Symmetry vs. similarity

[In response to the commentary, “Inflammatory Idiocy on the Political Stage,” by Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Robert A. Cohn in the Aug. 22 Jewish Light.] 

Mr. Cohn chose to compare the President of a re-emerging world power putting three of his citizens in prison for two years, to a know-nothing congressman spouting ignorance on a local television channel implying an equivalency between them. There seems to be a certain lack of symmetry involved … or am I missing a different motivation? 

Hesh Lyons, Creve Coeur 

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Akin-Ryan parallels

The recent statements by Rep. Todd Akin and the subsequent apology are not the point. Mr. Akin is an extremist in his views but as such he is not different than the rest of the Republican Party — as evidenced by the GOP platform and its lack of any exceptions for rape, incest or the life of the mother.

His “misstatement” is merely the view of Rep. Paul Ryan as well, given his co-sponsorship with Rep. Akin of legislation on so-called “personhood” and other extreme positions during his tenure in the House.

Mr. Akin has been my representative on and off due to redistricting over the past few years, and he has never been willing to meet with constituents who had views that differed from his, has never represented me or many other women in his district whose views differed from his.

He wants to eliminate Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, school lunches, food stamps, and on and on — many of the same programs marked for extinction in Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget, passed twice by the House and embraced by Mitt Romney.

Mr. Akin’s extreme positions are no different than the Romney-Ryan ticket — he is merely an embarrassment at the moment.

Sharon S. Hollander, Creve Coeur

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Ryan and Medicare 

One needs to ask the question, “If vouchers are a great idea for those under 55, why doesn’t [Rep. Paul] Ryan propose vouchers for those currently on Medicare?” 

The answer is that a substantial majority of those on Medicare are very satisfied with the plan and would vote out of office any politician who would use vouchers to privatize their Medicare. To disguise the longterm interest of the Far Right to privatize Medicare, the Ryan plan includes the option to select Medicare.

As Rachel Goldberg of B’nai B’rith International so correctly noted in the JTA story in the Aug. 15 Light (“Ryan hailed by Jewish GOPers, organizations see him as a face of budget confrontations”), the healthy young would be eligible for cheaper insurance and would take the vouchers, while  the older and less healthy would have no choice but the Medicare option.  Medicare, forced to accept everyone, would be saddled with the costs of insuring those who needed more care, and thus increase the costs for Medicare.  The Far Right could  then say Medicare is more costly and use that as a wedge to get their goal of privatizing Medicare. 

Clearly Medicare needs adjustment. We  live longer and  the medical technology allowing it is expensive. The entry age  for Medicare will have to gradually increase and the use of expensive medical treatments, especially at end of life, constantly evaluated.  Increased use of hospice and more realistic patient and patient family discussions are essential.  

While adjustments are needed, the Ryan plan is ideological and not fact based and is wrong for the long term health of Medicare.

Arnold Hershman, Frontenac