Letters to the editor

Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008 | midnight

U.S. could handle socialized medicine

EDITOR:

While I am usually in accord with Co-Publisher Colleen O'Callaghan-Miele's opinions, I would like to express my view, one which has not endeared me with my colleagues, and as you wrote, you are not in accord, at this point.

In my opinion, if the powers that be in this country worked as hard to make socialized medicine efficient as they do other endeavors, it could be done.

Capitalism rears its head in this country.

At the turn of the 20th century, one half of the medical schools in this country were closed, enabling the surviving doctors to enrich themselves.

Many of these same doctors fought the passage of Medicare, but when it was passed over their objections, began, and continue to take advantage, until fee schedules were set again over doctors objections.

Due to the closing of so many medical schools, when WWII broke out, we had to recruit foreign doctors. Naturally, they did not return to their native countries.

We could increase the number of doctors. The military transforms raw, itinerant recruits into professional soldiers. Military academies convert bright high school graduates into airplane pilots. If we wanted, we could sponsor medical students.

A few days ago, a dental graduate recounted how his student loans, etc., totaled some $400,000. How much do taxpayers pay to train a jet pilot at the Air Force Academy?

Most will argue that defense is more important than health care. I say we can have both.

We regulate auto insurance, home and gun purchases. We have not done a good job in regulating where doctors practice to repay their help in school, so they flock to the big cities where they command big fees, leaving other areas underserved.

We can do better. Capitalism fights socialism. We have the resources. Many other countries lack the ability to sponsor good schools, nor provide the care of which we are capable.

WILLIAM V. LOFTON, DDS

'Socialized medicine' is misleading

EDITOR:

I knew that Ms. O'Callahan-Miele was talking with conservatives when they called universal health care socialized medicine.

The United States is 26th in the world in life expectancy (behind third world nation Cuba), mainly because so many of our citizens don't get proper health care. This is despite the fact that we spend twice as much as any of these countries for this service.

As far as that Canadian man, you can hear horror stories on both sides of the border. But in polls, the vast majority of Canadians state that they are happy with their system.

Universal health care plans emphasize prevention, not reaction to a symptom as we do here. Calling it socialized medicine is a ploy to raise doubts about its benefits.

RICHARD J. MUNDY