Health care for all isn't a partisan issue

The economic crisis and bailout are devastating to ordinary Americans, blocking hopes of reforming our crumbling health-care system. The Port Authority has eliminated health-care benefits for future nonunion pensioners and those for union retirees are at risk. A major reason is a failure to put aside enough money to fund these future costs.

Nearly every local and state government faces the same problem. They have to report these obligations as liabilities, threatening credit ratings. Either they'll have to cut services, raise taxes or renege on retiree benefits. The Family and Business Healthcare Security Act, SB300/HB1660, now in the Pennsylvania Legislature, would guarantee comprehensive health care for everyone, regardless of age, income, pre-existing condition, job situation or retirement. People would no longer have to fear bankruptcy due to medical bills. Similar to Medicare, it's funded through taxes paid by companies and workers, but would be privately run, with no co-pays or deductibles.

Studies report big savings if we bypass wasteful, profit-driven insurance companies that take 25 percent off the top. This isn't a partisan issue. It's plain common sense. Why should we pay double what other countries pay while covering everyone?

MOLLY RUSH
Dormont

The writer is on the steering committee of Health Care for All PA.

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Indefensible on Iraq

Sarah Palin and the economy have dominated the political rhetoric recently. The forgotten issue, "the war in Iraq," has been put on the back burner. How sad! John McCain's positions on the war ("We are close to victory") are at best questionable and at worst indefensible!

Why questionable?

If we are close to victory, why is Gen. David Petraeus recommending the level of troops in Iraq remain at 146,000 until June 2009 ("Sources: Bush Advised to Delay Troop Cuts in Iraq," Sept. 5). That is a level greater than before the surge started!

John McCain should be questioned on why he is so supportive of Gen. Petraeus and his reasons for recommending that troop level.

Why indefensible?

For two reasons: First, John McCain has offered no plan for extricating our troops from Iraq and has opposed any suggested plans.

Second: John McCain and Gen. Petraeus both know that the 146,000-troop level is necessary to keep the lid on the tinderbox called Iraq.

Keeping the "lid on" is not victory. It is containment and occupation!

JOHN ROPAR
Ross

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Start slicing

Regarding the first presidential debate: So, Sen. John McCain says we need to freeze spending (finally!) and Sen. Barack Obama accuses him of "using a hatchet when you need a scalpel." Boy, talk about a disconnect.

Mr. Obama, Mr. McCain said "freeze," not "cut"; those are two different words and words mean something. I think.

Indeed, government spending is out of control, thanks to the tax-and-spend Pelosis and Dodds who control Congress, and a scalpel should be used. Let's start with the National Endowment for the Arts and National Public Radio. Let's slice off the farm bill: paying people not to grow crops? Ludicrous.

Then Mr. Obama goes on to say we need to spend more on a variety of programs. Please. Let's look at one place he wants to send more of our tax dollars -- early childhood education. If our government-educated eighth-graders perform math at only the fifth-grade level, if our high-schoolers have no idea when the Civil War was and our college students can't find Utah on a map, then I do not believe we need more government funding for more government programs. In the 2003 International Mathematics and Science Study, the United States ranked 16th, behind countries such as China, Australia and Estonia. (For you college students out there, Estonia is a country that borders Russia.)

Mr. Obama, if you care about education, how about supporting school voucher programs so "working families" can send their children to the schools of their choice?

ANTHONY L. BOERIO
Ben Avon

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October Surprise?

By suspending his campaign and threatening to refuse to debate, then changing his mind, John McCain has again demonstrated that he is unfit to be president with his finger on the button. This "independent maverick" is simply erratic, oppositional and does not think things through before reacting. His out-of-control temper is also a major concern.

Even conservative George F. Will agrees: "... the more one sees of his impulsive, intensely personal reactions to people and events, the less confidence one has ..." ("Lurching Certitudes," Sept. 23).

Still, some will vote for Mr. McCain because they are single-issue Christian voters or diehard Republicans. Many of my fellow white voters want to wake up from this eight-year "Nightmare on Pennsylvania Avenue," and while they observe that the other candidate is intelligent, thoughtful and steady, he is also African American. How many catastrophes will it take for them to vote in their best interests and not allow old prejudices to cloud their minds?

May they dream new dreams in which women and men "will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." I pray that the October Surprise will be a nationwide epidemic of colorblindness, lasting long into November and beyond.

DANIEL F. GALLAGHER
Kennedy

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Judging Murtha

The "honorable" Rep. John Murtha repeatedly accused, without evidence, a group of Marines of "cold-blooded murder." This was prior to an investigation of the facts or a trial. When the investigation exonerated seven of these Marines (one is still under investigation), he stood by his remarks and refused to apologize. One of these Marines, a constituent of Rep. Murtha, is suing him for slander ("Marine Sues Rep. Murtha," Sept. 26).

Mr. Murtha's government lawyers are claiming that his unfounded accusation was made in the performance of his duties as a congressman. Mr. Murtha must believe the job of a representative is to impugn the honor of a Marine and constituent without evidence. The justice system will determine if a member of Congress is allowed to make unfounded accusations of anyone, let alone a Marine and his constituent, as a part of his job.

The voters of Mr. Murtha's district will have to determine if this is the representation they wish to have.

PETER B. BALFE
Sergeant First Class, Retired
Pennsylvania Army National Guard
Brookline

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A hideous choice

This is in response to Ellen Goodman's Oct. 3 column "Two Branches Down." I am a pro-life Democrat and will not be voting for John McCain. However, every election season it is a heart-wrenching decision to pick a suitable candidate.

What I want to address in Ms. Goodman's column is her topic of "women's right to choose." Why is the sentence never completed? Choose what ... to kill your child? Choose to end a life? What are women thinking?

We know the worst pain in this world is the loss of a child. Why do women want to have the right to end their child's life? Abortion in some dictionaries is defined as "monstrosity." Abortion is a big business. Maybe we should start putting limits on this "right to choose" (with exceptions only in cases of rape or incest). Maybe if we had respect for those most innocent, there would in turn be respect for all life.

MARY S. PAJAK STOUT
Castle Shannon

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We need leaders who focus on service, not re-election

One term that has been missing in this country for far too long is "public service." The quickest way to straighten this country out is to eliminate all pensions and free health care for politicians after they leave office. Then, and only then, will we finally get honest and sincere candidates running for state and federal offices.

And we no longer would have "blood-suckers," as I call them, serving 15 or 20 years in office just so they can receive a king's pension and free health care after they've sucked every other bonus they could off the taxpayer.

I think we would actually get better candidates who sincerely believe in public service and only need to serve one or two terms to bring fresh ideas to our system. Something has to change, because the Republican and Democratic parties have run this country into the ground. They are too busy trying to constantly get re-elected so they can receive their outlandish pensions and free health care.

DON NORRIS
Valencia

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