It’s time to repeal Obamacare

I read with great interest the recent article in USA Today headlined “Biggest insurer may quite Obamacare,” and “540,000 might be forced to find another provider.”

Almost the identical thing has just happened to me and my family. We recently received a letter from our health insurance company saying that, as a result of the increased costs of Obamacare, our new insurance premiums are being increased to almost $20,000 annually.

Within two weeks, we received a second letter from our same insurance company indicating that they were facing bankruptcy. As a direct result of the increased costs of Obamacare, effective Dec. 31, they were notifying all policy holders that their health-care policies were being terminated and they would not longer have insurance. We were advised to try to find another insurance policy in order to meet the requirements of Obamacare and avoid the federal penalties imposed by this legislation.

After a lengthy call to my insurance company, I was also told they were forced by Obamacare to lay off more than 2,000 insurance claims representatives in their Wisconsin office and would no longer be in the health-care insurance business.

Since October we have been unable to find a suitable and affordable insurance policy to replace the canceled policy we have had for almost 20 years. It’s ironic but we have never had a paid claim during the entire 20-year period due to a very high deductible.

One purpose of my letter is to make your readers fully aware that hundreds of thousands of previously insured families may now be without insurance under Obamacare. Like the growing number of millions of Americans, I strongly feel that now is the time to repeal Obamacare. Let’s replace it with the previously proposed and affordable programs that can benefit all Americans. I hope you will notify your congressmen and senators of this pending crisis in America.

— Janis Smith

Salisbury

Vary interstate speed limits 

In 2002 I wrote then-Gov. Michael Easley suggesting that the speed limits on the interstate highways in North Carolina be made variable so that in extremely adverse weather conditions the speed limit could be reduced in an effort to prevent accidents and save lives. His response was that “In adverse conditions, common sense should alert drivers to slow down.” If only this was the case.

Once again I would like to raise the issue of dangerously high speed limits on our interstate highways during inclement weather. I suggest that electronic speed limit signs be installed in areas prone to heavy fog, and in those sections of the interstates where heavy downpours of rain, snow and ice are likely to significantly increase the number of accidents. Reducing speed limits under all of these conditions is especially important during the rush-hour commutes to work and in high traffic areas.

In 2012 the Federal Highway Administration produced a study titled “Guidelines for the Use of Variable Speed Limit Systems in Wet Weather.” A number of other states, including South Carolina, already are already employing electronic variable speed limits signage on their highways.

While I have the utmost respect for the citizens of North Carolina, I am scared to death to share the highway with those who motor along at the speed limit, and above, when heavy fog, rain, snow or ice severely impede vision and/or make wet pavement driving dangerous.

— Tommy Doonan

Kannapolis

50th reunion was great

Under the direction of Linda Lefler Merrell, East Rowan Class of 1965 celebrated a fantastic 50th two-day class reunion on Friday and Saturday!

I would like to thank Linda for her leadership, dedication and time, working tirelessly for nearly a year to make this happen! Thank you to many wonderful classmates who worked together as a great team supporting Linda all the way, their spouses, and all those employed to help or volunteer.

Many fond memories were made along with renewed friendships and anticipation that we will be around to celebrate again in five years!

— Jamie Moose Kimmer

Salisbury

 

Find a better solution

The Monday, Nov. 23, letter to the editor concerning Syrian refugees coming to America raises many questions for all of us. Those who criticize the opponents of Obama’s latest act of transforming America might also question Obama’s concern for his fellow Americans.

Did Obama show as much concern for those who died in the Paris attacks by radical Muslims? Or was his concern more about finding the politically correct words that would somehow end the terrorist attacks? Can he really believe you can negotiate anything with these terrorists except death to America? Where is his or the letter writer’s concern for the safety of America?

It might be well to point out now, regarding our borders, there is no fence and the gates have been wide open almost eight years now. Further, if you want to talk politics, this open border is politically driven mostly by Obama and the Democrats to replenish voters for the Democratic Party.

We have immigration laws on the books; however, neither Democratic nor Republican legislators seem willing to enforce the law.

How do we pay for food, shelter, medical care?  Our $18 trillion debt doesn’t seem to bother Obama, or the fact that nearly one half of American people must receive a subsistance check from the government to make ends meet. No problem — Obama is willing to drop this financial burden on the states, which in many cases are also strapped for revenue. Why not relocate these refugees in safe havens in the Middle East? Let Obama’s so-called coalition help establish these safe havens. They, too, need some skin in the game.

What we have is a president and legislators who have no problem spending taxpayer money. No one has asked you or me how the money should be spent. The latest polls show many Americans are against Obama’s refugee policy for many reasons. The government should just step back, take a deep breath and rethink what is the best solution.

— Richard Roberts

Kannapolis 

Who decides embryos’ fate?

A judge in San Francisco has ruled that a woman is not entitled to frozen embryos that she helped create. The woman was getting married and found out that she had breast cancer, so she and her husband created some frozen embryos. They also signed a consent agreement that states that the embryos must be thawed and discarded if they got a divorce. They got divorced, but the woman wants the embryos because she is now infertile and can’t have children in the ‘’regular way.” Imagine if a dating couple signed an agreement that the woman must get an abortion if she gets pregnant. Could she be forced to have an abortion?

I think we need a state law, or constitutional amendment, that states that frozen embryos are human beings and cannot be destroyed. This is something that liberals and conservatives should agree on. I would like readers of this newspaper to consider creating a petition drive to make sure that little frozen human beings in North Carolina aren’t thawed and discarded.

— Chuck Mann

 Greensboro