J.R. Heathcote LTE to Grand Junction Free Press

J.R. Heathcote of Grand Junction has replied to two recent columns favoring socialized medicine by Dr. Michael Pramenko and E. Michael Ervin in this LTE in the June 18, 2007 Grand Junction Free Press:

Giving more money to feds isn't the answer

So Dr. Pramenko and E. Michael Ervin want to reform health care in this country. While I've read many a tome on the subject by these two gentlemen they have yet to address some nagging questions. Specifically, how much is this "reform" going to cost the taxpayers and who will run such a program? In Mr. Ervin's case I would think he would gladly allow his beloved and omnipotent federal government to manage such "reform" and would willingly allow that same federal government to raise his taxes accordingly. Which begs the question, how much are you willing to have your taxes raised? Ten percent, 25 percent or even 50 percent to have "reformed" health care?

As for the federal government managing such a system, one needs to look no further than Medicare and the record of mismanagement, waste, and outright fraud that has been allowed to be perpetrated over the years with very little in the way of accountability to the very same taxpayers who would fund the same health care "reform" that Pramenko and Ervin advocate. Yet these guys want us to send even more money to Washington D.C. in the fervent hopes the feds get it right this time!? Really?

Caramba!

J.R. Heathcote
Grand Junction