'Rethuglicans.' 'Ignorant proud.' 'Pathetic.' Health debate gets ugly.

We were overrun with letters about the health care protests in Raleigh over the weekend. Here are nearly 20, online-only. Look for others on the Other Opinion page tomorrow, for starters.

Your Aug. 8 lead story underlined the truth of P.T. Barnum’s statement that there is a sucker born every minute! The fact that all those people have bought into the outright lies and twisted truths of Big Pharma, Big Insurance and their political toadies (who have taken millions in so-called political contributions) is truly pathetic.

On the other hand, I have this bridge for sale in Brooklyn, in case any of these people are interested!

Vince Bankoski
Cary

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The furor over health care attests to the dissatisfaction with existing health care and the proposed changes by the administration.

The discontent is understandable as the existing health care is too expensive, and there are too many players or entities to have any cost control or uniform level of service. Therefore, we should start over, junk the existing systems and format a sustainable health care system that provides universal coverage — a system that is functional, practical, everyone is covered and everyone pays. Doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, etc can remain private and provide service for a fee.

This approach will not be that difficult since 80 percent of the people already have health coverage and at least 5 percent elect not to be covered because of cost. The money paid by these people and their employers for existing coverage should about equal the money they would pay under the proposed system. Social Security has a yearly revenue from the 6 percent employee/employer withholding of $800 billion. A 10 percent withholding rate would raise $1.3 trillion, and retiree premiums plus a small charge for each service could easily raise a total of $1.5 trillion.

By introducing tort reform, streamlining services and other cost savings, health care costs can be substantially reduced. We have the information and intelligence to work out other hardspots without digging too deeply into federal tax money. It is time to start thinking creatively, dispense with partisanship and start solving the problems in this country without bankrupting our economy.

Ormond Booth
Cary

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The following list of health care goals was copied from House Speaker Pelosi’s Web site. I am having trouble understanding what the conservatives find so offensive about it. Do they know what they’re really protesting against?

LOWER COSTS

No more co-pays or deductibles for preventive care
No more rate increases for pre-existing conditions, gender, or occupation
An annual cap on your out-of-pocket expenses
Group rates of a national pool if you buy your own plan
Guaranteed, affordable oral, hearing and vision care for your kids

GREATER CHOICE
Keep your doctor, and your current plan, if you like them
More choice, with a high quality public health insurance option competing with private insurers

HIGHER QUALITY
You and your doctors make health care decisions, not insurance companies
More family doctors and nurses will enter the workforce, helping guarantee access
Mental health care must be covered

STABILITY & PEACE OF MIND
No more coverage denials for pre-existing conditions
No more lifetime limits on how much insurance companies will pay
No reason to ever make a job or life decision again based on health care coverage"

Bob Caple
Raleigh

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I object to Charles Krauthammer’s implicit approval of the “18 million Americans between 18 and 34 who (often quite rationally) forgo health insurance” (7/31). How can the choice not to have it ever be a rational decision?

When I was just starting my teaching career in North Carolina in 1961 and was offered a chance to buy health insurance through a group plan, I decided that the rational thing to do was to get it, though I was 23 and healthy at the time. In my view the only way younger people — those who can afford it — can rationalize the choice not to have it is to think that society will pay for a catastrophic illness or serious injury.

Please, Charles, let’s not encourage young people in their fantasies that they can “forgo” health insurance with impunity.

Marian Westbrook
Goldsboro

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So, we have the office of Brad Miller (NC-13), whom I really cannot refer to as a representative, as he rarely does anything actually involving his constituents, cancel the town hall meetings he didn’t plan to have in the first place because of one threat. Wait, he wasn’t going to have them in the first place? That’s correct. Despite the fact that enormous numbers of the people he was elected to actually represent are demanding he actually *gasp!* listen to their opinions when it comes to what could be a fundamental change, and not for the better, to America’s health system.

So, where was Mr. Miller? He agreed to meet with a few folks here and there, but, apparently, he didn’t actually listen on Friday. But perhaps he heard the people who showed up 600 strong in order to express their displeasure.

Perhaps he could actually answer the big question that, quite frankly, no one, particularly in the media, seems to be asking: HOW will any of the Democratic plans reduce health-related costs? Other than rationing, denial of service, long wait lines to see a medical profession and denial of treatment, among others. Does Miller have an answer?

Also, his communications director, LuAnn Canipe, said this to Talking Points Memo: “Our point is, we’re not gonna be bullied into having a town hall so it can then be interrupted by the fake grassroots folks.”

Perhaps he could pony up some proof. That shouldn’t be too hard, should it?

Porter Good
Raleigh

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I, along with everyone I know, am tired of holding my breath and waiting patiently with crossed fingers and daily prayers. I want my public health plan!

My God, what is wrong with those people who are protesting the best thing that could happen to this country and our economy? The vast majority of Americans know that they are a hairs breadth from health care disaster. As soon as we turned 50, our health insurance companies started jacking up the rates — and tempting us with deals where we can keep our rates the same if we only jack up our deductible to $2,500 or more, and dial down coverage to 70 percent. Those of us unlucky enough to be sick have faced cruel masters in the insurance business. But what about those of us who are hale and hearty so far?

Those of us who are lucky enough to be healthy have been paying for health insurance for more than 25 years, at rates of $300 to $500 per month, have kicked in up to $150,000 of our income over the years for coverage of things like annual exams, screening tests, flu shots and a prescription or two. We know we might be millionaires if we had invested the money instead. We might have started small businesses and generated jobs for our friends and neighbors. We might have done lots more good in the world if we hadn’t been terrified of losing our houses and putting our families on the street if we lost our health. We might have used our health care more wisely if we weren’t terrified that our insurance company would find out we were sick so we wait until things get pretty bad before we go to the doctor.

We were willing to play the game to ensure future coverage and to kick in for our friends and family suffering from breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes. What we didn’t like about the deal was that it was a screw job — the health insurance companies were making ungodly sums of money and our friends and families were getting screwed out of coverage just when we needed it most.

Well, we know by now that all our past investment is no insurance against losing everything. We are delighted that leadership has finally come forward to require insurance companies to cover everyone and all pre-existing conditions. We are waiting not so patiently for Medicare to kick in and can’t wait to sign up for the public health option. We’ve seen how beautifully Medicare works for our elders. We think the public option will be even better. Now we hear Congress is thinking of backing off from the public health option. Have they lost their minds? This is what we have all been waiting for, holding our breath for and standing in the rain voting for. The second it’s available, we all plan to switch. The health insurance companies know that. Don’t our elected officials?

I hope that they don’t put into place the pre-existing conditions stipulation and leave it at that, that they don’t waffle and invite lunatic fringe ideas from the Republican base that has clearly stated its aim is to ruin the country and blame Obama. Anyone who’s watching knows that without the public option the insurance companies would smile a big grin and happily double our rates, triple them, quadruple them. What would stop them? Nothing.

Marjorie Hudson
Pittsboro
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Reform of health insurance is an urgent matter, and a successful arrangement is essential.

Costs of health care in the United States, if left un-remedied, are projected to rise dramatically in the years ahead. We already have the highest-cost arrangement of any modern industrial country, but are far from having the most satisfactory outcomes — in terms of overall life expectancy, of infant mortality and of universal accessibility, not to mention affordability.

A large factor driving up costs is the high cost of prescription drugs. The new law must provide for competitive bidding to drive costs down. The large purchasing power of Medicare, V.A., and other public programs must be leveraged to make competition work.

Another large factor is the parasitical imposition of for-profit insurance companies and their highest officers, reaping exorbitant profits and salaries, at the expense of patients and their families, many of whom are denied the best of care because insurance claims are rejected by the companies, and many of whom become impoverished and lose their homes and anything else of accumulated value. Physicians’ offices have to pay for one or more staff members busy entirely in making insurance claims for patients.

The most efficient remedy is a single-payer system. A minimally acceptable remedy is to have the option of a public system, which could be available to anyone denied coverage by existing companies or without any coverage at all. Government-sponsored systems are working very well in Medicare and in Veterans’ Hospitals and clinics.

Those citizens who fear a public program and protest against proposals before Congress (N&O., Aug. 8) view with alarm “having a government bureaucrat between me and my doctor, making the decisions.” We now have insurance company bureaucrats standing between us and our doctors, driving decisions in favor of their own corporate profits and CEOs’ compensation.

All of our people need assured health care — young and old, conservative and liberal, wealthy and poor — and all stages in between. Friends, we must look at the problems now faced and insist upon the passage of legislation that best serves the interests of the consuming public.

William M. Jeffries
Durham

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Rep. Brad Miller is refusing to hold public meetings with his constituents, citing two very different reasons: Security, saying he’s received a death threat; and because he doesn’t find town hall meetings to be productive forums he hasn’t held one in two years.

Miller and his staff can arrange a secure public forum; they’re not that incompetent. So it boils down to one thing: Miller doesn’t want to be bothered. He says he’s meeting with individuals and small groups. Who? Won’t say. Topics discussed? Won’t say. Feedback? Won’t say.

Miller shows utter disdain for democracy and his constituents. Answer questions in public? God forbid! Clearly, Miller is afraid. Not for his safety, but because he might be challenged; because he’d hear different points of view; because he’d have to go on record with his positions; because he’d hear from people who aren’t hand-picked by his staff.

Democracy requires openness. It requires courage. It requires leaders who have the guts to say here’s what I believe. Sadly, Miller has none of those qualities. In glorious isolation, Rep. Miller thumbs his nose at his constituents.

Jay Johnson
Raleigh

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In an increasingly desperate maneuver by a desperate party in decline that has lost touch with the American mood, Republican conservative commentators are urging their “base” to go out and do whatever it can to yell, stomp, jump up and down and anything else that comes to mind to disrupt town hall discussions on health care reform.

In short, they have a packet of disinformation to spread about what health care reform means, and they are determined to spread this, like a virus, among the populace.

Since their “facts” are as ridiculously off base as those they trumpet about other subjects such as evolution and global warming, disruption is all that remains to try to get their ignorant points across. The aspect of this that is most disturbing is my friends and neighbors who lack the intelligence to see this. Shame on them.

Daniel Kavulich
Morrisville

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It’s interesting to see that, having found democracy not to their liking, the Republicans have turned to lies, threats, intimidation and hooliganism to attempt to win the day in the debate over health care. Of course, in doing so they are doing the heavy lifting for the insurance, pharmaceutical and health care industries.

I hope that readers of the Aug. 8 News & Observer turned to Page 13A to read that, in order to block reasoned debate, these “protesters” are taking their marching orders from right-wing rabble rousers and, in some cases, lying about their attachment to the party. If they keep it up, “Republican” will be replaced by “Rethuglican” in the political lexicon.

One of the reasons that so many Americans voted for President Obama was because they wanted our broken health care system fixed. Having been unable to win the battle of ideas in the public forum, the opposition has turned it into a battle of shrill screams. I would say that I hope cooler heads prevail, but I don’t think there are many cooler heads over there these days.

Wayland Massey
Durham

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I am going to explain the concept of a government-administered health care system in the context of the immutable law of supply and demand.  

The law is simple but powerful in predicting what happens if either a demand for something or a supply of something is changed. If the purported 47 million of uninsured are added to the health care system (increased demand) and the supply of health care is held constant (no new hospitals or health care professionals are instantly created), the cost of health care will explode.

The president and our elected representatives maintain that government control of the health care system will reduce health care costs, which is entirely at odds with the law of supply and demand. There are ways, however, for the government to reduce the demand for health care by delaying and rationing care of those who are deemed not worthy. The unworthy would include the elderly and those considered physically and mentally deficient.

I urge older people and anyone who plans to be elderly some day to pay close attention to the proposed government legislation. If using the law of supply and demand directs you to the same conclusion, I suggest you oppose the proposed legislation. It is a matter of life and death for all of us.

Mark Oldenburg
Chapel Hill

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Regarding the Aug. 8 article “Hundreds take to street over health-care plan”: So-called conservatives protesting the health care reform proposals in Congress have shown their true colors by their rhetoric and actions, and it’s not a pretty picture.

The president has been repeatedly compared to Adolf Hitler. Rush Limbaugh calls the Democrats Nazis. Our congressman Brad Miller has received death threats. Other congressmen have been hung in effigy. People who support some kind of health care reform are shouted down and bullied and apparently people like Karen Miracle and her husband (pictured on the front page) think they have the right to physically assault anyone who disagrees with them. And they call themselves “patriots.” Let’s call them what they really are: psychotic.

The right wing in this country is clearly unhinged, divorced from reality and consumed with hate. They say the government is coming to kill old folks. Lie. Sarah Palin twitters about the specter of an “Obama Death Panel” that’s out to kill her children. Paranoid delusion. Glenn Beck “jokes” about assassinating Nancy Pelosi by poisoning her, and when a Republican congressman opposed to health care reform brags at a town hall meeting that Democrats in Congress have been met by “lynch mobs” in their districts, his comment is met with laughter. How hysterical.

The whiff of violence is in the air, and it’s not even subtle. This would actually be funny if it weren’t so dangerous. Right-wing radio and TV talking heads and corporate-sponsored political action groups are peddling outrageous lies and inciting violence against elected officials and ordinary citizens who have a point of view different from theirs. When anti-reform protesters carry signs that equate support for national health care with treason (“they may not know they are helping traitors”), it is clear to all but the most obtuse that that is an implicit call to violence. After all, what do traitors deserve? We know the answer.

I would say “shame on them,” but clearly these people are beyond shame, and they are beyond reason. God help us all if they are allowed to win this “debate” by bullying, intimidation and fear-mongering.

Richard Oliver
Raleigh

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Today, I am aghast at the lunatic fringe trying to defeat improving health care in America. It is difficult to believe that there are that many “no-nothings" inflamed by racist and talk show entertainers. How many are shills for the insurance companies and the Republican Party? Do they believe that defeating the Democrats is worth destroying anything that might help the common man better his life? It would appear that the protesters are the most common of all.

Studs Terkel’s book “Across the Great Divide” said it all when he referred to them as the “ignorant proud.” The fact that these “ignorant proud” believe that Obama has a “Death Panel” to decide who lives or dies is beyond belief. Hopefully our government will see beyond the hysteria of empty minds. For-profit health care makes us 30th in the world in health care and the most expensive. Medicare for all.

Betty Jo Schaugaard
Chapel Hill

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While a majority of citizens, including myself, agree that we should address the spiraling cost of health care in this country, a number of us have concerns that the many solutions being proposed will create a system that is worse than we have.

I know that I would feel better if every person in Congress who supports the final bill that passes would sign an irrevocable letter of resignation that would trigger only if those fears that they call unfounded come to pass. To simply say that seniors would not see a reduction in their level of care or that we will be able to continue with our present provider if we are happy with it does not allay the fears of many.

However, if these politicians were willing to guarantee that all these unfounded fears will not happen by placing their jobs on the line; I for one would feel that the bill being passed would match the rhetoric being espoused and could support it.

We all should write to our representatives and senators and ask them whether they would be willing to give us such a guarantee.

Walt Sliva
Cary

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Our health care is not broken! It’s one of the best in the world! However, health care costs and insurance costs are what need to be fixed.

There are a number of reasons why health care costs are growing so fast. New procedures, drugs, etc. are one reason. But they save lives. Another is the onerous government regulations, rules, etc. that have been imposed on the health care system. Many of these have very little, if any, benefit to better our health care. And the need by doctors, hospitals and other providers to practice cover-my-tail results in many unneeded procedures, tests and other expenses to reduce the risk of law suits. Tort reform is needed to help reduce this unnecessary cost.

Several low-cost basic health care policies could be established; for instance a traditional, HMO, and PPO types. Then there would be supplemental policies that could be added for features that someone might want, for instance pregnancy, chiropractors and mental health. This would be like you buy a car. You select the car and then add features as you want and can afford. Seniors, for instance, would not require pregnancy coverage unless they wanted it. This could be done with no government costs.

The few million people remaining who cannot afford health insurance could be covered by a program that would cost vastly less than the cost of the huge plan currently being considered.

Will our elected representatives consider alternatives to the grandiose plans that are being pushed? Wait and see!

Any changes to health care must be thoughtfully and thoroughly considered by Congress and by we the people who are the ones who will be most affected. Congress will not even consider having coverage like they are trying to force on the rest of us. This should not be rushed through!

Richard V. Wright
Sanford
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When I first read the front-page headline news Aug. 8 that Brad Miller had refused the request of 600 protesters to hold a town hall meeting, I was outraged. I wondered, why has not a reporter, who could demand an answer from Miller, asked why he refused to hold a town hall meeting, and whether he has read the 1,000-page bill?

After reading the entire article, my question was answered, in part. Brad Miller alleged that he had received a death threat and agreed only to meet with nine people in his office for 50 minutes.

What a lame statement to excuse his behavior! As President Truman once said, if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Let us all (the American public and the press) demand that our representatives listen to us and speak to us.

Dan Street
Raleigh

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As a senior citizen who has observed, studied and participated in the American political processes since my college days, I find the recent behavior of some of our congressional representatives both amazing and unprecedented.

As reported Aug. 7, several Democrats — Miller, Shuler, Kissel and Watt — are avoiding town-hall forums and other open meetings with their constituents during the recess. The excuse of right-wing interference is incredibly feeble. Even if partially true, the condemnation from the president, congressional leadership, legislators themselves along with the mainstream media drips with hypocrisy. The left has used these and worse tactics in attacking previous presidents, leaders and others when they express views contrary to left-wing dogma. The mainstream media takes no notice if someone with a right of center view is attacked.

But perhaps it is not part of a Great Right Wing Conspiracy. What are some of the possible alternative reasons for the behavior of our legislators? Perhaps they think the people are unhappy about rushing gargantuan spending bills through without reading let alone studying. Or, perhaps, as polls indicate, they are not all that unhappy about their health care and can’t understand why the president and their legislators cannot explain the new plans. Or perhaps they think it is being rushed through before the voters can understand the control they will lose over their care in the next few years. Or perhaps, they see their legislators doing things they don’t like while being unresponsive to their views. Or perhaps, they are simply cowards.

It seems to me that it is time for each voter to ask themselves, Why do I want this person representing and leading me?

Philip Starr
Whispering Pines

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I feel sorry for the hysterical mobs disrupting the town hall meetings. I believe public relations firms, insurance companies and other corporations, which have a vested interest in maintaining hefty profits, are manipulating most of these individuals.

I do not think most of them have a clue they are being exploited with tools of fear and ignorance. It would be laughable, if not so sad, that an elderly man would say he does not want the government in his Medicare.

Furthermore, I have concerns about the general health of many of the individuals I have seen in news coverage of the events. With no disrespect intended, many of the dissenters are overweight and, as we know, obesity is often associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and more. These folks would be prime targets of the insurance companies pre-existing condition clause and could very likely be denied benefits if they ever had to seek coverage independent of an employer.

Don’t they understand this is part of the reform — that is, they could not be denied coverage? I sincerely hope that the hysteria will subside soon, and responsible leaders will appeal to the mobs to stop the shouting, stop the jokes about lynching (do people remember the history of lynching in this country?), stop the death threats on members of Congress and stop the escalating violence. Please, let’s start engaging in reasonable discourse.

Grace Stroud
Raleigh

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It is almost laughable that the Democrats are accusing the Republicans of “staging” the outbreaks at the town hall meetings; they just cannot understand why the general population does not trust them to run a health care system they have exempted themselves from.

The best way to tell when Congress is ready to give you the shaft is when they exempt themselves from its coverage. Now the White House is asking people to send the names of friends and neighbors who are saying things opposing the White House program; am I the only one who does not like the sound of this kind of government pressure to shut people up?

Democrats better wake up and understand that this country is not going to roll over and become socialist without a struggle. I guess the First Amendment right to free speech is not one advocated by the Obama administration; too bad, we are still free thinkers and do not fall in step like sheep.

Dick VanCleave
Fuquay-Varina

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How pathetic that Obama had his organizers send 13 million e-mails to urge his followers to support the proposed health care reform (N&O, Aug. 7). Maybe they aren’t interested in supporting this push for government health care, and perhaps some of the well-dressed people in Florida who spoke in opposition to the plan Senator Boxer referred to weren’t all conservatives. Democrats can dress well, too.

The cowards of DC are running and hiding from their constituents because there is finally public dissent. In NC, Reps. Miller, Price and Etheridge will be holding invitation-only discussions, much like Obama’s controlled town halls. Will there be pre-approved questions and will the invited audience have been screened so only their supporters are included?

I seem to remember Hillary Clinton shouting on a campaign stop how every American had the right to free speech and to disagree with an administration without being called un-American or criticized for their opinions. Where is the outrage now when opponents to Obamacare are being called manufactured angry mobs, or rabid right-wing extremists who apparently only shop at Brooks Brothers?

The outrage is real, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are guaranteed in our constitution. It was acceptable against President Bush, against the war, with comparisons to Hitler, et al. President Bush did not hide or rebuke and insult Americans; he reminded everyone of their freedom to do so, thanks to the military who fights for those rights.

Given the rhetoric of the Democrats’ talking points of mobs and manufactured AstroTurf, I would say they are the only organized group trying to silence the voices of legitimate concerns and opposition to where this president and Congress is taking this country. Perhaps the Community Organizer in Chief’s chickens have come home to roost.

Tamra Wagner
Cary