Letters on health care, closing pools
Health care helps bring ‘freedom’
In a recent newsletter, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said the Affordable Care Act restricts the “freedom” of Americans to “choose” their health care, and that the Republican plan would give people that “freedom.” This is absurd – and the Republicans making this argument must know it.
Anyone who has lived in a country that has universal, government-provided health care – or who can imagine it – knows that people feel secure and valued.
In contrast, market-based health care plans waste everyone’s time and money and leave people guessing. These plans are meant to provide profits, not health care.
The “freedom” of people living in society is restricted, shaped, defined and open to amendment in many ways. We are not “free” to not pay taxes, to drive through red lights, to steal electronic devices from other people’s houses, to shoot people (although we can all carry our guns anywhere now), and so on.
“Freedom” is living in a country where you can get health care from health care providers because you are sick, not because you are eligible and able to pay. The “Nuns on the Bus” tried to explain this to House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.
What we need to do is elect people who are smart enough, or free enough from ideological shackles, to understand this.
Dorothy Billings, Wichita
Why close pools?
It seems as if our government officials – on the federal, state and even city or county level – often decide the best way to balance budgets is at the expense of those most in need.
To cut costs, the city of Wichita is closing pools – primarily in the poorer neighborhoods. It is replacing them with water playgrounds that spray water.
As some previous letter writer mentioned, poorer children often only have city pools in which to swim or learn to swim. Just because there is a YMCA does mean everyone has access to it, can afford to go there, or even has the ability to get to a YMCA. Inner-city kids drown because they don’t know how to swim.
A pool is a small thing. So why, when there is a need for budget cuts, do they always go for those things that can benefit poor kids?
Leigh Ann Stumblingbear, Wichita
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This story was originally published March 21, 2017 at 5:04 AM with the headline "Letters on health care, closing pools."