Health care debate dominated by nonsense

To the editor:

The current debate concerning the government's role in the delivery of health care has been botched beyond redemption.

The Democratic Party leadership's explanations of their intentions when compared with factual reality has been revealed as being politically biased, distorted by compromise, and in many cases clearly untrue.

The claim that the government can provide health care for 30 million more people, improve health care for everyone and reduce costs while doing so is obvious nonsense. But it does mean that the sick and injured will be evaluated as budget line items, subject to a cost-versus-value-to-society decisions, not as human beings.

Ask yourself if you trust politically motivated management of health care to provide future generations of Americans with the superior level of health care that we now enjoy, and let your elected representatives know what you think.

ALLEN HAWKES

LAS VEGAS

Too many butts

To the editor:

I made a trip to Las Vegas last week. I have been there many times, but this time I had an experience that left me pondering why anyone would want to visit the city.

First, every place I traveled in the casinos, except for a few eating places, had people smoking, in the halls, in the shops, casinos, and even in the rooms. Perhaps I did not notice this when I last visited, but since most Americans now do not smoke, I wonder why this is going unchallenged.

Second, my wife and I stayed in the old part of town and would take a taxi, daily, to the newer Strip. We could not walk down the sidewalks without someone shoving a business card for "girls" in our faces. Being civil did not seem to work.

Both areas of concern should be addressed, in order to make the city and sites more user friendly.

JERRY BRITTAIN

WARRENTON, VA.