Published: November 09, 2009 08:59 pm         

Reader's Forum: Nov. 10, 2009

Thank you for standing up to lobbyists



I really want to thank Rep. Brad Ellsworth for supporting the comprehensive health insurance reform bill. This was very courageous of him to stand up to all the dishonest advertising that the insurance industry has slammed us with. Good for you Brad! You have made me proud that I voted for you and reinforce my decision to campaign for you in upcoming elections.

You have restored my faith in politicians. Your vote makes me believe that there will soon be a time when I will be able to afford insurance that will enable me to get the health care that I need without going without food or shelter. Also, it gives me hope that my grandson, who has just been diagnosed as severely autistic will be able to have the necessary health care to help him be the very best person he can be. With this legislation, he has a much better chance of getting the services he needs to be a productive citizen.

Hooray, Brad! Thank you! Please keep strong against the flood of pressure from the lobbyists.

— Becky Caylor, Clinton



Health care debaters miss main point



The supporters and opponents of health care reform have ignored an integral part of the controversy: You don’t need health care if you don’t get sick.

But President Obama, Congress, agribusiness, the media, the doctors, the health insurance companies, and certainly the pharmaceutical companies for reasons obvious and not so obvious are reluctant to discuss SAD — the Standard American Diet, a diet so deficient in nutrients yet so complete with harmful substances that it is probably the main reason why people need so much care in the first place. SAD is truly sad.

For example, meat, milk and sugar consumed regularly over a period of time will contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

But do you think that the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (“Beef: It’s What’s For Dinner.”), the National Pork Producers Council (brought you H1N1 swine flu virus), the National Milk Producers Federation (tacky milk mustaches), and the National Corn Growers Association (high-fructose-corn-syrup pushers) will admit that?

Do you think that Congress has the guts to label these ag lobby groups as a threat to the public health?

Have you ever taken the time to read the ingredients listed on a can or box of processed food and perhaps not been able to pronounce or define most of them? Do you know which ones endanger your health and why?

Are you concerned about the chemical fertilizers and pesticides that Big Farma uses to grow crops and the growth hormones and other chemicals it feeds to the factory-farm animals it prepares for market?

Are you concerned that Big Pharma is more interested in making a profit from the drugs it convinces doctors to prescribe to people to treat their illnesses derived from poor eating habits than the dangerous side effects or deaths caused by those drugs?

Obviously, sickness will exist as long as humanity does, and for many reasons, but conscientious people can improve their health and reduce the risk of diseases by disciplining themselves to making life-style changes regarding diet and nutrition. As a result, their health care costs will decline.

The Greek nutritionist Hippocrates advocated that food is medicine and medicine is food — the proper food, that is. He wasn’t talking about such eats as McDonald’s Big Macs, KFC’s Double Down sandwiches, Oscar Mayer hot dogs, Dairy Queen milk shakes, Arby’s curly fries and all things saturated with high-fructose corn syrup.

— John Torphy, Terre Haute



Thanks for voting for bill that will benefit the people



Brad Ellsworth, I’d like to thank you publicly for voting in a positive way for health care reform. Since you declared yourself as “blue dog” Democrat on one of your recent newsletters, I was concerned that you would side with the for profit health care industry’s lies and deceit.

I am grateful that you have had the wisdom to see through the negative propaganda and voted in a positive way for legislature that actually benefits people, rather that the mega-corporate health insurance industry.

— Alan Ward, Bainbridge



House ignores will of constituents



After spending the August recess listening to the American people voice their opposition to Nancy Pelosi’s planned government takeover of our health care system, the Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives choose to ignore the will of their constituents. They passed a $1.3 trillion dollar health care bill that creates 118 new federal bureaucracies, grows the size and cost of government, and will lead to a rationing of health care. This is not the bill that the people want.

The American people have made their voices heard to anyone willing to listen. They want lower health care premiums, increased access to health care, less red tape and government bureaucracy, more freedom and choice in their care, and above all, the highest quality care that only the U.S. health care system can provide. This bill that Congress passed provides none of these.

We are fortunate in that we have the greatest health care system in the world, but it is not perfect. As a doctor, I can assure you that our system needs reform. We need to increase the freedom that patients have to choose plans and physicians. We need to address medical liability reform which could save the system over $54 billion. We must allow medical decisions to be made between a patient and their doctor, not by a Health care Czar appointed by the executive branch of our federal government.

If this bill promoted by the Democratic leadership was so good, why did they rush to vote? Why was there not extended debate? Why were congressmen voting on a 2,032-page bill that they had hardly had time to print out, let alone read and comprehend? Why wasn’t this bill, unaltered, in its entirety, posted online for the American people to review?

The passage of this bill will have great ramifications on our economy. Unemployment is at record levels. More than one in 10 people are unemployed. This bill is projected to kill another 5.5 million jobs. Even as our economy fights to return from our current recession, this bill raises taxes on individuals and small businesses to the tune of $729 million. It cuts Medicare by almost $500 billion, and it substantially grows the size of government. This Congress has already passed a $1.1 trillion stimulus bill, a $410 billion omnibus spending bill, and now a $1.3 trillion health care bill.

I am running for Congress to promote freedom, lower taxes, and to renew the American dream for our children and grandchildren, not to saddle them with enormous debt. With his vote this weekend, Congressman Ellsworth has proven that he does not stand for lower taxes, he does not stand with small businesses, he wants to grow the size and cost of government, and he wants the taxpayers of the 8th Congressional District to foot the bill. Enough is enough. We cannot continue to lead this country further into debt just to appease the liberal leaders of congress. Congressman Ellsworth was instrumental in reaching a compromise to see that this bill received enough votes to pass. For that, the voters should hold him accountable.

— Larry Bucshon, Candidate for Congress, Indiana 8th District, Newburgh