Healthcare vote; flag distress; brighter news
Healthcare vote
The political rhetoric on health insurance regulation, both old and new, continues to frustrate me.
No insurance law can fix America's inefficient healthcare system or our unhealthy lifestyles.
Government solutions are failing. Medicare and Medicaid costs are unsustainable, the VA is a national scandal and Obamacare's high premium, high deductible taxpayer-subsidized approach is not working.
Costs will not decline until we focus on wellness first and then find cost-efficient protocols for treating the chronically ill.
If we used the government health insurance approach for car insurance, it would soon become unaffordable or unavailable.
The same rates would be charged to everyone regardless of traffic tickets, DUIs or accidents.
The inability to control risk and unpredictable loss costs would cause insurers to flee the market.
Government would dream up another taxpayer-funded entitlement to pay for car insurance.
Many of us are sick of the government control of everything and the Robin Hood tax system to fix what they broke. Unfortunately you can't buy an insurance policy to cover that.
Kenneth M. "Ken" Sapp, North Richland Hills
U.S. Rep. Kay Granger must come out from behind the shadows and explain her “yes” vote on the American Health Care Act.
This legislation threatens the health and financial well-being of many of her constituents while benefiting the most affluent of them.
The bill passed by only four votes, so her vote was crucial.
Her justification must be articulate, in-depth and factually defensible — simplified political soundbites will not suffice.
The flaws in this bill were plentiful and obvious, so avoiding political embarrassment for President Trump or Republican leadership is not sufficient.
Granger is in a safe political district, where diverting from party orthodoxy on important issues would exhibit the courage needed in Congress to overcome the polarization that is crippling the body politic.
Dennis Weverka,
Fort Worth
Flag distress
When I became aware that a neighbor was displaying the flag of our country upside down — the international signal for distress — I went over to see if there was anything wrong.
The neighbor said he was distressed because of Gov. Greg Abbot's call, with others, for a federal constitutional convention.
I don't believe in showing disrespect for our flag, especially on VE day. That is a day we should remember the sacrifice so many made while fighting for that flag.
Using the flag in a disrespectful manner to show displeasure or disagreement with current political arguments/demonstrations that are now sweeping the country is a disservice to the memory of all those who gave so much defending our right to self expression.
Charles Siefert, Fort Worth
Brighter news
A large share of front-page headlines feature crime, death and violence.
Surely there are other newsworthy stories that deserve a little more attention.
Christi Provost, Fort Worth
This story was originally published May 8, 2017 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Healthcare vote; flag distress; brighter news."