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Vote long-time losers out of Congress

Your Voice

Letters to the Editor

Published: August 22, 2009

I read the paper and the news every day concerning the health-care overhaul. I am amazed at the turnout at the town hall meetings and the overwhelming disgust for the health-care bill being pushed on America.

Still, we see certain congressmen and women saying that it is good for us and the public option will be passed. From my understanding of the government, we voted for these people to represent our wishes, not their wishes nor their agendas. It is about time that we show them that we, as their constituents mean what we say.

When election time rolls around, we should consider opponents of these current congressional cronies and vote these long-term losers out of office. I am tired of being treated like an ignorant child who doesn't know what is best for me.

Of course, if we back off, Congress will vote for this health-care bill as written and pass it as being the best for us. They will never have to use this health coverage. They have their own specialized care that we will never be able to get. This bill should be trashed and local health cooperatives considered.

Crystal Smith
Claremont

Annexation laws should be changed

We hear about federal legislation being interfered with by lobbies, and it brings home what is happening in our state. With matters close to heart involving private property and integrity of elected officials to choose right in North Carolina, many are watching and praying.

The state is not serious about changing the 1959 annexation laws. House Bill 524 that passed the House is still in limbo since the Senate was preoccupied with the budget last session. Perhaps the tax plan that could require a special session will make time for annexation. My concern is for people having budget problems, yet legislators do not notice that forced annexation means double-taxing them.

The League Of Cities, the N.C. Builders Association, and the Chamber of Commerce fight to keep the 4.5 million people who do not live in cities from getting to vote about being annexed. The N.C. Association of Counties has not spoken in their behalf with any annexation bill this decade.

Maybe legislation should not be determined by lobbies. Maybe bills should be based on merit. In North Carolina, democracy would be a good start.

Julie N. Perkins
Tryon

Conservatives won't touch health industry profits

Congressman Patrick McHenry's letter in HDR on Aug. 18 concerning his town hall meetings caused me to think again about his meeting in Hickory on Aug. 11.

I attended hoping to hear a serious, informed, intelligent discussion of the health-care reform bill that the U.S. Senate will consider after its August recess. That didn't happen.

McHenry made clear at the beginning that he didn't want an honest, informed discussion. He walked onto the stage with a large bundle of paper, dropped it on the floor and said contemptuously, "That's the health-care reform bill." From there it went further downhill, with McHenry often pointing to the bundle of paper, sometimes putting his foot on it, and speaking derisively about it.

McHenry's chief recommendation for health-care reform was tax-free savings accounts for medical expenses. The problem is that more and more American families cannot afford the skyrocketing premiums for healthcare insurance. If they cannot afford the premiums, then certainly they cannot afford to save enough money to pay for their own health care. They wealthy who can save large sums of money would benefit most from McHenry's plan— another tax break for the rich.

The truth is that conservative congressmen and senators do not want to pass any reform that will lower the profits of health insurance companies, HMOs or drug companies.

These companies have given and will continue to give tens of millions of dollars to finance the election campaigns for politicians like Patrick McHenry.

They also will continue to finance misleading TV ads opposing health-care reform, and probably they will again succeed.

The American people will be the losers.

Kermit Turner
Hickory