Care not 'commodity'
In regard to your editorial "Let's face it/Medical care is a commodity like any other": The "commodity" you speak of takes some interesting forms. Television and movies often falsely depict a system that turns people away if they do not have insurance. UAMS often cares for the most critical patients in the state. A gunshot wound to the head or a 26-week premature baby, thankfully, receive the same care whether they have insurance or not. As a physician, I am usually unaware of a patient's insurance status at the time I provide care. The care is the priority, but these cases cost millions of dollars to treat.
Is it surprising that 65 percent of the UAMS budget is taken up by salaries of its professionals? I trained at UAMS with many highly skilled and dedicated doctors and nurses whose training can encompass up to 11 years or more past college. The training is rigorous and demanding, both mentally and physically, and absorbs most of your youth. One of the more irritating lines I have heard lately: It's a job like any other. These are the ones crawling out of their beds at 2 in the morning, after working all day, to perform a complex, physically demanding surgery if someone gets into a car accident.
I am a physician who runs my own practice. The main procedure in my specialty pays a fifth of what it did in 1985. Physicians are not strangers to dealing with decreasing pay and have not been for many decades. We also face intense regulations that are growing exponentially. I love what I do but certainly don't find the financial realities we have lived with for a long time now "refreshing."
TRACEY SCHMUCKER
Little Rock
Was missing in action
Our president, Mr. Trump, leader of the free world, someone we should be able to look to for leadership, for security in our everyday lives, was missing twice this past week. Not one word to assure Hawaii and the rest of this country of our safety after the incoming missile warning issued Saturday at 8:07 a.m. and a "false alarm" notice issued at 8:45 a.m. in Hawaii. I realize the ballistic missile warning system was a state system, but seems to me a phone call from our missile defense system and a call from our president would have been appropriate so he could reassure the people of our safety. This would have been the right thing to do.
Then after the absolute catastrophe of rain and floods in California, with people being washed away, dying, and some still missing, again not a word from our president. Apparently Mr. Trump believes he is only the president of his base. His staff should have enough sense to issue a statement of safety and condolences to the people he is responsible to and for.
Sad!
EDITH SEAMAN
Lakeview
Artistic photographer
Whenever I see a photograph in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that really catches my eye, I've learned that the photographer is usually Benjamin Krain.
What a talent! He's not only a great photographer, but also a gifted artist. Give that man a raise.
GAYLE NICHOLSON
Little Rock
Nuclear missile panic
I fly for a major airline. While on a layover on the island of Maui on Saturday, my cell phone alerted me of an inbound missile, "not a drill."
For the next 38 minutes it was complete panic. People did not know where to go or what to do. There was a look of panic on people's faces.
While we discuss President Donald Trump's frequent tweets and racist comments, nothing is more important than being prepared for nuclear attack. This is underscored by two leaders who are unstable and unpredictable.
JEFF KLEYMANN
Eureka Springs
Shameful in silence
In reference to our Arkansas "D.C." crew, especially Sen. Tom Cotton: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "There comes a time when silence is betrayal."
Have our legislators lost their way? How "depraved" must a statement be to summon their spines and call it out?
I read that U.S. Rep. Steve Womack stated this is the style of our president and our country will adjust to it. That is exactly what many fear.
One more quote from Reverend King: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter."
TRUDI RUST
Fayetteville
Brought shame to us
Tom Cotton, we are all aware that you spent your two years in the House of Representatives campaigning for the Senate. We realize that you're using your Senate seat to position yourself for higher office. The Bible says that one of the things that God hates is a lying tongue. What you fail to realize is that being a Trump puppet, and obviously lying for him, does not further your career. When the Trump presidency goes down in flames, which it will eventually do, because you have drank the Kool-Aid you'll go down with him.
You have brought shame on yourself and embarrassment to your state.
BOB HARRISON
Little Rock
Score political points
Dicky Durbin is at a private meeting with other senators to discuss DACA, government funding, steps to avoid government shutdown and other important issues, and he hears the president use a somewhat vulgar term to describe immigrants from Haiti and some African countries. Suddenly the important issues he is there to address become meaningless; he must rush to the news media and inform them of what Trump said in a private meeting. "To hell with DACA or a government shutdown," he likely thought. "I must tell the world what Trump said about immigrants from ****hole countries; this is my chance to grab a headline."
So it seems we have another example of a pathetic, worthless politician willing to sabotage an effort to solve an important crisis facing this nation in order to score a few political points. A typical Democrat stooge.
GARY LEMON
Cabot
On moral leadership
I find it ironic that the John Brummett column on Tuesday, painting President Trump as a racist, used a quote from FDR about the office of president being about moral leadership foremost. FDR committed probably the most racist act ever when he put loyal and innocent Japanese Americans in detention camps during World War II.
PHILLIP BASINGER
Conway
Editorial on 01/18/2018