Dear Barack
Affordable office visits and medicine. Again, we’ll pay our share.
Please do not come up with a government policy that just covers those now uninsured. We all need help. Do not exclude employers who have been trying to provide health insurance all along and their employees who have been willing to put up with such poor coverage.
Oh, by the way … my own kids could use some better options, too. We have a granddaughter born with a large hole in her heart. Her parents are responsible, hard-working young adults who have always paid for their own health insurance because they are self-employed. Yes, they were covered when our granddaughter had to have surgery at just 9 months old and again just before her fifth birthday. They are all doing OK, but it costs this young family more than $1,200 per month on average to cover their insurance premium and other ongoing medical costs. That’s in their family budget before groceries and before house payments every month.
And one more story, since you brought up the subject of moms: With the help of Hospice, I was my mother’s caregiver when she died. She, too, was overly worried about how much her own care cost. She told me many, many times that this country has its priorities mixed up. To spend that much money for one more try at chemo at the end of long life instead of funding basic care for young people and families is just plain wrong. We should be ashamed.
Good luck,
Judy H.
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on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent publisher
May 17
My Bully Pulpit
Dec. 1, 2011
The Envelope, Please
Nov. 24, 2011
What’s it all about?
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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TWO Comments
Comment / By Joe Clerici / June 4, 2009, 2:04 a.m.
well said.
Comment / By Kati / Oct. 5, 2009, 11:39 p.m.
Judy, it’s Kati from the Colorado Obama office last year! I was re-reading the article you wrote about us, and then wanted to see what was on your mind recently. This is an excellent editorial, and sums up much of what I’ve been saying. I really hope that our hard work in 2008 not only inspires us to push this year for a public option and other reforms, but leads to the changes we want so badly. Hope you’re doing well- can you believe it’s been a year?