Published: August 05, 2008 08:03 am      

Letters for August 05, 2008

Health care should be right

I am responding (rather slowly) to Sam Pollak’s July 5 column on health care in this country vs. overseas. I belong to Coalition for Democracy, which has a health care focus workgroup. We push for legislation that would support a single-payer health care system. This is different than “socialized” medicine. Hospitals and doctors would still be independent. Payment would come from a single source (the government).

The reality is that payment would come from us as taxpayers, however, in a much more even and fair measure.

Instead of the sometimes hundreds paid each month by both employers and employees for premiums, deductibles and co-pays, there would be an across-the-board tax. This would allow for much better competing on the foreign trade market (Ford could lower production costs if it were not spending $2,000 for each car on employee benefits) as well as provide for a healthier population (why should the elderly and uninsured have to choose drugs over food?) I have had jobs that provided me great health insurance, and, more recently, after being disabled, had no insurance. (There is a two-year wait for Medicare on disability). Not having insurance is very scary. Health care should not be a privilege in a country so rich in resources. It should not be a privilege in our country.

Please, I encourage everyone to look into HR676, a health care reform bill now before the U.S. Congress and write your representatives regarding this very important issue. Our group has a newspaper out locally, The Healthcare Messenger for Central New York, available online at www.democracycoalition.org. Our next meeting is Aug. 14. We will be sponsoring a local stop of a statewide caravan featuring a woman from the movie “Sicko” on Friday, Sept. 12. Please support this very worthwhile event in Oneonta.

Susan vonKessel

Sidney

Protesting at funeral wrong

I sat watching the news today and was made sick at the fact that people were protesting the funeral of a murdered soldier both in Fayetteville, N.C., and in Iowa, where the funeral was held.

This woman, an Army lieutenant, was murdered by her husband. She was not killed in the course of doing her job. I am at a loss trying to understand what would prompt people to do such a thing. Protest U.S. involvement in the Middle East or toxic dumping in the oceans, things that make sense, but don’t protest at a funeral. For God sakes, people, show some respect.

Remember, you have the rights that you have because our soldiers protect those rights. God bless our troops and this country.

Jeremy Insetta

Greenville, N.C.

Red Caboose needs cleaning

I grew up in Oneonta. Recently we visited for a family reunion. My nephew, David Zummo, owns the Latte Lounge on Main Street. I was amazed how nice the downtown area looked.

While visiting Neahwa Park, I took some friends and family to see the old D&H caboose. I was shocked to see how dirty the plastic cover around the caboose was. It was full of cobwebs. Oneonta will always be the place where I was born and raised. Please have someone keep the Red Caboose clean.

Jack Zummo

Witchita, Kan.