May Benton go first

I appreciated Editor Hasso Hering’s April 20 editorial about the PBS Frontline feature “Sick Around the World,” highlighting the successes of five nations’ universal health care systems. He appropriately concluded that we should borrow from their successes and experience and establish a universal coverage system that does not profit but rather provides care.

While 80 percent of Americans and 59 percent of physicians yearn for a national health care system, and while in Oregon we struggle with the Oregon Health Fund Board’s mission to provide universal access despite its complicity with the insurance industry, I wonder if we should be thinking locally.

What if Benton County became the first in the nation with a fully insured population? What if local health insurers and providers teamed up and committed to providing every county resident with an insurance card, regardless of ability to pay, acceptable at any doctor’s office or hospital? What if, as our mayor suggests, we “declared victory” on this issue, knowing we have the local resources to actually provide adequate insurance and care to every county resident?

I know some results: less emergency room use; people accessing outpatient care on a more timely basis; less use of expensive hospital beds; and a healthier community.

And probably best of all: a sense of equity, social responsibility, and accomplishment across our county, a sense that we took care of our own. As people often say, if a solution can work anywhere, it can work in Corvallis.

Cosimo Storniolo, Corvallis

What it will take

I applaud Mr. Hering for his editorial stating that we can learn a great deal from other industrialized countries to fix our dysfunctional health care system (April 20). As Mr. Hering certainly knows, it will take more than just “swallowing our pride, and steal, as in copy, a system that already works.”

It will take every fiber of our moral conscience to no longer tolerate the injustice that offers some more “care” than they can benefit, and denies many others the bare minimum of health services.

It will take every ounce of American ingenuity and pragmatism to turn discoveries in science into sensible technologies and practices that produce value in health, rather than just increased costs.

But most of all, it takes every citizen to use our vote to tell every politician and every business corporation just two things, loud and clear: 1. No health insurance plans can deny coverage to anyone on the basis of pre-existing or developing medical conditions. And 2: No financial or bureaucratic barriers can be used to deny reasonable access to needed care and medications. In simple words: Enough is enough! No more will we accept a health system that drives our nation into moral and economic bankruptcy by putting the profit of a few above the despair of many!“

Chinh Le, Corvallis

Stealing other ideas

Borrowing a working health care system is such a sane, rational idea! Why stop there? There are a lot of other great ideas out there, already tested, and all we have to do is install their knockoffs. Free college education pays off for countries looking for an educated workforce and citizenry.

After Bush/Cheney and their Fool’s Errand in Iraq, let’s admit that we have lost our way and have lots to learn.

Being able to admit that others have gotten things right and many have been able to lead is healthier than feeling like we have to be Number One.

Only insecurity requires that kind of medicine. Real patriots don’t need to wear flag pins and real Americans want our republic back. Let’s trade in failing empire for a republic. There are good models available if we can’t repair this one.

Don Caughey, Corvallis

Health and nature

In one Sunday edition (April 20) appeared at least two very good, very timely, constructive comments. This is just a “thank you” and “hear! hear!” from a regular reader.

1. I was very glad to read Hasso Hering’s call for us (as a nation) to set aside the hubris of “Not Invented Here” to cobble together the best, most appropriate aspects of successful health care systems from around the world (as Taiwan, among others, has done so well, he points out). Amen. And that goes for other policies we might explore in the future, too.

We need not worry about our place in history as a unique (and successful) political experiment; we can well afford to be students again of the wisdom and experiences of other nations. (Indeed, where did the Founding Fathers take their lessons?)

2. Bill Barker’s weekly column is always one of my favorite, and this week he summed up his ongoing efforts to connect more of us to the natural world—all in one musing wish: that policy makers, before doing their work, would take a trip into still-wild places, so that they wouldn’t forget our connections to, and need for, the continuation of those places. So right. From the most rigorous science to the most subjective of personal experience, I think the evidence is there: We need those places. We come from those places, and we are not so far or independent from them. We (and all other species) are healthier for their preservation, and so we’d do well to at least occasionally re-immerse ourselves in them—like going to an ancestral home.

Chris Coffin, Corvallis

Those poor weeds!

I was horrified to read the “Weed Wars” article by your gardens writer (April 20, 2008). She clearly disrespects nature as evidenced by the photo documenting the murder of a dandelion. The author even advocates the use of several weapons of mass destruction (chemicals, pinchers, etc.) to exterminate unwanted garden life forms.

All natural things on this Earth have a right to life. And every form of life must be protected and given a chance to grow to its full potential. This includes common weeds like groundsel, chickweed, and deadnettle. If we can’t cut down a tree, why should we have the freedom to pull up a hairy bittercress? Clearly we need a stronger authority to decide what is best for the greater good of all.

Perhaps the state should create a Ministry of Intrinsic Value and staff it with Earth worshippers (Homo Ecostupidus). Their sole charter will be to decide which life forms are worth salvation. Only then can we humans be put back into holy communion with nature. Only then can the souls of innocent weeds be saved from cruel local gardeners.

Gordon L. Shadle, Albany

Elder care: What an ordeal!

What a lot of hooey in your story regarding elder care (“Exploring options for elder care,” April 13).

I’ve had nothing but experiences of desperation, exhaustion and frustration in attempting to get the well-deserved services for my World War II U.S. Navy veteran husband who now has dementia.

This vet gave his time and effort in time of war, reconstructed his life in order to take advantage of the GI Bill and his education.

He is now 81 (I am his second wife, 65 years old) and I have never had to work so hard as I did with the social services program and American Veterans Association for his care and medical assistance.

Hours on the phone double and triple checking regarding care and prescriptions. Asking who does what, how can requirements be met, etc.

There is so much red tape to cut through, so many documents to provide, so many forms to complete and I must keeping my own paper trail in case I have to produce things again.

There are too many obstacles for the caregiver to wade through. My husband would not be so well cared for in the adult foster home if I too had dementia, if I too was 81 years old and not able to comprehend or cope with the paper maze.

The American public deserves better and your article doesn’t even scratch the surface of the difficulties to be faced for placement and care of our loved ones.

Susan Rohloff, Corvallis

Corporate taxes and you

A successful leader once said, “The most dangerous myth is that business can be made to pay a larger share of taxes, thus relieving individuals. Politicians promoting this are either dishonest or economically illiterate and either one should scare us!”

Blaming the economy’s problems on Wall Street and tax breaks for the rich is only a misconception that masks the real causes.

In Wall Street, stock (corporate part ownership) is valued, bought and sold as an investment for interest-like earnings. Reinvested income (money earning more than once) is the basis for economic growth!

Corporations come in all sizes, from a small Oregon company that went corporate when its owner retired, to giant ones known nationwide. The same math is used for corporation, private businesses and us, i.e. income; less cost of operations (including income tax paid); equals next year’s profit, which is also reinvested; until it’s sufficient for raises; increasing job openings; adding branches, etc.

Private businesses are owned by individuals, families or partnerships.

Corporations are owned by any of us who hold shares we bought from the company or firms that deal in stock. Each share’s value is its portion of a firm’s value. But unlike interest, totaled yearly, increases on dividends (shares) and capital gains (large investments like houses, buildings, etc.) cannot be determined until sold. The end profits are also likely to be reinvested.

From this you can see that raising taxes (costs) on our income sources is the worst thing that can happen!

Joan C. Wheeler, Corvallis

Emeritus, please

The use of your forum is requested for two purposes: 1) to recognize the personal and professional contributions of George Taylor to the community, state, and body of science; and 2) to request OSU President Ray, Provost Randhawa, and COAS Dean Abbott confer the title of State Climatologist Emeritus to George Taylor upon his upcoming retirement.

George’s service, research, and outreach has fulfilled OSU’s land grant mission for the citizens, the natural resource, nay all, industries, and thus the economy of Oregon. Significant improvements in record keeping, data access, and information tools (maps, etc) occurred during his OSU Oregon Climate Service tenure. OSU once granted George the title of state climatologist. It is OSU’s prerogative to grant the title of emeritus upon distinguished retirees.

Conferring this title has minimal expense to OSU. George’s consultancy business clients seek his skills and knowledge, not his titles. Granting this title is a matter of respect and thanks for his distinguished service.

George Taylor should not leave OSU with Governor Kulongoski’s bestowed title “not my state climatologist emeritus.” He should leave OSU as state climatologist emeritus.

Steve Pilkerton, Albany

All for development?

Fellow Linn County residents:

Take a look at the area just above the old Knox Butte school. Would you call this environment responsible development?

How many trees on Knox Butte have been cut down?

How many acres of land have been clear-cut?

How many acres of wildlife habitat have been destroyed?

What impact will elements of weather have on these acres and acres of ravaged soil in the future?

All in the name of development.

Shirley Hooton, Knox Butte