Letters to the editor for Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Local man reaches out to Sen. Mitch McConnell

Following is the text of a letter I mailed to Sen. McConnell:

“During last year’s presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised that his plan to replace Obamacare would (exact quotes) ‘Provide insurance for everybody;’ ‘No one will lose coverage;’ ‘Nobody will be worse off financially;’ ‘Everybody’s going to be taken care of;’ ‘No cuts to Medicaid’ (guess none of your colleagues in the Senate were listening).

“Based largely on these promises, he was appointed president of the United States by the electoral college. My question: What is your rationalization for supporting a health plan that is the antitheses of the president’s promises, taking away health insurance from over 20 million Americans and restricting coverage for those remaining; raising premiums and deductibles and cutting Medicaid, while giving a huge, undeserved tax break to the financially privileged? I await your reply with bated breath.”

Well, maybe not with “bated breath,” since, from previous experience, I’m sure a reply would look something like this:

Dear Mr. O’Neill: Thank you for expressing your concerns over Senate Bill 2476, authorizing $250 million to “Study the Feasibility of Hybridizing Strawberries, Blueberries and Turnips.” This bill was suggested by the president as a way of improving the nutrition of school children, his thought being that kids would be tempted to give up things like potato chips, pizza and sugary drinks when confronted with a sweet red, white and blue veggie. He has assured me that this legislation has nothing to do with a rather depressing period in a previous childhood when his parents forced him to eat raw turnips as punishment for telling the truth. Please feel free to contact me in the future if I can be of further help. Sincerely, Mitch.

John O’Neill

Minden