Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
First I want to say I agree with most of the piece penned by Mr. Wyatt on plagiarism and a tighter rein on letters for the Opinion page. I don’t, however agree with the new limit on submitted letters by any one individual. I think one a week is still too often, I would prefer one a month or at the very most one every two weeks.
Secondly, when I first read the piece penned by Daniel Kline (God does not belong in public schools) Dec. 19. I expected a more than rabid response from the Religious Right but I didn’t expect the Religious Right Jamboree that ensued on the Manteca Bulletin Blog. Mr. Kline’s opinion on the subject was, to me, perfectly justifiable as was the piece that followed by Susan Estrich on Dec 24. (Merry Christmas). I for one do not like the idea that I should pay for someone else’s choice of faith taught in the public school system. If someone wants their child schooled in their particular flavor of religious faith, then they should foot the bill. Besides, how would the choice of religion to be taught be made? Christianity, would probably be the majority response, but which flavor of Christianity? There are many, each with their own beliefs. What if only the existence of God were taught? Then again, which God? There are many of these as well. Would it be the God of Abraham, the Catholic Christian God (Not the same as other Christian Faiths)? The American Indian God, The Great Spirit Mother Earth? Allah? Buddha or the Egyptian Sun God, Ra? I say let’s stick to the basics, we have enough trouble just keeping that up.
Finally in response to the health care debate, one writer complained about the government mandate for everyone, who could, buy health insurance. The writer wrote, “Nowhere in the Constitution is Congress given the power to mandate that an individual enter into a contract with a private party or purchase a good or service”. But isn’t that what is done when we are obliged to purchase automobile insurance? And further, isn’t that done for the same reasons? If someone without automobile insurance gets into an accident, we end up paying for the damages, the same holds true if someone without health insurance has to go to the ER, which, by law, hospitals cannot refuse, don’t we pay for that person’s care in the end?
The only argument I have with a mandated health insurance is to have that mandate without a reasonable choice on the purchaser’s part. I think the current bill as it now stands, permits an individual to purchase a policy from the same source as every congressman and every government employee. What is wrong with that? Every year every government employee or retired employee has an open-season where that individual can select a government provided list of health plans. I myself just selected mine for the year. Plus, the current bill now will provide government assistance for those who need it.
Everyone is aware by now that the Senate just passed their version of Health Care. Not one Republican voted for it, not a big surprise since The Grand Obstructionist Party has made its intentions known ever since Obama became President and that was to do everything possible to put the President in a bad light, regardless of the price to the American People. The Republican Party tried everything they could think of to stop or delay Senate progress on the bill, even having the bill read aloud word for word. When it became evident the 60 votes needed by the Democrats had been secured, one Republican Senator said something like “We will fight till hell freezes over and we skate on the ice”. The very next day that same Senator said he wanted to get the final vote over with by early Christmas Eve morning so they could get home for the holidays. Sounds to me like, shall I say it? Cut and run...
First I want to say I agree with most of the piece penned by Mr. Wyatt on plagiarism and a tighter rein on letters for the Opinion page. I don’t, however agree with the new limit on submitted letters by any one individual. I think one a week is still too often, I would prefer one a month or at the very most one every two weeks.
Secondly, when I first read the piece penned by Daniel Kline (God does not belong in public schools) Dec. 19. I expected a more than rabid response from the Religious Right but I didn’t expect the Religious Right Jamboree that ensued on the Manteca Bulletin Blog. Mr. Kline’s opinion on the subject was, to me, perfectly justifiable as was the piece that followed by Susan Estrich on Dec 24. (Merry Christmas). I for one do not like the idea that I should pay for someone else’s choice of faith taught in the public school system. If someone wants their child schooled in their particular flavor of religious faith, then they should foot the bill. Besides, how would the choice of religion to be taught be made? Christianity, would probably be the majority response, but which flavor of Christianity? There are many, each with their own beliefs. What if only the existence of God were taught? Then again, which God? There are many of these as well. Would it be the God of Abraham, the Catholic Christian God (Not the same as other Christian Faiths)? The American Indian God, The Great Spirit Mother Earth? Allah? Buddha or the Egyptian Sun God, Ra? I say let’s stick to the basics, we have enough trouble just keeping that up.
Finally in response to the health care debate, one writer complained about the government mandate for everyone, who could, buy health insurance. The writer wrote, “Nowhere in the Constitution is Congress given the power to mandate that an individual enter into a contract with a private party or purchase a good or service”. But isn’t that what is done when we are obliged to purchase automobile insurance? And further, isn’t that done for the same reasons? If someone without automobile insurance gets into an accident, we end up paying for the damages, the same holds true if someone without health insurance has to go to the ER, which, by law, hospitals cannot refuse, don’t we pay for that person’s care in the end?
The only argument I have with a mandated health insurance is to have that mandate without a reasonable choice on the purchaser’s part. I think the current bill as it now stands, permits an individual to purchase a policy from the same source as every congressman and every government employee. What is wrong with that? Every year every government employee or retired employee has an open-season where that individual can select a government provided list of health plans. I myself just selected mine for the year. Plus, the current bill now will provide government assistance for those who need it.
Everyone is aware by now that the Senate just passed their version of Health Care. Not one Republican voted for it, not a big surprise since The Grand Obstructionist Party has made its intentions known ever since Obama became President and that was to do everything possible to put the President in a bad light, regardless of the price to the American People. The Republican Party tried everything they could think of to stop or delay Senate progress on the bill, even having the bill read aloud word for word. When it became evident the 60 votes needed by the Democrats had been secured, one Republican Senator said something like “We will fight till hell freezes over and we skate on the ice”. The very next day that same Senator said he wanted to get the final vote over with by early Christmas Eve morning so they could get home for the holidays. Sounds to me like, shall I say it? Cut and run...
Larry Baca
Manteca
Dec, 26, 2009
Manteca
Dec, 26, 2009
