Half-truths undermine reform agenda

To the editor:

Bruce Allen's Friday letter ("U.S. health care? I'll take France") contains just about every myth and half-truth the left uses to try to justify a government takeover of our health care system. Let's examine them one by one.

First, the 47 million uninsured. Well, 18 million of them make more than $75,000 and could easily afford insurance but just don't want it and pay cash when they need medical care. Another 11 million are already eligible for government programs but won't sign up. Another 10 million are illegal aliens who live outside the system. So do we destroy and rebuild our whole system for maybe 8 million uninsured?

Next, he says "no insurance, no colonoscopy." Really? Every doctor I know will still take cash -- and at a substantial discount.

Mr. Allen asks why the World Health Organization ranks the Canadian system much higher than ours. We're mid-pack on the WHO list. Why? Because the WHO uses political criteria to rank countries. The United States is downgraded because our income tax system is not sufficiently progressive, we don't have a nationalized health care system and for several other reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of medical care. Take those away and we're at the top.

How about Canada's lower drug costs? Canada basically piggybacks on the research and development of our drug companies and the costs are all borne by U.S. consumers. Their price controls lead to rationing and a gross lack of new drug and medical advances. The Anderson Cancer Center in Houston spends more on medical research than the entire nation of Canada.

How about those higher administrative costs for private care vs. Medicare? Again, half-truth. Private insurance companies must set aside huge amounts of money to cover claims and the vicissitudes of the market. That's a huge amount that Medicare doesn't factor into its overhead. That's why they have unfunded liabilities in the trillions that would put any private insurer in jail.

And finally, what about those evil, profit-loving shareholders? How dare they desire a return on their investment? Where does Mr. Allen think government gets its funds to operate? It either borrows and pays interest (another form of profit) or taxes us all to death. It doesn't just grow on trees.

The very idea that we would socialize the finest medical care system the world has ever seen because a few folks don't have health insurance (not health care; there is a big difference) or a few people slip through the cracks (that's lawmaking by sob stories and anecdotes) is to me absolutely nuts. Someone has another agenda.

Gary Strabala

LAS VEGAS

On the plate

To the editor:

In response to your July 10 editorial on personalized license plates:

You mentioned the vegetarian who wanted the plate ILUVTOFU. It is actually ILVTOFU, having seven characters, which most states allow, not the eight that are probably used in high-population states such as New York or California. I saved an article about that license plate from my Autoweek of May 18.

George Le May

LAS VEGAS

Bad times

To the editor:

In these turbulent financial times, it is not difficult to feel depressed. Almost every American has witnessed his retirement funds plummet. But what values money? Over the years, multiple large-scale studies have failed to find a direct correlation between money and happiness.

Despite the financial meltdown, Americans are very blessed when compared with people from Third World countries who are facing starvation. We need to count our blessings in that we can fulfill our basic needs -- food, shelter and clothing.

One must remember that neither Warren Buffet nor Bill Gates can bring a penny with him when he is called by the Almighty. In the end, you will be judged not by the size of your mansion. Rather, you will be held accountable on how you treat your family and your fellow men.

ALFONSO L. TIU

HENDERSON

Wage earner

To the editor:

A letter writer in the July 11 Review-Journal complains about a $2.49 increase in a fast-food breakfast for two and attributes it to a hike in the minimum wage. Such increases in the minimum wage have been few and far between, but the writer brings up two interesting points.

The minimum wage workers, the lowest-paid workers in the community, will have to pay the same additional price for the same meal.

Second, if the increase seems exorbitant, perhaps the complainer will see a minimum wage opportunity to work at a job that pays a "high" wage.

ERIK STEFIK

LAS VEGAS