The frenzy of health care publicity is really becoming confusing! “A” claims this, “B” claims that and the politicians claim everything! Republicans are claiming one thing, Democrats are claiming something else and now it’s getting where liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats are getting in the act! What’s a mother to do?

I just sat back and decided not to listen to anybody. Democrats are showing themselves insidious, led by the White House, and Republicans continue to show themselves incompetent, as they have ever since last election season (and long before). 

Let’s inject a little common sense here! I’ve heard estimates that, at the present time, approximately 85 percent of the American public has health care coverage and is reasonably satisfied with it. The president of the United States finds this intolerable! He thinks everybody should have health coverage. I agree, but at what price? Could we say that every American family should have a four-bedroom house? Or every American family should have two brand-new automobiles? I would love that, but we’re not having either. 

The way I see it, every American having health coverage will do one of two things: (1) degrade the health care system to the point where having health care or not having health care will make little difference, or (2) completely wreck the American economy in a futile attempt to pay for the privilege, so that in six or eight years, no one will have health care anyway! The claims the Democrats and the White House are making are absolutely ridiculous. The best new health care program we could have is exactly the one Clinton got us — the one we have because everything else will wash away in confusion — as it really should!

Arthur J. White

Vicksburg