If health bill is so wonderful, why all the arm-twisting?
Re: “New medicine for America,” March 22
During his self-congratulatory speech following passage of the government conquest of one-sixth of the American economy via a deplorable health care bill, President Obama contradicted himself when he said, “Change came not from the top down, but from the bottom up.”
Obama then went on to note how many telephone calls he personally made to cajole members of his own Democratic Party to drag them aboard the USS Healthcare or Titanic II. Even Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera, certainly no conservative, said this bill passed because of “arm twisting by the president.”
Obama conceded that this was “not an easy vote” to cast, and that a yea vote “took courage.” But if this legislation is so great, why did its supporters need courage to support it? If the bill is so strong, why were bribes necessary to enlist the support of members who initially were against it?
And if this brand of health care reform has been touted so highly, why were the American people kept in the dark regarding its contents? Why did Obama fail to keep his promise that the process would be transparent — and shown on C-SPAN for all to see and hear?
As a related aside, protesters who may have shouted racial and anti-gay epithets as certain members left the Capitol over the weekend should be ashamed. They did nothing to help their cause. I’m not happy with the outcome either, but I will express my animus on Election Day.
Sanford D. Horn
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Photo caption expels the wrong diplomat
Re: “Israel diplomat kicked out by Britain,” March 24
I would like to bring your attention a serious error in the caption of the picture of Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor. The caption states that he “was disappointed by Britain’s decision to expel him but pledges that the nations would retain close ties.”
The fact is that the ambassador was not expelled. An unnamed Israeli diplomat was — after the British foreign secretary concluded that there was compelling evidence that Israel was responsible for the use of British passports in the plot to kill a senior Hamas leader in Dubai.
Subhash Vohra
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The brave new world of Obamacare
Re: “New medicine for America,” March 22
OK, I’m taking bets on how long it’s going to be before a deadbeat 22-year-old sues his parents to get health coverage.
Craig Truskey
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