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Extend Medicare to all -- nothing less for health care reform

I write to support a national health care reform known as single payer: Improved and expanded Medicare for all.

From 1971 to 2005, I was the physician in the beautiful mountain village of Konnarock in Smyth and Washington counties. I joined the single-payer movement in the mid-1980s because I could see these things in Konnarock:

1. Money in insurance company profits should go to health care for more people.

2. Medicare's administrative cost is 3 percent; insurance companies', 31 percent.

3. Health care should not be linked to employment; 4.5 percent of personal bankruptcies are from medical expenses, and most of those people are employed and have medical insurance.

In 2000, I had a wake-up call. The World Health Organization looked at quality of care in 191 nations. The U.S. ranked 37th.

Finally, I learned that America spends 16 percent of its Gross National Product on health care. Switzerland spends 11 percent, and most countries far less.

So, I've had it with this. Fixing it can be done now.

In 1965, overnight, people over 65 were all enrolled in Medicare. We know how to do it. Ask for publicly funded, privately provided guaranteed health care for all. No compromise.

Perhaps at the next tea party

Re: "Questions about Obama's allegiance linger" (May 27 commentary):

I would love to meet David Beardsley, since he would have to be almost 200 years old to have had a great-grandfather who participated in the original Boston Tea Party.

Obama is doing what he was elected to do

David Beardsley ("Questions about Obama's allegiance linger," May 27 commentary) is proud to be called a fanatic. Isn't that the definition of a terrorist? Isn't that who we are fighting in Iraq?

President Obama served in the Senate before running for president. He had to prove eligibility like everyone else. Are we really talking about race here?

There are three components to creating demand in our economy: the consumer, business and government. When the first two are down, the other has to create demand to get the other two on their feet.

No one likes debt, but let's get real about where all this debt started. When we get the other two up and running, and we are, the plan is to pay down the debt. No one is trying to hold our future or our children's future for ransom.

We had debates and went through the voting process. The world is watching how a democracy conducts itself. Outrageous articles like this divide us when we have two wars going on and many problems at home. We need to support our elected president and follow his example of public service. We can do better than this.

Liberty doesn't do honor to its name

Liberty is one of the bedrock values of our nation. References to it and symbols abound: "sweet land of liberty," "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," the Statue of Liberty. It is even stamped on the front of our coins.

In exact opposition to the ideas espoused by liberty is the restriction of free speech and the freedom of thought. Liberty University should consider a name change.

Liberty officials worry overmuch about donors

At so-called Liberty University, they thump the Bible, but they worship rich Republicans.

The school's administration has banned Democrats from organizing on campus even after an overwhelming majority of Americans elected Barack Obama president and gave his party control of both houses of Congress. How out of touch can one place be?

Of course, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. let slip the real reason for the ban: "lots of complaints from parents and donors." Donors? At Liberty, God listens but money talks.

Elected officials gave utilities a free hand

Re: Rice McNutt's letter on May 21, "We have surcharges enough on electricity":

Over the last decade our elected state officials have systematically reduced the ability of the State Corporation Commission to protect consumers. The SCC is severely limited in its ability to reduce utility requests for rate increases. Also, Virginia has no other entity with the resources and the will to effectively challenge utilities in the regulatory process.

What we have in Virginia today is a regulatory framework designed by utilities for utilities. No other state has such a utility-friendly framework. Our state elected officials -- senators, delegates, attorneys general and governors -- have approved this framework and repeatedly directed the SCC to do what utilities seek without making things difficult for the utilities.

Those elected officials are the only ones who can change the rules. They are the ones to complain to and about. The system will not change easily or quickly, but consumers who are upset need to tell the people who can change it.

Wear medals proudly, the right way

Memorial Day is when we gather to honor the men and women who gave it their all and to thank the men and women who served in our military with honor and came home safely.

One way to honor ourselves and other veterans is the wearing of medals that we, as military veterans, earned. But there is an accepted protocol for retired or ex-service personnel that relates to the wearing of medals with civilian dress. Miniature medals should be worn only at formal dress functions and after dark. Only the top three in their correct order are worn. The military protocol of wearing these medals is on the left breast of the awardee.

It is unacceptable to wear military medals out of order, as shown on a veteran's hat on the front page of your May 26 paper. The Purple Heart Medal should have been next to the Bronze Star, not after the Joint Service Commendation Medal. Anytime awardees wear their military medals, it is a reflection of their honor to their service and to the honor of the men and women who gave it their all.

U.S. Marine Corps, Retired

We should have seen this wreck coming

In response to "Say Goodbye to the auto industry" (May 24 letter by Dick Baynton):

Yes, what we are witnessing is the demise of the American auto industry, but it isn't being caused by the closing of auto dealers.

Being a Michigander, you should have seen this coming decades ago.

Did you not know of the violent UAW tactics in Henry Ford's day? Did you not stand by while our Congress protected their jobs, forbade their replacement by honest workers, gave them food stamps and unemployment benefits so they could wait out the industry's need for production?

Did you think these tactics were the American way? Workers rights? I suppose you didn't see the cozy relationship between the unions and Democrats these past 60 years. The gift of Chrysler to the UAW is payment for standing in line at the polls.

Financial institutions, the auto industry and the educational system now; by the end of the year, our energy and medical care will be under government control as well. What's next?

People like Baynton and I have been busy providing for our families the honorable way and didn't pay attention; when we did, we looked the other way.