Letters to the Editor
A few more words on Hagan, health care
Sunday, February 7, 2010 — James Misenheimer, chairman of the Democrat-ic Party, Stanly County, I certainly appreciate your response in the SNAP.
It would be a good idea if you would go back and read my note. It plainly asserts that the people are being shafted by Ms. Hagan’s voting record.
More to the point, I propose that we need to protect these people from the socialization of Obama-care. You seem to be bound by rhetoric and not fact.
My letter pointed to eight items that need to be left alone, from her supporting reducing Medicare by $500 billion to her supporting overwhelming Medicaid, driving it to an earlier bankruptcy. Her record of dismal support speaks for itself.
Since you have learned that “cost is a concern,” it seems your word is wanting and coasting along with blinders on, not me. Since you are interested in fixing healthcare let me give you a few ideas that I have broached to Sen. Burr and Hagan that we the people need:
• Tort reform. This will positively reduce malpractice insurance rates, end the nonsensical call for every conceivable test being run to preclude the fire engine chasing lawyers. With limited liability payments and forcing medical claims to binding arbitration will drive the cost of medicine down as the doctors and hospitals will not be running scared as now.
• Portability of healthcare insurance for workers so they can take their healthcare from job to job and in many cases keep their premiums lower and/or coverage intact.
• Ability to purchase healthcare across state lines to allow more competition in purchasing and allowing competition to set premiums instead of a few insurance politicians in our legislatures and Congress who keep driving the cost of medical care up.
• Allow drug companies to sell in the U.S. as they do in Canada. There should not be the extreme difference in wholesale cases between countries.
• End the waiting periods for coverage and prior conditions not being allowed to be insured.
Right now without any bills, laws, or pie-in-the-sky manifestations, she and the Democrat Senate could be doing something about the waste, fraud, double billing and the criminal misuses of Medicare and Medicaid. Why isn’t she speaking out for those thousands right here in Stanly?
These are a few more “ideas” I endorse besides the eight I wrote about and you ignored.
Now I will provide you a little detail to qualm your suppositions about me.
Yup, I have fallen off cabbage trucks, fallen off the hay wagon too, but was lucky enough to retain enough sense as a young man to know I ain’t cut out to be a Democrat. I was a John Kennedy advocate but like a kitten, my eyes eventually opened and I realized as a pizz-ant farm boy I was truly a conservative: Re-publican by choice, conservative by American beliefs.
I live, most probably unlike you, on my SS and Medicare Advantage plan (one of the things Ms. Hagan wants to end) along with a small pension. And, I doubt if you could comprehend, I have suffered financial setbacks and have had members of the family suffer during this ongoing “repression” losing healthcare and jobs.
That, sir, is why I wrote about Ms. Hagan in the first place.
Thomas M. McCluskey
New London
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All of us want to go on the water and have fun with our family and friends, but there are a few things we need to always keep in mind. -
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The number one priority for politicians and just about anybody to talk about is jobs and the economy. I would like to express my observations on what I believe are pretty strong “anti-business and anti-industry” expressions and actions that are on the local level.
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Many make School Tools Ride successful
A very special thanks to all the Albemarle Police officers who provided traffic control, blocking intersections for our School Tools Ride on Aug. 14.
Officer Kevin Boone, who is a member of Gold Wing Road Riders Associa-tion’s local chapter NC T-2 and a police officer with APD, was instrumental in arranging and coordinating a very smooth, safe ride for our out-of-town visitors. -
Writer seeks donations for Red Bird Mission
Two years ago I had the privilege of visiting the Red Bird Mission in Beverly, Ky., a remote region in Kentucky where poverty is a way of life, as is hard work if there is any work.
I saw small houses built way down the embankment off the road insulated with plastic or newspapers or anything to help block out the winter cold. I saw many barefooted children and it was not summer. -
A few tips for hunters
Hunting season is quickly approaching. I’m sure there are a lot of hunters anxious for this season to begin.
As many of you may know there are a few new privileges that are open to the public this season. One is that anyone may hunt with a crossbow. Another is that anyone may hunt on private property on Sunday with a bow and arrow or crossbow (during the designated season). -
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In the Aug. 19 issue of The Stanly News & Press, columnist Stephanie Salter advocates allowing same-sex marriage based on the contention that not doing so violates the “equal protection clause” of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
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Firefighters, volunteers show great bravery
As a resident of the Kirk Road community, I would like to give credit to the East Side Volunteer Fire Department and to Stanly County EMS for the bravery that was shown on Aug. 7.
Dusty Caviness initially helped save our neighbor Frank’s life by stopping the tractor that had fell on him. This allowed for the firemen to reach him and eventually free him. -
Showing respect in a tragic situation
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Though saddened, we say thank you
Over the next few weeks, the Albemarle Christian Bookstore and Hallmark will be closing its doors and will no longer be able to serve the needs of a community that we have loved for many years.
It has been an excruciating decision, but has become one that is unavoidable due to the economic condition facing our country, and more specifically, our county. -
Who was offended?
A recent event in Raleigh has me wondering just what our State Government officials are thinking. And what We the People are allowing to happen.
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Boat safe, boat sober
