Letters to the Editor

I am writing in response to Jay Matzke’s letter of July 27. It’s nice that in America we can all have opinions even though they might be different. I for one do not think all Republicans are perfect and that all Democrats are bad as stated in your letter. I for one think all parties need to be working together for the good of America.

If you want your party in power then run someone who will win! We all need to work together to solve the bad problem we as American’s are facing.

I do not agree with our president in many ways but only pray the parties will start working for the good of America. What if Ben Nelson would have voted against the health bill? He would have still been a Democratic.

Jay Matzke’s so-called “Medi-Facts” are distortions that don’t stand up to serious examination (Gothenburg Times, 7/28). Matzke is misinformed that proposed changes to Medicare won’t affect current beneficiaries.

Like the balanced budget measures in Congress, the CAP Act in the U.S. Senate would set an arbitrary federal spending limit triggering across-the-board cuts. One study by the Lewin Group found that the CAP Act would reduce Social Security benefits by 19% by 2021 and increase out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries by $391 per year. Cuts would go even deeper under a balanced budget amendment.

He also asserts that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) worsens Medicare’s finances by taking $500 million out of the program. It does just the opposite by reducing bloated subsidies to private Medicare Advantage plans and changing how Medicare pays doctors and hospitals to reward quality of care rather than volume. Medicare’s Board of Trustees determined that these changes and others will extend the solvency of the Medicare Part A trust fund from 2017 to 2029.

Finally, Matzke refers to a purported “bribe” in the ACA. In fact, that provision prevents Nebraska and all other states from paying a larger share of the cost of the expanded Medicaid program. Medicaid expansion will provide coverage for more low-income Nebraskans and reduce the amount of uncompensated care that drives up costs for everyone with health insurance.

It’s time to cut the spin and have an honest conversation about strengthening Medicare for today’s seniors and future generations. Without the benefits of Medicare, millions of disabled and older Americans would not have affordable, accessible health care that covers their basic needs.

Bravo Jay Matzke (07-27 letter). How refreshing to read about Obamacare, from a medical professional’s standpoint. Since Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget plan was introduced, Democrats have been accusing Republicans of trying to destroy Medicare (pushing granny off a cliff in her wheelchair).

I would like to make one correction to Dr. Matzke’s letter. Democrats took $500 billion (not $500 million) from Medicare to fund Obamacare, so the CBO could give it a passing grade. Ironically, Republicans are the ones introducing legislation—making tough decisions to save the future of entitlements, while Democrats are in total opposition.

In the past, Sen. Ben Nelson has had the luxury of voting against his own party when his vote didn’t matter. Now that the radical programs of Obama require every single vote for passage, Nelson has voted for every America killing bill coming down the pike. He had a chance to be a hero and shine the light of freedom on our state. Instead, he gave Nebraska a black eye, as shady back-room deals will forever be referenced as a “cornhusker kickback.” Thanks Ben.

“Nothing in my (7-27-11) letter implied that I was for or against the funding (to Egypt),” according to Neil Davis. “ ... it only reinforces my point that, as perhaps the weakest president we have ever had, Obama didn’t want that fight and cut funding for the people of Egypt. I was under the impression that Democrats are the party of the people,” he also wrote. That sounds to me like he was upset with Obama for cutting funding to Egypt.

Davis also wrote that I was attempting to downplay Bush’s success (USAID/Egypt). The fact is that the democracy and governance programs were not working and Bush, himself, started reducing aid to Egypt and Obama continued.

I don’t understand Neil’s statement that Obama desires to give money to his terrorist buddies. I’ve never heard about any such thing from any reliable news source. Obama did, however, order the Seals to take out the worst of the terrorists, Osama bin Laden, which had been one of his goals all along.

I think the two parties need to quit slinging mud and come together for the good of the country. Obviously, gridlock is not a good thing.