Republican Party using scare tactics

In the past year, I have lost three family members and one dear friend. I sat by the bed of two of those individuals for three weeks as they were cared for lovingly by Hospice. In all four cases, each loved one had a living will and advance directives that they had discussed with their families and doctors and they passed away on their own terms.

It therefore disturbs me greatly when I continually hear the cruel stories originated and perpetuated from the Republican Party that the health care reform bill contains language that includes "euthanasia" for our elderly citizens, or that reform is meant to kill our seniors.

President Obama was even presented with this question at a town hall meeting by a woman who had heard this vicious rumor and was truly concerned.

There is language in the reform bill that was drafted by a bipartisan commission along with a Republican physician that in layman's terms states that every five years a person has the right to sit down with their health care provider and discuss advance directives, living will issues, etc. Under the health care reform, this visit would be paid for.

Euthanasia is illegal in the United States, so that cannot be included. These are decisions that are important to many people, not just seniors. This is all the language says. Information coming from the Republican Party is simply fabricated to scare American citizens.

While Republicans rail against government run health care and try to make you scared, watch while they snatch and grab to keep all the Medicare benefits they can get. You will also never hear any complaints regarding our military/VA health care. Why? Because it is government-run health care.

I think we would all have preferred that the private sector be able to handle our insurance needs, but such just wasn't the case. Realistically, private insurance companies are like banks - they are interested in corporate corrupt practices that reward their CEO's with huge bonuses and golden parachutes while our insurances premiums increase yearly and we see less in our salaries.

Republicans aren't offering an alternative by their own admission, but their strategy is to make you scared. Please educate yourself on this issue.

Every day 144,000 people lose health care coverage. This is a complicated issue. However, if you want to see more in your paycheck, better benefits, a better economy and roughly 46 million more Americans able to go to the doctor's office with an insurance card, then contact your senators and representatives and tell them we need reform.

ERIN HORNER

Yuma