Setting the record straight

Dear Editor:

I feel I should respond to John Sutton’s letter of March 31, because there are people out there who will actually believe what he says.

First of all, the federalist structure of our country means there are two types of armed services. The national forces are the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force. There is, also, the National Guard which is nominally controlled by the governor of their home state. However, President George W. Bush used them in the wars against Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Sutton makes it unclear as to what citizen army he is referring too. The last I knew, our professional armed services didn’t even want civilians. I hardly think a military draft, now that we are withdrawing from Iraq, was incorporated into the health care law.

There is already a federal ID requirement that passed in 2005 during the Bush Administration. You can access the provisions by looking up Real ID Act of 2005.

The FDA approved a microchip for humans in 2004. Proponents say this allows for identification and treatment of people in emergency situations. To my knowledge, there is no requirement for anyone to buy one.
Although gun owners are far more likely to suffer gunshot injuries than non-owners, I don’t think there is a provision about gun ownership in the health care reform law, either. Perhaps, there should be.

As for bureaucrats deciding on what treatment I receive, they already do. Most people who have insurance coverage for health care currently already suffer from the indignities of what is called “managed care.” It is one of the reasons that I have advocated for a government run, single-payer, Medicare-for-all system. Unfortunately, all we got was the current system expanded.

As for why Congress and their staffs are exempt, they already have the better, government paid health insurance that I hoped for. Go figure.

Patricia Witt
Berkeley Springs