LETTERS

LITTLE ROCK — Yelling foils discourse

The Republican state party chairman, Doyle Webb, made a big issue of Blanche Lincoln's remark that they were acting un-American. I believe the American way is to have a debate, to present both sides of an issue so we can make an intelligent choice, not a disruptive yelling match where no one can learn the truth.

Maybe that is part of the plan.

FLO CATO Little Rock

Views were appalling

Once in awhile, one will read a letter in the Voices section that is so shocking that it must be read at least twice to believe that it actually is saying what is in print.

Such a letter was printed from Robert Bayne of Mountain Home. Unless Bayne is at least 90, there is no explanation for such racist ideas, and even if Bayne is 90, there is no excuse. I have not heard such appalling language since I was a boy, and I am many years removed from being a boy. In two short paragraphs, he manages to smear African Americans, Jews, liberals and all non-white Americans.

Equally astounding is that the Democrat-Gazette would print such outrageous drivel. The Democrat-Gazette is clearly committed to printing ideas from both sides of the political spectrum, but one would think that a standard of decency would exist and that the paper would kindly thank Bayne for his submission and suggest a more appropriate forum such as the Ku Klux Klan journal.

This type of racism should be responded to by readers of this paper with condemnation. It will be interesting to note if such condemnation is received inas much volume as was the reaction of readers to the new smoking tax and the modification of the TV guide.

RUSSELL PEASE Prairie Grove

Health care is not free

Government-run health care is not free. Seniors must pay a monthly premium of $96.40 for Medicare Part B for a total of $1,156.80 annually. Seniors pay the first $135 (annual deductible). After the deductible is met, Medicare pays the first 80 percent of allowable charges. Seniors pay the remaining 20 percent as a co-pay.

If a senior can afford it, supplemental insurance policies are available to pay the deductible and the 20 percent co-pay. Supplemental policies average about $140 per individual annually. The annual cost for this is about $1,680. Prescriptions for seniors are not covered by Medicare.

The average Social Security check is about $1,100 per month. A senior on Social Security alone has an average annual income is about $13,200. Subtract what a senior has to pay for medical and drug benefits and he or she has a usable income of about $10,000 per year.

Heaven help the senior who does not have 40 quarters of qualifying Medicarecovered employment for Medicare Part A in hospital coverage. With less than 40 quarters, the senior has to pay a monthly premium of $244 for this coverage. If you have less than 30 quarters, the monthly premium is $443.

If the government is unable to run Medicare without running out of money, how can it run national health care without running a deficit? The Congressional Budget Office has projected that national health care would add $1.6 trillion to the national debt, which is already more than $11 trillion. Is this governing responsibly?

KATHRYN PORTERFIELD Traskwood

No amateurs wanted

On a recent morning, as I took my grandson to day care, I listened to a talk show on local radio station KARN. The conversation was with Congressman Vic Snyder and Bob Steel, the morning host.

A caller engaged the congressman in an exchange about the fact that he would not be satisfied with any health care reform that did allow him to have the same coverage as Snyder and his Washington counterparts. In reply to this, the congressman, typically attempted to change the question and answered in a circuitous way that he was a public employee and thus was required to choose his health care program from a menu of about 200 choices. He said it so confused him that he just selected Blue Cross Blue Shield.

I am sure the rest of us would appreciate a chance to share in that kind of confusion. A little thoughtful action on a health care reform program for the rest of us and a lot more transparency are in order. I for one do not want people who can't understand their own choices in health care to try to control my choices. We would all be better off if the politicians just went home and left it up to us to take care of ourselves.

EDWARD HASH Maumelle Just do a little research

Watching the news and reading comments from newspaper readers, one would think that the entire nation is against health care reform.

For years, I have heard nothing but complaints about how health insurance is and that people use the emergency rooms for their primary care. This use of emergency rooms is necessitated because people cannot or will not pay for insurance, thus causing higher insurance premiums and exorbitant charges when we are hospitalized.

When the congressmen are holding town hall meetings, they are being shouted down by large, unruly crowds. From what I have heard, many of these people are mad because of things heard from other people.

Just taking the time to do a little research would answer a lot of the questions in advance. For instance, a person can go to whitehouse.gov/realitycheck for answers. Yet some people in the crowds are disrespectful and rude to the speakers and to each other. There is no good reason for this. More can be accomplished with calm interaction.

The congressmen and senators are at these meetings to answer legitimate questions and to get ideas from their constituents. Hopefully, they come away with ideas that will make the final health care bill good for everyone. I am not too keen on a government-run option. I like Sen. Blanche Lincoln's idea of insurance co-ops. What seems best to me is for the government to make the rules, then for private business, such as the co-ops, to run the show.

DAVID W CORLESS Conway

Moral values being lost

I think even the Bible mentions that there will be an increase of knowledge on Earth. The increase during my lifetime has been almost unbelievable. With this increase has come change. But there are many of my generation who do not think that some change has been for the best.

I have a few old elementary school textbooks, some copyrighted over 100 years ago. Most of the stories and even some sentences for spelling and math exercises contain a moral lesson. Some are even direct quotes form the Bible. The teacher spent about as much time teaching the moral aspect of the story ashe or she spent on the reading, writing and math skills involved.

New constitutional interpretations and government intervention do not allow this anymore. The new standards measure only the academics. I don't know anyone who would like to go back to the days of the little red schoolhouse. A nation makes progress only when it makes use of the new knowledge that is available. But the moral values that came out of the little red schoolhouse also are a big part of what made us the greatest nation on Earth. Each new generation seems to be losing some of these values.

CHARLES LASITER Fordyce

Warning still resonates

President Obama and his congressional supporters' unwillingness to commit to opting out of their own exclusive health care plan in favor of the new government plan reminds me of a warning from George Orwell's "Animal Farm": "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." PAUL R. NAIL Conway Doesn't Snyder get it?

Congressman Vic Snyder wants to debate the other congressmen from Arkansas on the clean energy bill. The other three have voted to represent the majority of their constituents. This is what congressmen are supposed to do. Does Vic get it?

The congressman recently stated that industrial countries that develop clean energy will have a competitive advantage. China will have a huge advantage over us if we do. This theory is similar to the outcry for this country to go on the metric system or we would be left behind. Thirty years later, we are not on the metric system. Hogwash, Vic.

WES POOLE Hot Springs