Published: November 12, 2009 12:42 am      

LETTERS: Nov. 12, 2009

Hill stands up for constituents in health care debate



I want to publicly thank our Congressman, Baron Hill, for his support of H.R. 3962, The Affordable Health Care for America Act.

As a leader and a caring representative of his constituents, Congressman Hill joined a majority of his colleagues to support health care reform in the face of lies and misrepresentations that have marked the other side of the debate. The tactics of the opposition are similar to those used against Social Security and Medicare in the past. True progress is customarily attacked by those who want to preserve the status quo solely for political gain.

Sadly, that status quo is calamity for millions of Americans. Our current system has left 46 million Americans without coverage and allows insurance companies to charge sinful rates and then deny benefits because of “pre-existing conditions.” The status quo also led to some 2,000 health care-related bankruptcies in the 9th District last year.

Congressman Hill supported the Affordable Health Care for America Act, because he knew how much it would benefit the residents of Indiana’s ninth congressional District. It will improve Medicare for the nearly 113,000 beneficiaries living in the district, and will close the prescription “donut hole” for nearly 10,000 of those seniors. It will allow small businesses to obtain affordable health care coverage by providing tax credits to help reduce health insurance costs.

The bill will provide coverage for almost 52,000 uninsured district residents. It will protect more families from bankruptcies due to unaffordable health care costs and reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and health care providers.

By supporting H.R. 3962, Baron Hill has again demonstrated good judgement and the courage to fight for what is best for those he represents and for all Americans.

— John Wilcox, Chair, Floyd County Democratic Central Committee



Resident thanks SBA for responding to concerns



It is a rare occasion when a large, national company responds to the concerns of local citizens outside of its headquarters location. Therefore, my neighbors and I were very pleased with the recent action of SBA Communications, a Florida corporation with communications towers nationwide, including a tower near my home.

This tower was built by a local company over 10 years ago, but after it was purchased by SBA, the night lighting was changed to a strobe light. The strobe light flashed all night in our bedroom windows and was a constant annoyance. Not only was the light annoying, it had the potential of causing seizures in people with epilepsy. Since there are a number of homes within range, the light was a potential danger to residents and their visitors.

When I finally reached a representative of SBA, Ms. Cherie Hardy, Regional Site Manager, she was sympathetic to my complaints and set out to try to solve the problem. After receiving permission from the FAA, SBA Senior Regional Site Manager, Tim Rosa instructed Ms. Hardy to have a replacement lighting system installed. Now, thanks to SBA, we have an unobtrusive red blinking light at night. All of us who live within the tower's range are grateful to these SBA employees for taking care of this irritating problem and restoring our peaceful night sky.

— Carol B. Tobe, Floyds Knobs



Reader thanks Rep. Hill for ‘yes’ vote



I want to thank Representative Baron Hill for showing true courage by voting “yes” on the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

Our country has been waiting for such reform for far too long. Representative Hill thankfully realized that there are too many families here in Southern Indiana who could not afford to wait any longer.

We the people of Indiana are very happy that finally the poor can seek help and can afford to live a little healthier, thanks to Representative Hill and everyone who started and continues to work on health care reform.

Thank you again Representative Hill, you have supported us during this cause and now we will continue to support you as well. Thank you from my heart, and God bless.

— Martha J. Gilliam, New Albany



Why do so many children die at home?



Recently, there has been a rash of stories about H1N1 swine flu. Stories about death from swine flu fill our papers daily, from deaths nationally to what the effect of H1N1 has had on Indiana and Kentucky, in the amount of hospitalizations and deaths.

School closings and disinfecting the schools regionally, also make it in our newspapers and the 6 o’clock news. Should we panic? Should we have the blaring headlines of H1N1 deaths and hospitalizations? Are the headlines because of caring communities? Are the headlines because we love our children? Could it be there is manipulation by the drug companies? Could our resources be better spent if we really love our children?

Deaths of our children by drunk driving, children shot, beaten to death by other children — these numbers are at epidemic proportions compared to H1N1. The statistics released and in the paper recently by national children’s services are even more staggering.

Indiana alone has more deaths of children in the home than deaths of children nationwide by H1N1. The total number of children die by abuse nationwide, I won’t even look up for fear of what it would say.

While large resources are being spent on H1N1, resources for children are being cut — from family services to agencies that take in children who are at risk — because priorities of spending by state governments. The question is why the violence against children? Why the low priorities of the agencies who are assigned to protect the children? What does our violence against children say about us as a nation, a state or a collection of people?

The next questions are just as pertinent: Where are churches, synagogues, mosques and temples and the people who inhabit them Friday, Saturday and Sunday?

If we listen to these texts of the above religions, our children should be seen as people — not possession, not things, not property, not my child as property. Could it be the deaths and injuries of children in our nation is a sign of our distance from God? Is our inhumanity and violence to children due to idolatry of self?

This writer has no answer to the epidemic proportion of violence against children. Anyone?

— Steven D. Fetter, Jeffersonville



Jackson amazed by award



Wow, what an amazing honor to be named Clark County Woman of the Year! To be nominated with the extraordinary women I was nominated with was an honor within itself.

To be recognized with so many women who have paved the way by being great role models in our community — Phyllis Wilkins, Billie Sue Smith, Margaret Read, Fay Allen and other awesome women who have received the award is amazing. To even be in the same category as these women blows my mind.

To be honored for doing something you truly love and care about is hard for me. I do what thousands of other volunteers do every day, I volunteer because I care and it’s the right thing to do.

Thanks to all who was involved with the award. Thanks to the committee members, The Evening News staff, Kye’s and anyone else who donated to this joyous event. Thank you to my family, volunteer staff and friends for all they’re great support and work. I couldn’t do what I do with out all of them.

I am truly honored and blessed and I look forward to helping in next year’s award.

— Ruthie Jackson, Charlestown



Reader says thanks for health care vote



I want to thank all of the Indiana Democrats in the House of Representatives for supporting health care reform with a robust public option. Baron Hill supported Southern Indiana residents, and we will support him.

I am a cancer survivor, and I would prefer to have Medicare for all, but the House health care reform bill is much better than what we have now. It will prevent insurance companies from dropping clients when they learn they have a catastrophic illness. It will also close the doughnut hole which causes many cancer patients to agonize over how to pay for expensive medicines.

Health care reform will be ineffective without a robust public option. Official reports show that health care reform including the choice of a strong robust public option would save over $110 billion.

The inclusion of a public option in health care reform passed this year would save taxpayers millions while also providing middle class Hoosiers a real choice. This competition will give private insurance companies incentive to drive down costs and improve service.

— Linda Mitchell, Clarksville