Not all blessed to have insurance

Not all blessed to have insurance

Today there are so many ways that we and our legislators are hurting the least among us. The shutdown of the government because so many uncaring or ignorant citizens may not realize that we all aren’t blessed to have insurance and don’t have to wait until health problems are so great that the poor have to go to the ER. Do we understand that their bills are added to our insurance and hospital costs?

The Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) has been judged to be legal and must not be cut off before it is even in effect. Then it can be tweaked as it certainly isn’t perfect but is a good first step.

The parallel fight that the uncaring seem to want is to cut a large amount from the Supplement Nutrition Plan (SNAP). This drastic idea is fostered by unknowing citizens and legislators, or intentionally, to cause real hunger to many. Do they know that 72 percent of those on food stamps are working families with children? Last year the program kept four million out of poverty.

Now the House of Representatives would shut down our government, causing hardship to thousands at least.

I wonder about the writer who declared that there is an explosion of college students on food stamps. But he doesn’t mention that many families who are in the military need food stamps to survive. I hope if that person requires people to work, he figures out how to raise the “tepid economy, he quotes “these tactics and ideas seem to me to be completely immoral and unthinkable.”

Sheila T. Burris

Elgin