Private sector best for health care

In regard to Obama's health care plan, obviously, people writing to the editor are not retired and tied to Medicare for their health care. My husband and I each pay $2,860.80 per year for Medicare Part B benefits. I believe the private sector could offer those same benefits for less money.

So we want government to run health care? Congress uses employee-paid Medicare funds just like they do Social Security funds -- to add to the General Fund and spend for their earmarks and grants to special interests. Then they don't have enough money to fund Medicare, so our doctors are underpaid.

We can't afford to put government in charge of our health care, as there is no money to pay for it and we can be told what health issues we can have addressed. Is that really what we as U.S. citizens want to pass on to our children and grandchildren? Ask Canadians how they like their health care!

-- Laurel S. Barber

Sterling

Beware stimulus bait-and-switch

It was heartening to read the School Board is only going to use the stimulus funds for short-term programs, one-time projects, etc. But about 40 new positions are going to be filled, mostly by teachers. Does this mean that at the end of the 2-year stimulus bubble those 40 positions will go away without a fight? Or should we expect to see pictures in the Daily News of our school board handing pink slips to the weeping temps, or more likely, will they threaten sports and other programs as a way of coercing us to raise taxes so the positions become permanent?

--Jim Turley

Anchorage

Alaska losing college graduates

This month we attended the graduation of our only child from the University of Oregon. In addition to our pride, there was sadness because she has chosen to begin her career elsewhere. I went to college on the State of Alaska Student Loan in the '70s. Students who returned or remained in Alaska had their loans forgiven up to 50 percent. This allowed our best and brightest to begin their careers in Alaska and set down roots as they began their adult lives.

In 1987 our Legislature took the unwise step to eliminate the forgiveness part of the student loans. Now our children are leaving with no incentive to stay in our sometimes unforgiving climate. Worse, just this year, the Legislature initiated credit requirements that will make it impossible for many students to qualify for a student loan!

It is time to let our legislators know that Alaska needs our educated children to return or remain to become contributing members of our communities.

-- Sam Combs

Anchorage

New tennis courts already trashed

Citizens of the city of Anchorage are very fortunate to have newly resurfaced tennis courts on the park strip. Unfortunately some people have little respect for the fact that they are for tennis. When we went to play Monday someone had already ridden on the courts with a bicycle and left long black marks on the courts. Braking rapidly also wears holes in the court surface.

It would be very helpful if some responsible adult would keep an eye on activity on the court, and report bicycles, etc., that appear. It might also help if the courts were locked when they are closed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Another thing that might help would be to lock the gates that face 9th Avenue.

It is extremely unfortunate that some people cannot respect our parks, courts, and other public facilities. Too often the few tend to spoil things for the many.

Thanks to all those who pick up their own trash, and often the trash others have left. And thanks to those who use our public facilities as they were intended.

-- Janet Boylan

Eagle River

Quest for tolerance seems infinite

As many Alaskans got ready to celebrate the abolition of slavery with the annual "Juneteenth" celebration, I noticed something a little ironic. Our city is in the midst of deciding if it's OK for small, home businesses and exempt religious organizations to discriminate. It is truly amazing in this day and age that a city as diverse as Anchorage can even be discussing this. We should be ashamed. It seems that although we have come so far in our quest for " all men created equal," we still have so far to go.

-- Doug Lyon

Anchorage

Senator misses health care mark

In her Compass about health care reform, Sen. Lisa Murkowski wrote that she wanted a bill that "does not interfere with the ability of individuals to continue choosing the health care provider of their choice."

It disturbs me that the people working to reform health care know so little about the current state of health insurance in this country. As things stand, most people have to pick medical providers that are members of the PPO that was chosen by their employer's HR department.

By far the most common reason I change doctors is because my HR department switches insurance companies every few years, each time forcing me and all my co-workers to change doctors and dentists or to forgo large parts of our health insurance benefits.

Sen. Murkowski seems out of touch with the current realities of health insurance. Rather than fighting to preserve something that's already long gone, she and the other lawmakers should refocus on finding ways to improve health care and health insurance.

-- Chris Dickey

Anchorage

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