Letters to the Editor

Second opinion: Local doctors are caring and capable

Karen Woodmansee's critical article on local medical care and a recent letter to the editor supporting that view got our attention. We would like to offer a "second opinion."

After having approximately eight years of medical care in this community, we decided not to sell our house and move back to the Midwest. One of the primary factors in our decision included what we felt was the excellent medical care we received in Carson City. We have experienced conscientious, caring, and capable physicians, in six different medical offices. We hope that the following doctors will not object to our revealing their names: Dr. C. Forman, Dr. B. Chryssos, Dr. G. Foster, Dr. J. Adams, Dr. A. Gupta, and Dr. D. Jones.

Yes, we did run into one physician (in a different community) that caused us to wonder "does he/she have a medical "practice" or a medical "business?" So we changed doctors. Also, we ran into one or two nurses that caused us to question their abilities. On the other hand, the caring, considerate, and personable care we received from the vast majority of nurses reinforced our appreciation and respect for the medical care we received. (i.e., Kudos to "Mary" in Dr. Forman's office!) And what about that brand new "state of the art" regional medical facility? Again, from personal experience, we appreciated positive and professional care.

As common ordinary patients, we have no family or financial relationship to the members of the medical community in Carson City. We trust that there are other folks out there that can and will verbalize their experience with dedicated, caring, and very capable medical professionals.

JERRY AND GRETCHEN FREYHOLTZ

Carson City

Politicians need to keep jobs in this country

With so many issues going on in one of the richer countries in the world, like gas prices, food and mortgage rates sky rocketing, the economy is making it almost impossible for the American people to get by day by day. On top of all these issues, our unemployment rate has increased.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, in May, the U.S. unemployment rate jumped by half a percentage point to 5.5 percent on the biggest increase in seasonally adjusted unemployment in 33 years. Employment continued to fall in construction, manufacturing, retail trade and temporary help services. Help wanted signs are vanishing along with jobs, so the unemployment rate is likely to keep climbing.

One cause of unemployment is employers want to pay their employees less than half the wage in other countries they would pay here in the U.S. for labor. For example, in Carson City, two manufacturing companies, United Engines, which manufactured pistons, and Greatbatch Sierra, which manufactured pacemakers both moved their production down to Mexico. Mexico's average wage, depending on the state/city is $1,595 annually or $19 a day. I have worked for both companies.

Plagued by soaring energy prices and by uncertainty, nervous employers clamp down on further hiring.

The company where I currently work as a quality assurance inspector had a reduction in force in February of this year. Due to the slow economy. We lost some really talented employees.

Some would say there is unemployment benefits to collect, but those benefits canonly last so long. Some parents are forced to go on welfare to live on. Economists believe the 5.5 percent nationwide unemployment rate may overstate the weakness in the job market. But they still say it's heading higher. Some predict it will hit 6 percent or higher next year.

President Bush wants to consider new proposals to revive the economy, but talk is cheap and not enough action is being done. We as citizens of this country cannot allow inept politicians to get away with moving our jobs to other countries. We need a competent president in office that can come up with solutions to high unemployment rates and raise the minimum wage to compensate for the increasing cost of living.

SYLVIA RAMIREZ

Carson City