The Public Pulse, Feb. 10

So close on health care reform

An alarming new study shows that health care costs increased last year at the fastest rate in more than a half-century.

Health care spending rose to an estimated $2.5 trillion in 2009, or $8,047 per person, and is now projected to nearly double by 2019. If we don’t act, this growing burden could mean more lost jobs, more families pushed into bankruptcy and more crushing debt for our nation.

The conclusion is clear. This isn’t a problem we can kick down the road for another decade — or even another year. We need to pass health care reform now.

We’re incredibly close. But too many in Washington, D.C., are now saying that we should delay or give up on reform entirely.

We need to listen to the naysayers, and if they can contribute something helpful, let it be done. But just voting “no” in a solid bloc is not helping our nation out of this crisis.

This is not about which politicians can get re-elected or which party can hurt the other by making it look bad. This is about America and making it work for the benefit of all.

The Rev. Richard L. Burgess, Omaha

Sen. Nelson’s liberal agenda

Is anybody dumb enough to believe:

— U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson didn’t sell out to President Barack Obama and the Democrats?

— Advertising that says Sen. Nelson puts the interests of Nebraskans ahead of his party?

— The proposed new veterans hospital in Omaha isn’t a way to buy back Nebraska votes, especially since, in my opinion, Obama stole two major command centers last year from Offutt Air Force Base in retaliation against our conservative beliefs?

Well, if you are, then you deserve more of Obama and his sidekick, Nelson. You also deserve to pay the extra trillions that Obama and Nelson will cost us.

The truth is that Nelson will play the conservative whenever he knows his conservative vote won’t count to stop the liberal agenda. Just look at his record. He appointed three liberal judges to the Nebraska Supreme Court and many other liberal judges. He votes with his party every time his vote is needed to pass major liberal bills. He even sold out on abortion rights.

If Republicans don’t know how to get the truth out to Nebraskans, then they deserve six more years of Nelson’s falsely conservative liberal agenda.

Bob Riedel, Papillion

How to ensure female president

Sarah Palin has been much in the public eye in recent days. She seems to be positioning herself for a run at the presidency.

Her chances of unseating the sitting president in 2012 do not seem good. However, she is young enough.

I believe there is another woman looking forward to the 2012 presidential election — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. This may set up the first election in which both presidential candidates are women.

Ralph Ekwall, Omaha

Seek justice by the Constitution

U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., said it is wrong for our government to treat foreigners accused of terrorism the same way we treat all accused people in U.S. custody. He said they should not have constitutional rights. Sen. Johanns should read the U.S. Constitution. They do have those rights, whether he likes it or not.

The Constitution requires all people accused of crimes on U.S. soil to be afforded the same rights. These rights hold true, regardless of the types of crimes involved or the citizenship of the accused.

This is the American system of justice, and it applies to everyone whose alleged crime occurs on American soil, not just to Americans.

I fully understand the desire to bring terrorists to justice. I lost a family member on Sept. 11, 2001. But unlike Sen. Johanns, I want to see our Constitution upheld, and I believe that the American justice system should be trusted to work for us.

If Sen. Johanns doesn’t agree with the Constitution, he can propose an amendment. But until then, he should uphold the oath of office he took to defend it.

Nancy Meyer, Cedar Bluffs, Neb.

We seem to thrive on conflict

Perhaps we are just insane. I see myself and others taking potshots at one political party or the other and lobbing verbal grenades at each other.

It is like we love conflict. We love it more than trying to get along. So, our best and brightest talk to us about loving each other, and we imply by our actions, “Love is OK, but conflict is better.” It has more juice, it would seem, for some of us.

And so, often times, we kill each other, not because someone is holding a gun to our head and we are physically threatened, but because someone has different ideas than we do and they conflict with our ideas. And, of course, we are right.

So, we raise our rifle and pull the trigger. It’s the end result of conflicts we cherish so and our need to be right.

Mike K. Brockman, Omaha

Don’t raise taxes on gas and oil

The Obama administration is proposing to raise taxes. This time, it’s the popular punching bag — the oil and gasoline industry.

Eliminating tax breaks from the oil and gasoline industry could be passed on to consumers, discourage domestic production and result in a loss of jobs. Then we could import more energy from unstable sources and weaken the economy even more.

We need to all work together to lessen foreign dependency by every method we can, including encouraging domestic production and taking a look at all the alternative sources that make sense, along with continued realistic conservation.

Congress shouldn’t fall for this latest grab for money. It will do more harm than good.

John M. Dinkel, Norfolk, Neb.

Restore Medicaid coverage

Kudos to Dr. Hans Dethlefs for his Feb. 3 Midlands Voices piece on Nebraska’s decision to stop Medicaid coverage for all unborn babies, whether the mother is a documented or an undocumented resident.

A friend of mine, who is a U.S. citizen, is seven months pregnant and just received notice that the Medicaid coverage for her unborn child is being discontinued because there is no longer a category for the unborn.

This policy makes no sense and should be revised.

Mark J. Curley, Omaha

Guard against illegal drug use

Jim Elsener (Feb. 7 Pulse) is correct that, “It is not a crime to be poor.” However, illegal drug use most definitely is a crime, and it would be an even bigger crime to reward those who choose to use illegal drugs with cash assistance from the state.

Given that fact, State Sen. Charlie Janssen of Fremont, Neb., is to be commended for introducing Legislative Bill 940, which would require drug screening for recipients of cash assistance from Nebraska.

Jeff Kupfer, La Vista

Give cyclists a helmet option

Some say Nebraska’s helmet law is a good thing. But more states have restricted helmet laws or no helmet laws instead of full helmet laws. Others say no helmet law could leave a huge financial burden for Nebraskans.

Maybe we should require that people not have children when they can’t afford to have them. This would save more than helmet-less bikers would cost.

Let those who ride decide!

Tim Reeves, Madison, Neb.

Solving the pothole mystery

Omaha seems to be obsessed with asphalt roads. Consequently, we are known for our bad roads, potholes and road construction.

The city constantly seems to be pouring molten asphalt in potholes and then complaining when asphalt does what it does best: contract in cold weather and expand in hot weather, causing gaping holes in the road over and over again.

Our summers are too hot and our winters are too cold to use asphalt on 90 percent of our roads. All of the money that is saved is thrown out on car and road repairs.

A solution is simple: Spend the money up-front for concrete roads for the heavily trafficked areas. This will save money in the end and solve the mystery of the potholes.

Lorelei Mercer, Omaha

A simple way to avoid collisions

We keep seeing drivers sliding on the ice into things with their cars. There is a simple solution and two simple rules to follow for not hitting things on the road.

Rule No. 1: Slow down. Rule No. 2: Refer to Rule No. 1.

This has worked for me for 76 years.

Sam W. Jones, Omaha

Orsi touched many Omaha lives

On Feb. 2, Omaha lost a great citizen and friend. Bobby Orsi of Orsi’s Bakery passed away. He dedicated his life to his family, friends and community.

When such a wonderful person dies, he leaves behind a huge void. The void that Bobby Orsi left was extraordinarily large because each person whose life he touched has a small piece of him for comfort.

Mr. Orsi will never be completely gone from Omaha because he lives on in the grateful hearts of so many.

Cynthia Dorsey, Papillion

Movie offers Christian message

I went to see an excellent movie, “To Save a Life.” It is a Christian-based movie that tackles the issues that today’s teenagers face every single day.

What amazes me is that in a country built on Christian values, this movie and others like it (“Fireproof” and “Facing the Giants”) are labeled “special interest” movies and are shown in only a handful of theaters. These films receive little attention, yet there is always plenty of attention given to movies containing sex, violence and the occult.

What a sad commentary. I urge adults, especially parents of middle school and high school students, to see this movie. For many, it will be an eye-opener.

Renee Johns, Omaha

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