Reform health reform

In the wake of Massachusetts’ special election, Senate Democrats are scurrying madly about, attempting to salvage something of what will soon be a DOA national health care package. Recalling that the initial focus was a small pocket of un- or underinsured Americans, why exactly did the legislative branch over each and seek to control a private enterprise that most Americans would rather have than government-run health care?

Rather than addressing an estimated 12 percent of the population without medical coverage — some by preference — some of the Democrats running amok would rather change the status quo for the other 88 percent.

Now, if your car needs an oil change, do you really want the local lube place overhauling the entire engine while you’re there?

Why not let government be the provider of last choice when the need exists because of unemployment, financial hardship or other factors? It could provide citizens with coverage till they’re able to again pay for their coverage.

This is not complex, and it addresses those who need help by specifically providing the very help they need.

Everyone would be happy: Lawmakers would get to run a portion of the country’s health care (probably badly), private enterprise would remain private, and those wanting to opt out of the whole mess won’t face fines for wanting to be left alone.

Michael Hagan

Woodway

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The wheels have come off the presidential limo.

Maybe incoming U.S. Sen. Scott Brown’s truck can tow the president to wherever he needs to go.

Frank Smith

Clifton

Banks helping Haiti?

The whole world is rallying to the aid of Haiti following the Jan. 12 earthquake.

This is the compassionate and moral thing to do. But while this little country is in dire straits, U.S. big banks are paying out $120 billion in bonuses.

I haven’t heard anything about the big banks sending any donations to Haiti.

I’m sure they could easily take $1 billion out of their $120 billion bonuses and not even skip a heartbeat.

Oops, I forgot: Big money doesn’t have a heart.

David Daithi Fisher

Bellmead

Keep it simple, please

I used to think George Will took the foremost prize for editorializing in such a way that few people could understand him, but now Orin S. Kramer of Bloomberg News tops him.

I think I got the gist of what Kramer was saying in his Jan. 22 column, “Unfunded benefits dig states into $3 trillion debt,” but for non-economists and big-word-deficient laypersons like me, simpler explanations would have sufficed.

Orin Kramer really needs to study Thomas Friedman of The New York Times. Friedman, also published in the Trib, knows how to write in simple, easy-to-understand sentences.

Let’s have more David Brooks, as well. No, I don’t always agree with him, but his writing is clear.

I also appreciate the clearly stated stances of our local Trib editorial board. Again, I don’t always agree with the board, but your writing is clear.

Emmy Parrish

Waco