×

Reps should serve everyone

The Nov. 19 News and Sentinel printed a letter to the editor titled, “Voters must pressure Congress.” That writer was demanding that the voters force Congress to destroy Obamacare. That letter was a nine-paragraph belch of right-wing ugliness unsupported by any facts.

That writer began with name calling. I thought the term, “progressive Marxists” was funny but outdated. Then he started repeating the litany of lies that Limbaugh, Hannity and Fox have been pimping for several years.

He wrote, “Obamacare destroyed the finest healthcare system anywhere in the world,” which is an absolute lie. It destroyed nothing. Then he delivered my favorite slogan. With Obamacare, “the government decides who lives or dies.” Really? Obama haters just can’t resist saying stupid things when they start badmouthing his healthcare program.

Fifty years with Medicare has taught us how great it is to have a quality healthcare system, even if it only applies to the elderly. The program is so widely appreciated it has evolved into a fundamental government function and all those retired folks love it. Why can’t we apply the same technical effort to secure good healthcare for all 320 million of our citizens?

Excluding Medicare, which is well managed with only a seven percent administrating overhead, all other healthcare in the U.S. is a chaotic multi-trillion-dollar juggernaut with no centralized management or control and it chews up nearly 20 percent of our $19 trillion annual economy. That needs to be fixed.

The United States is the only western, industrialized nation that does not have a government sponsored universal healthcare program. Our English-speaking allies and north-European friends adopted universal healthcare many years ago. It’s time we moved out of the medical-management dark ages and joined our friends.

Obamacare was an awkward and partly successful attempt to cover 30 million U.S. citizens who had no health insurance. It contained the seed of a very humane program, but the political climate allowed too many opportunities to undermine the project. So, it was weaker and much less effective than it should have been.

Republicans were so successful at undermining Obamacare they think that gives them license to destroy the remnants of the program and use any liberated funds to give the wealthy a tax cut. It’s time for Congress to stop sucking up to rich Republicans and start serving all the people.

Ralph Chambers

Parkersburg

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today