Affordable Care Act is crucial

The Affordable Care Act provides a significant opportunity to help hundreds of thousands of Missourians, including many in the Jewish Community, get, afford and keep high quality health insurance.  At Jewish Family & Children’s Service, we work with people every day who cannot afford health care even as they struggle with serious medical conditions. It is a sad commentary that people often must choose between paying for medical care, food or rent/mortgage payments each month. 

Two years after the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, some Missouri legislators are trying to block implementation while at the same time the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether the law can stand. Medical care should not be determined based on political considerations or on insurance company practices of charging higher premiums based on gender and/or pre-existing conditions.  Addressing the basic medical needs of the frail elderly, children and adults with disabilities need to be our primary focus.  Surely, this is a challenge that can be met by working together for the greater benefit of our community.

L. Louis Albert, Executive Director, Jewish Family & Children’s Service

Israel and Cuba 

If Cuba were about to develop nuclear weapons and they declared that they were going to annihilate Florida, we would preemptively destroy their capabilities before such an action could be carried out. We would use every means available to stop them.

Why then is America not sympathetic to Israel? Why is the world not alarmed at Iran’s declaration that Jews should be wiped off the face of the earth? 

President Barack Obama continues to mishandle Iran, and his weakness does not engender respect. As an American, I am horrified that we are again looking the other way as Jews are in a life or death struggle. We should strongly support Israel, and while we still can, act to stop Iran’s nuclear program before it is too late and we stumble into a nuclear confrontation. Israel is alone in a tough, no-win position in a hostile part of the world. They are self-reliant but they need America to survive.

Annie Hoagland, Godfrey, Ill.