The issue of whether President Obama supports a public option is a red herring. The proposed health care reforms, even without a public option, will devastate the quality of health care in the U.S.(His LTE is the second one down.)
President Obama has portrayed a false alternative: more government involvement or no reform at all. Yet there are other options.
The only reforms that will address the actual problems with our health system are removal of the government mandates and tax distortions, which are the cause of the rising cost of health care.
The only way to control costs is to restore the free market in health care. This is imperative both between consumers and providers as well as between consumers and insurance companies.
The government should take a cue from doctors and adopt the creed "First, do no harm." Increased government involvement in health care would be extraordinarily harmful to the well-being of all Americans.
Doug Krening, Larkspur
Thank you, Doug!
