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Monday, August 31, 2009

I'm encouraged...

If I disregard certain people's recent comments, I've been encouraged lately by some other people's comments--not here, on my blog, but in person.

A couple of weeks ago, I read this letter to the editor in our local paper:

"We must stand up to Obama’s health plan
Published: August 20, 2009
The big government takeover has to stop. Ever since liberals claimed power, it’s been one bureaucratic scheme after another. Their newest target, health care, is the most dangerous intervention yet. Politicians, special interests and central planners should not come between patients and their doctors.

We shouldn’t have to wait for Washington to tell us if we can have the treatment we need. We shouldn’t have to wait in long lines because hospitals are overrun and doctors are in short supply. But that is what could happen if the Obama/Pelosi health care plan is allowed to go forward. Patients must come together now to make sure that our voice is part of the process, before we are forever silenced in the halls of power in Washington.

Frank St. Charles

Bowling Green"


I find letters of this sort to be typical of a lot of op-ed sections. There's no real facts or good rhetoric--just buzz words and misinformation.

So I responded with this short reply:

"Health care debate should focus on facts, not opinions
Published: August 22, 2009
This letter is in response to Frank St. Charles’ letter Thursday, “We must stand up to Obama’s health plan.” You, sir, obviously have a strong distrust for our government. I don’t blame you. But you’ve got to get beyond the lies and misinformation being spewed by the talking heads on Fox News.

Millions and millions of hardworking Americans are denied proper health care daily because of a broken system. The government is simply trying to provide for the general welfare, as Article 1: Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution says.Have you read the health care reform bill? You won’t have to change anything about your current health care coverage if you don’t want to. This bill is simply an attempt to provide proper health care for all U.S. citizens. The proposed public option is open to those who choose it – it’s not some part of a “big government takeover” scheme that will force all Americans into a system of socialized medicine.

Check the facts. Listen to more than one media outlet. Read the proposed bill. This can’t continue to be a “liberal vs. conservative” argument. This should be a chance for all Americans to talk openly, honestly, calmly and rationally about the best way to provide health care to everyone.

John David Ryan
Bowling Green"


Since then, I've been quite surprised by the kind words people have shared about how much they appreciated seeing a letter with this content in our local paper. Several people have stopped by my office and I've received emails expressing gratitude for someone writing in such a letter to the editor.

Then Mr. Frank St. Charles responded with this letter on the 27th:

"Health care plan is simply not a good idea
Published: August 27, 2009
To John David Ryan’s letter Saturday, “Health care debate should focus on facts, not opinions,” and those who agree with him about allowing government to control health care, I simply have some brief comments. If we allow the government to control our health care, they will have control of our lives. Improving health care does not require controlling it. Can we really trust bureaucrats and politicians to do what they say, without changes or to run anything efficiently or effectively? Once they have control of the system, we are at their mercy and don’t believe that it won’t be used and abused by special interests and fall victim to incompetency and excess.

Frank St. Charles
Bowling Green"


I responded yesterday. I'm sure they'll print it. I'll post the link when they do.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

is there another way to link to those letters? it says the sessions have expired or something like that. in short, the links don't work.

JD said...

Sorry, Calais. Our local paper's website sucks, so I can't link stuff more than a few days old apparently. I'll post the letters in my original post. Thanks for letting me know...

BfH said...

First - nothing about the Daily News sucks. Nothing.

Second - Mr. St. Charles doesn't use any buzz words or misinformation. Not even in his reply. Just facts.

Jeremiah said...

If Obama's health plan was a complete socialization of health care, what Frank is saying might make some since. But its not and there is even a specific measure in the proposed bill to prevent everyone from going to the government option and subsequently the government running health care.
Sometimes I wonder if liberals pretend to be stupid conservatives to defeat their cause. I always thought that the reverse of that was true with Colmes.

JD said...

Jeremiah-

I think I just peed my pants a little bit. Lol...

Are you AGREEING with my thoughts on the matter? Or at least, agreeing with some of my thoughts on the matter?

Jeremiah said...

Universe, you win

Yes, I agree with you.
I don't think this is a conservative vs. liberal debate at all. I think that health care reform is badly needed and making general slams against it as Frank was attempting to do are unhelpful.
I have always thought that complete government run health care would be, well it would be probably like the long waits and lines at every other government agency. But this is insurance.
It makes no sense that people are bashing such a broad attempt at reform. The debate should be about how it should be done, but it's pretty obvious that something needs to be don.

JD said...

"Did we just become best friends?"

"Yep."

Joe said...

Hey JD

I figure the brothers ought to be quick to agree when we do if we are quick to disagree with things as well. There is no doubt that something with health care ought to be done. Just like miah not sure that this is the best way, but there has to be something done. I did post something earlier about what I read in the bill but I think (going back and looking at it again) that I had misread it. So you can throw my name into the hat for the need of health care reform, maybe not exactly how Obama is doing it, but none the less something has to be done soon.

in Christ
Joe Hussung