Letters to the Editor: November 24, 2017

It only helps the rich

As if the Republican tax giveaway to all things rich and corporate weren’t enough, they are now conniving to sneak in a repeal of the Obamacare individual mandate.

Republicans just hate the individual mandate, unless the individuals being mandated happen to be hospitals and health-care workers who have to provide care even if the patients can’t pay. They love that mandate. You see, Republicans have a problem: According to Senate rules, they can only borrow a trivial $1.5 trillion to hand out to the wealthy. That’s not enough, obviously. How will they get by? So if Congress eliminates the individual mandate to buy insurance, fewer people will be insured, and the government pays less in subsidies to help them.

Hospitals get paid less, but still are legally bound to provide care. Then they pass on the cost to those who do buy insurance. We pay higher premiums, corporations get even bigger tax cuts. What’s not to love? Having failed to enact a hopelessly dysfunctional health-care plan, the Republicans seem committed to dismantling our current system, piece by piece, if necessary. We will see what happens, but I have a feeling that at least the poor, suffering caviar crowd will be smiling in the end.

Scott Gibson

McMinnville

Who could it be now?

They are dropping like flies (as well they should) as reports of their disgusting sexually abusive behavior hit the media. They are resigning, put on leave and dismissed for their inexcusable treatment of the women around them.

We call them unfit for the positions they hold, and we applaud. We can’t wait to get rid of them. Yet one of them stands tall. Millions have watched and listened to him detailing and bragging about pulling off these very same exploits.

It makes one wonder what’s wrong with this picture — but apparently not enough. What is wrong with us?

Erma S. Vasquez

McMinnville