Jeff man appreciates local business’ service



The Charlestown High School boys’ soccer team won their season opener against Henryville, setting a new school record for most goals scored in a single game. The guys were very excited as this is a new era in soccer for Charlestown High School.

After the game, the boys went to a national chain restaurant where they were refused service. The team tried to reason with the staff as did several adults to no avail. The staff refused to seat the team because they had not called ahead and even made threats of calling the police when the team showed their excitement.

The team left and proceeded down the street to Charlestown Pizza Co. where they were greeted with open arms. Charlestown Pizza Co.’s owners, Shawn and Tajana Vest, focus on service and are supporters of all Charlestown High School athletics, including a pregame show with Jason Hawkins each week.

In these economic times, it seems that some chains have taken the consumer for granted and would rather turn away business, where some local establishments have increased their business in the down turned economy.

I would like to show special recognition to Charlestown Pizza Co.’s staff for their support of Charlestown High School athletics and the Charlestown community. There counterparts that had been the only show in town for years should learn from the competition.

— Kurt Rutkowski, Jeffersonville



The Ballad of Grandma Sue



“We pulled the plug on Grandma one fine an’ sunny day,

‘Cause our health reform insurance said it was OK.

Grandma’s expiration date was the reason why

Insurance reform said it’s time for her demise.



“Grandma set up in bed and you can imagine her surprise,

Goodness gracious and sakes alive,

What you do’n with that plug in your hand,

She said, with temper an’ a forceful demand?



“Gee, Grandma, we were only try’n to help,

Do’n the government’s demand.

Put that plug back in the wall,

It ain’t done charg’n my new electric See-Dan.



“Oops, my bad, as I slid the plug back in — ’twas then I remembered

Cash for clunkers an’ Grandma’s financial $4,500 win.



“The See-Dan is all charged up, as is Grandma Sue.

We threw away that nasty ole insurance reform,

And lived happily ever after, too.”



— Leroy Heil, Jeffersonville



Wilcox: GOP continues to show fear into reform



I was pleased to read the cogent rebuttal by Carol Jenkins of the misinformation about the health care legislation written in an earlier letter from Dave Matthews, the Republican Chairman.

I must agree with the Mr. Matthews when he wrote: “I could go on and on.” Unfortunately, he chooses to misrepresent the plan and, like his Republican bretheren, uses lots of ink to sow the GOP’s perennial mono-crop: Fear.

Rather than read the proposed legislation to inform himself and discuss it rationally, the Republican Chair obviously read it looking for misinterpretations in order to scare people. He could have used the space to tell us what the GOP offers as an alternative to this still-evolving legislation. Instead, he chose to propagate the myths and rumors that poison our political discourse. The Republicans and the right wing media echo chamber are sowing fear of change in order to maintain and protect a broken system that puts profits before people.

This fear-mongering has resulted in the rancorous Town Halls (Town Howls) we have seen on television, and suggests that people need to ask themselves some questions.

Do you really think the lawmakers and the President of the United States of America would enact legislation to kill elderly citizens?

Could such legislation come from the Democratic Party? The same party that proposed and enacted (over strong Republican opposition) Medicare and Social Security, two truly life-saving government programs for the elderly?

Since Mr. Matthews and the Republicans oppose “government run health care,” will they speak out against Medicare and the Veterans Administration — two government run health care systems with the highest patient satisfaction ratings?

Can you say with a straight face, that the private health insurance companies, raking in billions of dollars in profits, are more committed to health care than to profits? Can you say this when you know they make their profits by disqualifying citizens for “pre-existing conditions,” raising premiums, and denying claims?

A great Democrat once counseled us that “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” The Republican Party motto should be: “The only thing we have is fear itself.”

— John Wilcox, Chairman Floyd Co. Democratic Central Committee





What health care crisis?

First and foremost, we have the greatest overall health care system in the world and there is no crisis. More non-Americans come to the United States over any other country for health care for a reason. It is simply the best.

Obama and the liberal media continually tout the 46 million uninsured. What they don’t say is that approximately 18 million of these individuals choose not to have insurance or are self-insured, 10 million are illegal aliens, and 14 million have access to some form of government program such as Medicaid, SSI, Medicare or SCHIP. But because of the horrendous government bureaucracy these patients either cannot or will not get enroll in these programs. Only eight million individuals are chronically uninsured representing only about 2.6 percent of Americans.

We should not radically change the best health care system in the world when easier, simpler, and less expensive solutions are available.

Obama’s statement, “This isn’t about politics,” is another one of his misrepresentations.

The Obamacare bill has everything to do with politics. It is fundamentally changing our current system to a government-controlled, government-run, and government intrusion into the doctor-patient relationship and limiting personal choices and liberties.

This health care issue is a philosophical battle between the Obama and Liberal worldview compared to a conservative worldview. We believe in less government, not more. We believe in personal choices not government mandates. We believe in individual liberties not socialistic principles. This absolutely is political at its basic principles and the “radical left” has made it very clear they will stop at nothing to pass this legislation for government control.

Other solutions have been proposed and here are just a few:

• Implement tax code changes to give individuals tax breaks similar to companies eliminating the need to tie insurance to a particular job.

• Reduce government mandates on insurance companies which now total around 1,901. This would allow insurance companies to customize plans so people only buy what they need or want.

• Remove limitations on across-state-line purchases of health plans which would increase competition; bringing prices down.

• Expand HSA, MSA accounts giving individuals control of their health care dollar.

• Implement some tort reform.

• Allow vouchers for those truly in need of health insurance and allow them to purchase it through the free market just like everyone else.

These are part of meaningful health care reform initiatives, but will unlikely be accepted by the Democrats and the liberal left wing because their interest is really government control and not health care.

— Dan Eichenberger M.D., Floyds Knobs