Time to express discontent with GOP health care bill

While I recognize that Rowan County is largely Republican, I would say that many would be alarmed by the proposed Republican bill on the Affordable Care Act replacement championed by our own Congressonman Richard Hudson.

Sure, it saves several billion dollars by gutting Medicaid and reducing health care subsidies, except for the rich who would also have other taxes reduced. However, it does nothing to stem the out-of-control health care costs. It also drastically raises premiums for retirees younger than 65 and the unemployed or underemployed.

This Republican Congress should be ashamed of proposing this abomination.

It makes President Donald Trump look like a complete liar when he promised everything but this.

Please pick up the phone, mail a letter and send an email or a text to Rep. Hudson to stop this travesty.

Expanding Medicare to all is perhaps the only real solution to provide basic health care to all citizens and reduce the out-of-control health care costs. We’ve proven that the privatization of health care has been a complete failure for controlling costs.

Allowing insurance companies to compete across states will have little or no effect, while we consumers have no prior access to health care prices of doctors, hospitals or procedures or quality measures in order to make cost-benefit decisions which would slowly reduce prices.

While we can’t be good consumers of health care due to limited information and ever-increasing restriction of choices by insurance networks, we can be effective advocates for change and demand that our government take real action to help all its citizens, and not just the well-off, many (not all) of whom are the biggest welfare queens and who feel the most entitled to special treatment.

— Fred Krusemark

Granite Quarry

Community needs more advocates like Peoples 

I was saddened to learn of the death of William Peoples. During my years as district attorney for Rowan County, William and I discussed a variety of community issues related to public safety. He was an outstanding advocate for the community while maintaining a thoughtful, professional and gentlemanly demeanor. It was always a pleasure to talk with him. I am privileged to say that he was my friend.

Our community needs more leaders like William Peoples. My condolences to his family.

— Bill Kenerly

Salisbury

Sign the Apple lease

I have been reading the stories about the Apple lease, and I always get nervous when I see people complain about the cost. People rarely look at the additional costs associated with Microsoft-based laptops. When you add on the costs of virus, security and spyware software, administrative costs for doing “security updates” and removing viruses, Apple is a good deal in the long run.

I’ve spent 30 years in the computer industry — 15 years of that with IBM. Believe me, I love my Apple computer It’s like comparing apples with oranges.

Go ahead and sign the lease!

It’s a good move.

— Marion LeBleu

Salisbury