LETTERS: ‘Extremists’ right about Obamacare
To the editor:
Sens. Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Mike Lee were misguided, hard-right extremists just a couple of weeks ago for wanting to make changes to Obamacare, even to the point where moderate Republicans joined in to attack them right in the middle of the shutdown battle.
Now, even hardened liberal Democrats can’t get off the sinking, crony-infested Obamacare ship fast enough. So was it still a strategic mistake to try to stop Obamacare, as the moderate talking heads still claim? Saving face can be a slippery task, as President Barack Obama is also learning.
BRIAN BRESEE
LAS VEGAS
Republican Party
To the editor:
I enjoy reading the opinions of the Review-Journal along with the Las Vegas Sun. It makes me laugh when readers write in complaining about the right-wing opinions published by the Review-Journal, especially when the majority of periodicals, television and radio consist of left-wing liberalism. Give us our Fox News and Review-Journal; you can have MSNBC, NBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and all the rest.
One constant in many of the opinions I read is a clear lack of education of the topics and long-term ramifications. The world is not a better place with Barack Obama as president, period. Individual rights and state’s rights are being taken away as the federal government expands its sphere of control and influence. The process is broken in Washington, D.C., thanks to people such as Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, John McCain, John Boehner and all the other career politicians in bed with lobbyists.
Nobody should be allowed more than two terms in Congress. Thomas Jefferson would be appalled to see what has transpired since the Declaration of Independence, as well as the lack of personal responsibility that is prevalent in the mid- to-younger generations. We are at a tipping point, and when we reach the point where more people are sucking from the system than paying into it, watch out.
Does the Republican Party need to change? Yes, if it involves embracing tea party concepts and ideology of smaller government and personal responsibility. Does the Republican Party need to pander to blacks, Hispanics, women, Asians, gays, Pacific islanders, Persians and Native Americans, as the Democrats say? No.
What the Republicans need to do is continue to look at all Americans as just that — Americans. Not special interest groups that deserve special rights because of their race, gender or sexual orientation. John McCain and Mitt Romney are prime examples of what’s wrong with the Republican Party. They just don’t want to offend anyone or hurt people’s feelings by stating the facts and standing true to what they should believe.
Give me a Rand Paul, Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio any day. They fight for those who have always taken personal responsibility.
RICK MALONEY
LAS VEGAS
HPN lawsuit
To the editor:
Congratulations to Judge Elissa Cadish for having the courage to allow a lawsuit against Health Plan of Nevada to go forward (“HMO loses bid to stop lawsuit over hepatitis C,” Wednesday Review-Journal). Health Plan of Nevada included former doctor Dipak Desai in its network and must stand trial for its role in Desai’s atrocities.
HPN will tell you how its credentialing committee looks under every rock and investigates every small infraction that an applicant may have committed — that is, if that applicant is not well-connected. It is no secret that Desai held an important position within the medical community and had close ties to leadership at Sierra Health and Life in the 1990s. There were questions about his practice during the time he was re-credentialed by HPN.
He was able to secure a sweetheart deal by using those connections and promises of “best billing rates” for his specialty. Well HPN, you got what you paid for: a thief, a felon and a murderer.
TED COHEN
LAS VEGAS
Marine Corps birthday
To the editor:
Wednesday’s newspaper included a letter from Ron Kirby lamenting the nonmention of the Marine Corps birthday in either the Review-Journal or the Las Vegas Sun on Sunday. First, let me just say that I have nothing but top respect for the Marine Corps and indeed all of the armed services. I salute Mr. Kirby and all veterans for their service to the country.
I would, however, invite Mr. Kirby to make a third pass through Section A of Sunday’s Review-Journal. The first item in the Almanac notes the formation of the Marine Corps. Granted, there were no cake or party horns, but the Marine Corps birthday was indeed mentioned.
GREG GLENN
LAS VEGAS
