Berg off base
I am writing to express my shock regarding the publication of "An Rx for the Dems" by Rick Berg (8/21/09). This country is in dire need of health care reform. Due to our current profit-driven system, people are dying and being put into unmanageable debt; our elected representatives are deep in the pockets of insurance companies; and even those lucky enough to have medical insurance may find their coverage inadequate.
In this time of decision, which will affect generations of American citizens, what is the response of Isthmus and Rick Berg? Tepid jokes about Sarah Palin and Congress in an article that fails to address the subject whatsoever. Just because a writer is able to add up how many politicians serve in the executive and legislative branches, make unsubstantiated claims regarding the "mood of the American people," and dip into pop-culture references does not entitle him to be printed.
This country deserves better and can do better to care for its citizens, rich or poor. Having sour grapes because your political party is not in power is childish and irresponsible no matter which party you belong to. Shame on you for this crass article.
Emrys Linster
The Obama health-care plan is a failure because it doesn't push for single payer. That's it. Berg would have us try the reforms out on politicians for five years. He can come up with the wrong answer faster than that. Berg's party would approve spending a billion government dollars bombing a health care facility, but feels that the same government supporting one is fiscally irresponsible. He and his teabagger buddies can slice this any way they wish, but the U.S. is ranked 37th in health care overall. The ones ahead of us have single payer.
Duh. The money to pay for it is in our bloated prison system, our needless wars, the failed war on drugs, and our pathological fear of taxing the rich.
On a positive note, Berg didn't call Obama Hitler.
Craig Wehrle
Lobby law unconstitutional
The First Amendment to our Constitution states that "no law shall be passed that infringes on our right to free speech" - an admonition ignored by the left of our city council, in their "lobby law."
The Edgewater proposal ("Edgewater Developer on Hot Seat," 8/28/09) is not a lobby effort. It is an effort on the part of a major business entity to advance a project that would benefit the city in myriad ways. Support has been marshaled in a direct, transparent fashion. But this effort conflicts with what the politically correct naysayers believe to be the best interests of Madison.
The lobby law should be seen for what it is: another effort to block meaningful discussion of an issue.
Marshall Smith