Letters to the editor 10-24

Reid leading Democrats

in bungling health care

I have often wondered what our elected officials do in Washington. After reading Harry Reid's commentary in the Oct. 14 issue of the Appeal, I now know he sits around and reads Newsweek to get all of his information on the health care issue. He is no different than any other senator back there, he doesn't read the bills either.

Well, Harry, it is up to you and Rahm Emanuel to put the House and the Senate bills together and come up with one health care bill that does not include all the items you pointed out in the Newsweek articles. You know, with you in charge of this task, it's like you being in charge of the Thanksgiving dinner, we all will end up with a soup sandwich.

You want health care reform? Start with tort reform and allow insurance companies to cross state lines. A comment was made by one of your liberal senators, the health care bill will be paid for by cutting down on Medicare fraud. If you people know that fraud is going on, why haven't you done something before now? Oh, I just answered my own question, you were too busy bashing Republicans and pushing your liberal agenda on "We the People."

One saving grace about this whole health care bill, the Republican Party will probably repeal it and rework it after they boot the liberals out of Congress and the White House. That cannot come soon enough.

Bill Pyatt

Dayton

Supervisors blew it

with funding rejection

Recently, two members of the Carson City Board of Supervisors made what I believe to be an extremely short-sighted decision in rejecting redevelopment funding for Doug and Jamesa Cramer, the fine proprietors of Mom & Pop's Diner on Third Street.

The Cramers proposed opening the Paradise Cove Cafe and Gift Shop in the Carson Mall, where, it is my understanding, pasta and seafood would be an integral part of the menu. They also would consider bringing entertainment to the area.

Although three of the supervisors voted for the Cramers, Pete Livermore and Shelly Aldean voted against them. In order to pass, a 4 to 1 vote is required.

Let's look at Doug's record in the community. For the past 15 years, he has operated a successful restaurant, he has been an involved supporter and promoter of evening events in the downtown area, he has taken a consistent active role in the annual Taste of Downtown fundraiser and he is involved with the Carson City School District.

Doug and Jamesa are residents who have worked long and productively for the community and deserve proper support. Isn't it time to get behind small business owners, particularly in the case of a couple who have a proven record of success and commitment to Carson City?

I appeal to Mr. Livermore and Ms. Aldean to reconsider their vote.

Martin J. Fischer

Carson City

Small businesses need healthcare reform

As a small business owner in Northern Nevada, I have a real stake in health care reform. It is clear that it is needed and that it needs to be done quickly and correctly.

My company has been in business for over 15 years and we have over 25 employees. We have always provided health care coverage to our employees and we have seen the costs continue to rise as the benefits fall. Over the last four years we have changed health care providers and plans three times.

Because we are a small business, we pay more for coverage than larger businesses and this directly impacts the wages we can pay, the prices we have to charge and the other benefits that we can offer. This puts us at a competitive disadvantage against larger companies or those that don't offer health care coverage.

It is time for our elected officials to quit bickering and do their jobs. It is time for the American public to look past the petty politics, the lies and the scare tactics. Now is the time for everyone to get involved and make sure that real health care reform is passed. If you don't have an idea how to do it, get out of the way and let someone make some decisions. Action now is the key, even if it has to be tweaked for the next 20 years, change will be better than the status quo.

The fact that the richest nation in the world can't figure out a way to provide basic health care to all of its citizens is unconscionable.

Steve Cerocke

Reno