Letters: Guest Columnist Worked Several Angles
Guest Columnist Worked Several Angles
Editor, Times-Dispatch: The Op/Ed column by Phil Kent entitled, "Where's Compassion for Virginians Without Credit?" would make me laugh if it didn't infuriate me so much.
I could take him to bat, point by point, on the necessity of reining in Virginia's predatory car-title lending industry, but the most important fact that readers need to know is that Phil Kent heads his own Atlanta-based media communications firm, Phil Kent Consulting Inc. Presumably hired by Fast Auto Loans as their communications director, Kent is paid to masquerade as someone genuinely concerned about the plight of struggling Virginians.
The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, on the other hand, is actually based in Virginia, is supported by Virginians across the state, and it knows all too well the stories of Virginians victimized by predatory lenders. What the center does not have, however, is the money to hire a national spokesman like the car title industry is able to do.
Kent tried to tie the work of the Virginia Interfaith Center and the issue of predatory lending with illegal immigration, so it is also important to note that he is the executive director of American Immigration Control Foundation and the national spokesman for its sister group, Americans for Immigration Control. As a master of media communications, he figured out a way to work for more than one client in a single column. Good for him.
Ann Rasmussen.
Midlothian.
News Story Slighted the President
Editor, Times-Dispatch: The caption of the news article on a recent story: "Obama Visits Fairfax Site to Promote His Stimulus Package," led me to believe that news about the congressionally approved program would follow. This did not happen.
Instead, the first line of the story read: "President Barack Obama talked up his stimulus package yesterday in Northern Virginia . . . " The article continued: "but he didn't say a word about the fellow Democrat . . . " There was no further mention of Obama in the article that continued on B8. However, the logo Campaign 2009 was displayed with a highlighted "TD Campaign 2009 -- Watch candidate videos, read their positions on the issues and share your opinion keyword: Campaign 2009."
According to the bottom of page one of
The Times-Dispatch, Editorials were to be found on page eight of section A -- not page one of Section B (Metro and Business).
The president of the United States deserves better than such sloppy journalistic treatment.
John B. Hanna.
Midlothian.
Hope Trumps Accomplishment
Editor, Times-Dispatch: I find it interesting that everyone agrees (even liberals -- grudgingly) that the Bush administration's investment of millions of dollars to fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa has saved countless lives and helped to arrest the spread of the dread virus throughout that continent. Yet this international outreach program drew only yawns and sneers from President George W. Bush's many detractors -- including the erstwhile members of the Nobel committee.
President Barack Obama is in office just two weeks and gets nominated (eventually winning) the Nobel Peace Prize for this year.
I guess hope trumps accomplishment with regard to the Nobel illuminati.
Tom Eaton.
Chesterfield.
Let's Fix the Sick By Rejecting the Dollar
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Approximately 100 years ago, a progressive movement swept across the country championing reform against child labor and political cronyism. The movement also stood up for safe food, public health and sanitation, a minimum wage, and much more to ensure a more just and decent American society.
Today, America has again signaled a renewed concern for change and this is most evident in the responsive need for health care reform. Unfortunately, our political leaders in Washington seem to be too embedded with lobbyists to correctly implement true health care reform for the benefit of all Americans.
The general public is too poorly informed, too easily swayed, and too entrenched in themselves to see the existing injustice and do something about it. Excess profit and greed run our business and political systems such that these criteria alone are the debatable issues in the health care problem.
Insurance companies earn millions of dollars in profits (excess income over costs) every year off of the sick, diseased, and dying people of this country. Making large profits from the suffering of others seems to be contrary to any moral compass.
Let's put the insurance issues squarely on the table with this resolution: After covering costs of all kinds, including fair salaries and bonuses, the health industry becomes a nonprofit business. Necessary costs are covered, workers are paid, people are adequately insured, and there is no money left over to enrich others.
In matters of human health, what good does profit do except make executives and investors rich at the expense of the sick? It is altogether fitting and proper that we move forward -- toward our citizens and away from the almighty dollar. It is time that we got our priorities straight.
Ben H. Droste.
Richmond.
Washington Wages War on Appalachia
Editor, Times-Dispatch: We are under attack by our own government. For the first time ever, the Environmental Protection Agency rescinded a legal mining permit for a mine that's been operating for two years. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson effectively told the workers at the Spruce Number 1 Mine: "No more good jobs and paychecks for you. Get in line at the unemployment office."
The Spruce Number 1 Mine permit was one of the most scrutinized permits in history. It took 10 years to be approved, and met all the requirements set by many different government agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
Ironically, the decision was announced one day after Jackson told Congress she has no intention of killing coal.
Radical environmentalists and their bureaucratic allies in Washington are waging war against us, and we don't know why. All we know is that they don't care about us, our families, our heritage, or our future. They would rather see us on welfare than on the job.
It's time to fight back. Write your elected officials. Send an e-mail to Lisa Jackson ( ).
Like all Americans, we deserve the chance to have a good job, enjoy a high quality of life, and secure the future of our children. Stop the war against Appalachia.
Judy Suboleski.
Midlothian.
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Reader Reactions
“If the industry’s average margin was 3%“...
In early 1990’s the health insurer industry’s average gross margin was 5% and has grown 400%+ since, but tell you what. I don’t care if they made a 50% margin from those who want to pay enough in premiums, deductibles and copays, plus denials of 20% of physicians prescribed procedures to help sick people get well.
BUT, how dare anyone deny my kids from choosing lower cost insurance plans, like Aetna’s self-only plan 224 at $286 per month or family plan 225 at $587 per month (full premium). YOU dare to support pirates financially raping millions of others! If so, YOU are no better than the thieves YOU support, denying my kids freedom of choice.
Noted plans are offered in 49 states at same noted rates in 49 states; within a government-sponsored group insurance program; yet, YOU deny others similar low cost plans via a similar national group program option for non-federal employees.
Not all members of a lynching mob put the ropes around necks, nor directly do the murdering, but they be just as guilty by supporting the hands-on murderers.
“The general public is too poorly informed, too easily swayed, and too entrenched in themselves to see the existing injustice and do something about it.“
We are so fortunate to have citizens like Mr. Droste who can stand apart from the “general public” and point out the error of our ways.
Attaching a moral issue to the business of insurance and obsessing on the profits of the industry has become a red herring in the question of health care reform.
“No money left over to enrich others.?“
Excess profit and greed run our business and political systems such that these criteria alone are the debatable issues in the health care problem.
Define excess profit. If the industry’s average margin is 3%, why is that excessive?
Fortunately for you and your ilk, the sadists that control the taxpayer loot are not capitalists. This isn’t partisan, both parties are anti-capitalism.
As to, “Let’s Fix the Sick By Rejecting the Dollar”, there are some examples of such. One sounds of interest.
One of the four bullets with little substance offered Oct 31 by R-John Boehner of OH, as to the GOP’s health care reform includes, citizens allowed to shop X state lines for lower cost health insurance, something that would take some effort by 50 states and their regulations, along with the suppliers, the Family of Five major insurers.
Insurance in Iowa is cheaper than in Virginia, and ours in Virginia is even cheaper than New Jersey. Wellmark BCBS controls 71% of health insurance coverage in Iowa. Wellmark’s profit/loss margins have been as high as 5 percent and as low as a minus 3.5 percent during the past decade. Why are they not making much larger margins, like 26% gross profit made in 2008 by Aetna on $31 billion of premiums received? One reason is Wellmark BCBS in Iowa is owned by their policy-holders. It is health care delivery-driven, not profit-driven. Yes, some will say that goes against the “free enterprise” profit-only system, but after all, we are talking about human lives, which for some means more than their all-mighty $’s.
In early 1990’s our nation’s insurers worked on margins of bout 5%, enough to cover expenses for money-changing and for about a third of that 5% for reasonable net profits for companies who need not borrow money for large long-term capital investments, like say, a widget manufacturer. They’ve grown that margin 400%+ since 1990’s, thus, it is what it is; piracy.
Want to someday buy a Wellmark of Iowa policy and save few thousand $’s a year vs. your current Anthem BCBS of VA policy? Sorry. Excluding the profit-driven Anthem insurance, health care in VA cost more than Iowa. Wellmark of Iowa will never sell you a policy say, $300/month cheaper, while paying doctors, hospitals, services fees that are higher here than in Iowa.
GOP’s plan for shop X state lines is bogus do-do for the naïve. They tend to count on fooling followers.
You want a good non-profit lower-cost insurance program, like that in Iowa? Support a national non-profit lower-cost insurance program…like HR 3200, owned by the policy-holders, like that of Wellmark.
Tom, Tom, Tom. Does that letter support Junior Bush for a Nobel Peace Prize for his support of efforts against HIV/AIDS in Africa or toss stones at Obama’s receiving a Nobel Peace Prize?
Just gotta get a dig into liberals, ah? That little ditty, “even liberals—grudgingly”. As a progressive liberal with close ties to medical/missionaries in Africa who also support the fight, I applaud Junior for said support and I especially applaud his daughter, Barbara, for her hands-on work with AIDS patients in Africa and influencing her father to take action; the lone positive action of his entire 8-yr presidency.
As to why Junior did not get a Nobel Peace Prize? Well, there was that other little ditty; Iraq and the war-for-profiteers.
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.“
Mr. Droste, your buddy Karl Marx couldn’t have said it better.
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