Nation takes steps toward reform

The vote to reform health care in America took a first step forward on Saturday with the House of Representatives passing an historic bill.

The vote was slim by any standards, but it was the first step in an effort to tackle the long ignored situation. Finally enough members of the House felt compelled to do something to correct the problems that plague health care in this country.

For once, the big dollar interests did not win the day. For once, the good of the people won out over the money of lobbyists who have fought to continue their massive profits and unbridled control they have held for so long.

In Kentucky, we would have hoped that our Congressman Geoff Davis would have looked to the good of the people and supported health care reform. Sadly, he did not, as was the case with most of the Kentucky representation. Thank you to the brave members who did.

I would hope and, yes, pray, that Rep. Davis and others of the congressional representation from across the Tri-State of Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, would step up and seize the moment as the compromise legislation begins to form for the final vote some time in the near future. I would hope and pray as well that the good of all of the people of this great land would override the greed and power of special interests that seek to continue their control over the lives of common people of these United States.

I urge all parties and interests to place politics aside and take stock of the needs of all Americans. The system we have is broken! Please give us the chance to change it.

Philip Biggs, Greenup



Voters will have the last say

For the first time in my adult life, I’m ashamed of who is running this country. I am a registered Democrat and have voted Democrat for most of my 59 years.

But I will not vote for the radical Democrats now running this country — the Harry Reids, Nancy Pelosis, Barack Obamas, SEIU, ACORN, etc. I do not want their health care reform.

SEIU runs the Democratic Party. I will be voting in 2010, and I will change my registration as soon as possible. The Democrats in power forget they work for us, and we will show them who the boss is in the end. The Democrats can bet we will change things come 2010. They have played into the hands of special interests and sold out the American people for power and money.

I have learned through the years that the liberals like to roll out the welfare rolls and give some people their government entitlements. Well, the government has not given me anything, and I have paid my taxes faithfully and supported our nation. The voters do not have to put up with this any longer than the next election.

That is a fact. We will have the last say in this.

Julia Patton, Staffordsville



Most voters back the public option

As a West Virginia school psychologist, I see many struggling families. We school personnel often lament the limited school involvement of some of the families of our students who struggle the most.

We forget that many of these families are the working poor, in dire economic straits, too rich to be poor and too poor to be rich. Meeting the basic needs of shelter, food and clothing, educational attention must come a distant second for them. As for purchasing private health insurance, forget about it.

Privately purchased health insurance for a small family of three would cost about $24,000 dollars per year. How exactly, are average-income families who are not fortunate enough to have health insurance through their jobs supposed to be able to have access to adequate basic health care, when there is no way they can purchase private insurance and still meet the even more pressing needs of food, shelter and clothing? They can't and they don't.

America is among the last great democratic nations to address the issue of the basic right to health care. The majority of Americans support public-option health care reform as does the American Medical Association and the AARP among others.

Thankfully, the Affordable Health Care for America Act passed through the House and is now on to the Senate. The majority of American voters favor public-option health care reform. They are counting on it being enacted.

Sarah Kendall, Charleston



Congressman lauded for vote

Everyone in our great country deserves health care and U.S. Rep. Charles Wilson, D-Ohio, took a stand for all Americans. I thank him.

Terry Merkel, Ironton



GOP should back only conservatives

Why is it so difficult for Republican leaders to come to the realization that conservatism is on the rise in the United States? Judging by their recent comments, it would seem the GOP’s only prerequisite for membership in the party is a person must disagree to any degree with the Democrat Party. This attitude may have cost them two congressional seats in the recent elections.

In New York’s 23rd congressional district, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich along with the National Republican Committee endorsed the liberal Republican candidate Deidre Scozzafava,who was campaigning against Democrat Bill Owen and conservative Doug Hoffman. The RNC spent almost $1 million supporting Scozzafava. Ms. Scozzafava repaid the committee by withdrawing from the race and endorsing the Democrat Owen. Mr. Owen won with 49 percent of the popular vote to Hoffman’s 45 percent while Scozzafava received 6 percent after withdrawing. Maybe if the NRC had supported the true conservative Hoffman he would have received the 6 percent Scozzafava attracted and would have been declared the winner of the election.

In California’s 10th district Republican David Harmer finished 10 points behind Democrat John Garamendi in a district that is 66 percent Democrat. What would the outcome have been if the Republican Committee had spent the Scozzafava $1 million supporting Mr. Harmer? It is entirely possible the Republicans could have achieved a second victory.

Newt Gingrich spokesman Rick Tyler, appearing on Fox News, suggested the only way for Republicans to regain control of Congress is Conservatives must be willing to vote for moderate Republicans.

Michael Steele, the Republican National Committee chairman, also appeared on Fox News and stated he welcomed moderates into the Republican family with “open arms”.

If the RNC continues to support moderate or liberal candidates, it’s possible the Democrats will retain control of Congress.

Carl Goodson, Clute, Texas



A bit of trivia on 2 street names

As Veterans Day approaches, Ashlanders may be interested in knowing that two streets in Ashland — Weymouth and Wilshire — are named for two towns in England where American troops trained for two years for the Normandy invasion on D-Day,

Louise P. Hoy, Ashland