LETTERS: Obamacare ‘fix’ delays the inevitable

To the editor:

It appears that President Barack Obama can no longer dance his way around the issues facing the American public in obtaining health insurance or keeping what they had, per White House promises until recently. By the looks of things, he will postpone more mandates of his crown jewel, the Affordable Care Act.

That is the good news. The bad news is that for those who are now supposed to be allowed to keep their health insurance plans, it’s only temporary — a one-year postponement by the president. Logically, the delay is to last through the 2014 midterm election, so in the president’s mind, the public will have largely forgotten his blunders and falsehoods. Prior to the 2010 midterm election, facts were kept from us, such as the financial condition of Solyndra, so as not to tarnish the Democratic Party’s image and lead to the loss of more congressional seats.

The Affordable Care Act, a misnomer judging from the millions upon millions of dollars already blown, was conceived in deceit, passed by members of Congress who had not read it but were smart enough to exclude themselves, and voted into law under party pressure. It was destined to become one of the biggest revenue sources our nation has ever seen. Between the extortion of the medical and related industries — with all the obscure taxes in its text — to the provisions for collection, the law seems more concerned about building an endless stream of revenue at the expense of lowering the quality of care for Americans.

A recent letter suggested changing the commonly used nickname, Obamacare (“Obamacare in need of new moniker,” Nov. 9 Review-Journal). Though changing a name does not tame the beast, I would like to present a few more appropriate names. How about Oblundercare, Obamascam, or Obummercare? Regardless of name, the law was poorly written for purely political reasons and should be repealed.

ROBERT LATCHFORD

HENDERSON

Ethanol in gasoline

To the editor:

The editorial highlighting the costs of the ethanol mandate exposes how bad this huge government boondoggle really is (“Corny mandate,” Thursday Review-Journal). As I recall, it was sold as an environmental godsend and a solution to our energy dependence. But the facts show that growing all that corn is resulting in major environmental damage and that energy consumption has not decreased.

The resulting increase in corn prices has, of course, increased the cost of meat and grain products for everyone. And the reduction in energy content, caused by adding 10 percent ethanol to our gasoline, means fewer miles per gallon and increases the amount of gas we have to buy.

The quote from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack saying that it’s all about farm income just exposes how inept and ethically challenged Washington, D.C., has become. The law was sold as a boon to the environment, but is nothing more than a huge giveaway of our money to Congress cronies in Big Agriculture and the ethanol industry. The law needs to be overturned.

TOM KELLER

HENDERSON

Reid, Pelosi also culpable

To the Editors:

The events of the past few weeks concerning the implementation of Obamacare demonstrate once again the astounding incompetence of our President Barack Obama. He has no competence at all in administrative and/or managerial matters. Many of us knew that before he was elected the first time, but his silver-tongued oratory — promising all things to all people — got him elected. This man is the most incompetent and worst president this country has ever had.

However, what amazes me about this entire fiasco is that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Rep. Nancy Pelosi are getting off scot-free. These two used every dirty and underhanded trick in the political book to ram Obamacare through the House and the Senate without a single Republican vote. Yet now they are not even mentioned as Obamacare is failing miserably. Why is that?

WALTER F. WEGST

LAS VEGAS