It’s competition, not socialism

Letters calling President Barack Obama’s health care plan socialism are extremely perplexing. If one has options for private care, it’s called competition, which we regard as capitalism. The Veterans Administration, on the other hand, is run solely by the federal government, which makes it truly a socialist system.

A capitalist public option allows one to shop plans, compare benefits and prices, and choose a plan that’s best for one’s family. Incidentally, this is what federal employees and members of Congress, such as U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, can do. He can choose from hundreds of different plans and never has to endure a waiting period or is subject to pre-existing condition requirements. His premiums, deductibles, and drug and hospital co-pay costs are embarrassingly low. Edwards can receive services from the Office of the Attending Physician in the Capitol and at five other locations. He’s also eligible to receive medical and emergency dental care in military treatment facilities. Like U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, they enjoy the best of both health care worlds and at taxpayer expense. So why aren’t average Americans allowed the same health care options as those sent to Washington to represent us? 

Health care reform is about offering Americans choice in coverage for basic human needs.

Nancy Glasscock

Temple

Republicans used ‘deeming’

I realize that the Trib, under new ownership, has taken a conservative view in its editorial pages. That’s understandable with a readership that’s largely conservative. However, when the Trib writes a long editorial representing its editorial board’s view, readers shouldn’t be subjected to emotional rants and outrage that stem from political hypocrisy. Recently, on health care legislative process, we got just that from the Trib.

Republicans have used “deeming” hundreds of times. There’s nothing new or outrageous about that. Reconciliation was used to pass some of George W. Bush’s agenda, including the huge tax cuts for the wealthy. Deals and strong-armed tactics are not new in Congress. The Republicans used them to the extreme in passing the also-controversial $1.2 trillion prescription drug bill in 2005 — which, unlike the health care bill, provided no method of paying for itself.

When the chief Medicare actuary in the government attempted to report that the drug bill would cost $100 billion more than GOP leaders had claimed, Bush suppressed it. Tom DeLay intimidated members with political retribution and withholding of support if they did not vote in favor of the bill. GOP House members froze the legislative clock at the last minute to strong-arm more votes, an unprecedented act.

When it suited their purposes, Republicans praised the Congressional Budget Office report on a discarded health care version last fall. Now that CBO reports favorably on Obama’s bill, CBO’s report is being attacked by the same people. Be conservative if you wish, but also be honest and moderate your outrage when mitigating facts exist.

Mike Brown

Waco

Support Rob Curnock

As a concerned, conservative Texan, I’m convinced Rob Curnock is the best candidate in the Congressional District 17 runoff. We must defeat U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards in the 2010 election for Congress.

Curnock is a committed conservative. He is passionate about defending the values that we hold dear in this district and that we expect from our representative in Washington. He will fight to uphold the Constitution and to protect our entire country from such tactics as secret back-room deals on health care and other government attempts to control our lives.

Nancy Swor

Waco

Grateful for roadside help

On Feb. 25, my husband and I were in a car accident on the service road of State Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 84. A number of people stopped to check on us and to offer comfort as we waited for the police and ambulance to arrive.

We are thankful to God for sparing us and for sending those helpers who gave us a human lifeline to hold onto. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts.

Len and Peggy Martin

West

Renovation of Vanguard School

The March 17 Trib story by Wendy Gragg, “School to preserve Davidian building,” which talked about Vanguard College Preparatory School renovating the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist headquarters, brings to mind the following memories:

Victor T. Houtiff, former leader of the Davidians, sought a rural setting for their church. Houtiff and two associates traveled to Texas to find possible church sites and settled on this area after examining land in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.

Houtiff named the chalk rock bluff Mount Carmel from references in the Bible. Construction on the rocky knoll took nearly 20 years.

In 1937, Houtiff, then 52, married 18-year-old Florence Hermanson. A long-known curiosity surrounding Houtiff was that wherever he went, a man in a white coat seemed to follow him. This mystery was later solved with the revelation that Houtiff suffered from bleeding ulcers.

The original building had no elevator, so they installed a wheelchair on the railing, which helped transport elderly workers. This is the second floor of the building that Vanguard is now converting into a library.

Neil Koos

Waco