Letters to the editor for Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017

Obamacare needs revision, not rejection

The article in the Appeal on Jan. 14 by physicians Sandy Koch and Tim McFarren, on saying no to the repeal of Obamacare, was spot on.

In Carson City we support the Advocates to End Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (view the annual attendance at Taste of Downtown) so health care for victims is important. Also, we are pleased with Nevada’s lower teen pregnancy rate, which is related to easier access to preventive methods.

Under the Affordable Care Act, ACA, (official name of Obamacare) people receive preventive screenings, health promotion education, and primary care in the community. Health care providers are helping people take care of themselves and seek appropriate care when they need it. Before ACA, persons without insurance often waited until they were very ill, then arrived at the emergency room, causing health costs to rise quickly.

We must keep basic health care for our families; many parents work two jobs just to get by. Taking the time to research and revise the cumbersome aspects of ACA is what is needed, and not the “throw the baby out with the bath water” approach. When Medicare and Medicaid programs were developed in the 1960s, health professionals, lay persons and lawmakers worked together long before and after the programs became law. They wanted the programs to do the best for the respective recipients.

Let’s do that again, and say no to the total repeal of Obamacare.

Lin Zahrt

Carson City

Students’ worries about Trump are misplaced

In “Students reflect on new president” in the Saturday, Jan. 21 Appeal, one student told columnist and journalism teacher Teri Vance that Trump sounded like a “freaking racist” and was in fear for his sister-in-law who’s from Mexico.

Is the sister-in-law here legally? Is the boy aware that Trump’s wife is an immigrant? Hispanic is an ethnicity, by the way, not a race.

Another boy worried about Trump’s “isolationist foreign policy” even as his non-isolationist cabinet is being confirmed.

Another student worried about “all the fanatics who feel empowered now that (Trump) is elected.” Empowered like the fanatical Trump inauguration rioters in D.C. who looted and burned innocent peoples’ property, blocked roads, and sent police officers to the hospital?

Ms. Vance, who put these anti-Trump exaggerations and falsehoods into these kids’ minds? What kind of journalist are you to hide behind gullible children spouting fake news in order to publicize smears about President Trump?

Lois Bock

Minden

Letter writer’s defense of Trump is ill conceived

Anne C. Keast states in her letter dated Jan. 22 that those Representatives and Senators that made a public statement by boycotting Trump’s inauguration is something they should all be ashamed of as she is.

Theirs was a statement against Trump’s position supporting bigotry, racism and human rights degradation. No, the mere fact that Trump articulates those beliefs is what one should be ashamed of.

She goes on to say that those politicians are not representing their constituents. However, she failed to say that they were not representing their constituents that believe as she does.

The majority party of the last Congress certainly did “nothing for the good of this great country.” Please point out all the constructive measures the GOP created to help citizens, rather than just create a “divide within this country.” Little to no effort was demonstrated to find workable compromises for the issues needed for the betterment of our country, not their party, as Congresses in days gone by would have done.

I find it incredibly ironic that Ms. Keast should end her letter by directing them to “work together to earn the respect of our citizenry and the world by keeping America united and strong.” Key phrase here is “work together.” Congress spent the last eight years sitting on its hands and not solving the problems that face the non-millionaires that make up 91 percent of this nation’s population.

Marjorie Newman

Carson City

Economic downturn likely under Trump

I imagine many people in this area are pretty excited about a Trump presidency. If that is you, I suggest you do your celebrating soon. If patterns hold, we can expect a recession and high unemployment that is typical of Republican presidencies and this time compounded by a Republican Congress. We have seen economic instability under the watch of Nixon-Ford, both Bushes and even Reagan. George W. managed to get the stock market and real estate markets to fall together along with high unemployment. If you need an additional lesson, look at Kansas and Brownback’s policies.

Of course, Trump is not conventional. It is possible he will leave Pence to the dirty work of running a government while he travels the country and keeps his Twitter thumbs busy. In that case we can expect a typical, Republican-led economic downturn.

It is also possible that Trump’s presidency will falter from the start in the midst of scandals. It is also possible that Trump will lead in an authoritarian manner helping to inspire domestic unrest. In both of these scenarios, economic stability is a long shot.

The least likely scenario is an effective, moderate Trump presidency with a thoughtful McConnell and Ryan controlled Congress. Economic stability has a chance here but this pattern is not likely.

Personally, I am paying off obligations and putting off making any major purchases until I am certain that past patterns don’t hold. I would be happy to be wrong about this and we will all have our answers in the next couple of years.

Daniel Schlenger

Carson City

Trump’s fledgling presidency is already worrisome

America, you have the president you wished for ... or do you?

So far he has shown nothing positive after a week in office. All I have seen is extreme insecurity and his executive actions (where’s Congress?) is showing signs of dictatorship. He backpedals and changes his mind so often one cannot keep up with him.

The wish for “change” is here, good or bad. It doesn’t look good from my point of view. As a senior citizen on a fixed income, I am deeply concerned for what he might do to the benefits we worked for all our lives.

The wall? Is this country getting a wall like the one in Germany during World War II? Makes one wonder what is happening to our free country. I’m on a Trump watch. Should be interesting if not laughable.

Phyllis Skamel

Carson City

Repeal Obamacare; restore Medicare funds to hospitals

As a member of the healthcare industry and a proud representative in our local legislature, I have witnessed the negative effects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on our local hospitals and clinics. The act is anything but affordable for Nevada’s healthcare facilities.

Before the ACA, hospitals would receive adequate reimbursements for the services that they provided through Medicare. Unfortunately, to fund all aspects of the ACA, the government cut hospital reimbursements significantly.

These cuts have left hospitals in Nevada and across the country struggling to stay afloat. Some facilities have been forced to close, and many families and healthcare professionals have relocated.

As a practicing doctor, I am fully aware of the severe implications ACA has had on our healthcare system. The system has now resulted in rural, low-income patients and senior citizens struggling to find adequate care because hospitals have closed and services have been cut. I believe that this harmful legislation needs to be repealed, but it must include the restoration of Medicare funding to hospitals to ensure that necessary fixes are made.

As our representation moves to create a better healthcare system for all, I ask that they restore Medicare reimbursements for hospitals so that they can continue to serve their communities. Our healthcare system over the past eight years has been a failure, but we can’t start off this new year on the wrong foot by repealing without fixing the issues that the ACA created.

Dr. Robin Titus

Assemblywoman, District 38