PUBLIC VIEWPOINT: Attack Typical Of Right Wing Attitude

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

— Buddy Rogers’ opinion (Jan. 22) railing against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that Congress passed needs to be questioned. His negative use of the term ObamaCare is the typical right-wing attitude, saying I have mine and to heck with those who don’t. He used the term ObamaCare eight times in his commentary.

His claim that there are independent insurance agents out there that can sell poor people quality, aff ordable insurance policies.

You don’t get what you pay for with these policies. If you travel very far from home, you have no medical coverage unless you return to their approved doctors and hospitals. There is limited coverage for extended illness as well as high co-pays. They can cancel your medical insurance at any time.

His opinions outweigh the facts. His opinion that health care reform is about federal control and not about health care or health insurance is bunk. The so-called ObamaCare, as well as Medicare, are not as unpopular with the majority of Americans as he claims.

Where does he get the proof that this health care reform is unworkable? It does not become completely implemented for after two years. Medicare has worked well for 40 years.

The conservatives have few reasons to debunk health care reform other than claim it will cost too much and cut into the huge profits in the private medical insurance companies. Is money more important than sick poor people to them? Oh yes, there is always their interpretation of the Constitution. We now have the best medical facilities and technology ofany country in the world. It is also the most expensive and blaming it on the lawyers is just a smoke screen. At one of the recent Republican debates, the hand-picked, cheerleading, conservative audience cheered when Ron Paul suggested that very ill people without insurance should be left to die. This attitude is very barbaric and very un-Christian, similar to Texas Justice.

RICHARD SNIVELY / Fayetteville

COLUMNIST OUT OF LINE

Ordinarily I enjoy Dave Perozek’s commentary.

This time, however, he committed the ultimate mistake in journalism when he did not get all the facts before he published (“Some board members talk, others don’t,” Feb. 13).

Before he criticized Beth Haney, the longest-serving School Board member, he might have asked why she was too busy to answer yet another survey on this godforsaken subject. If Dave had inquired, he would have learned that her mother has been seriously ill and hospitalized. Beth Haney is involved with numerous church and community organizations, tutors a student and is struggling through her husband’s unemployment. She does a remarkable job prioritizing these needs. These facts were not researched before Dave Perozek went to press. Perhaps next time, our community paper will give us the commentary we deserve, not the commentary that suits the moment.

LISE FRULIO / Bentonville

Opinion, Pages 5 on 02/21/2012