LETTER: Murder by legislation

To the editor:

Senators Graham and Cassady are leading the Republican Senate’s last ditch charge to destroy Obamacare. It is the most harmful effort yet.

Upwards to 32 million people would be losing their healthcare. With the loss of affordable insurance, along with pre-existing conditions, it is projected that many will die, and many more will lose necessary care with the loss of Medicaid. Why should one person die or lose care, let alone the many! This Congress is traitorous! This is murder by legislation! Are these honest senators, when they deliberately create legislation to legally steal huge funds from needed healthcare programs to provide huge tax reductions to the billionaires? Or are they cowardly senators when they bend to the likes of the Koch Brothers threats to withhold campaign donations if Obamacare is not killed? Obviously, they are not concerned about serving you and me! Ironically, whose money are they distributing? Ours!

Like everyone in my senior village, insurance is our most important issue. In my case, I am 85 years old, and have had three recent aneurysm operations. With this pre-existing condition, it feels like I’m in front of Graham and Cassady’s firing squad and nobody gives a damn.

It is time we got mad. It is time we understood that democracy is a “hands-on” sport, not a spectator sport. It is time we understood the problem in congress is solved only by us getting off the couch and into positive action — not just during a crisis, but everyday.

— Leif Hatlestad

Rogue River, Oregon