other nations. Our interstate highway system and Social Security are great examples of our problemsolving. And what could be more compassionate than our Medicare health plan, offering health care to so many who could never have had it before. I am proud of our country, and I would wish she was, too.
Suffice it to say, she is wrong, wrong, wrong. For 45 million citizens of this nation, health care needs to be fixed, and Congress is trying.
CAROLE WESTBY
Bella Vista VOLUNTEER WANTS
BOOK DONATIONS
Iam a Peace Corps volunteer
working with Children, Youth and Family, and graduate of the University of Arkansas.
My assignment is in beautiful Bulalacao, (pronounced Boo-La-La-Cow) Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.
We are surrounded by countless banana trees, coconut trees, gorgeous flowers, ocean and green mountains. However, in ourstunning municipality, there is no library. I hope to change this.
We are seeking donations of books. We would love to have any type of book. If you know of a school, sorority, fraternity, civic club, a class or person looking for a worthwhile project, we are calling the book drive “Books for Bulalacao.” We could use the help.
Just having your friends and neighbors clear their libraries of books that they do not want anymore, would be a great help.
Printed material is very hard to get here and books are very expensive.
Most children do not have even one book. In the previous town that we lived in, the kids gravitated toward the books that a volunteer had; books were more popular than toys. Flat-rate boxes should be the most cost effective route for sending books. Any type of book is welcomed and appreciated! Please send books and resources to:
Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office
Books for Bulalacao
Rebecca Kington
c/o Dexter Gonzales
A. Salas St.
Poblacion, 5214
Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines
Opinion, Pages 5 on 12/28/2009