GOP not interested in health reform

Have you noticed how the letters to the editor in favor of health insurance reform often include personal stories from regular people to illustrate their opinions? The courageous letter by Lannah Mason (Fence Post, Nov. 20) who lost twins, because a needed procedure was denied by her insurance company, is an example.

On the other hand, anti-reform letters tend to be pure hyperbole, fear-mongering rhetoric and instant replays of whatever the letter writer heard on Rush Limbaugh's radio program or saw on Fox News. Lannah expressed disappointment in U.S Rep. Peter Roskam's "nay" vote on H.R. 3962.

I quote from a Nov. 13 letter I received from Congressman Roskam, "Like you, I believe that our nation's health care system is in urgent need of reform to control exploding costs ... President Obama said that the American people and their elected representatives are on the same page on about 80 percent of a health reform plan. I agree with the President - much of what needs to be done can and should be done right now."

The letter reads well, but is hollow in light of his "nay" vote on Nov. 7. Unfortunately, being on the same page with our elected representative doesn't count when it comes time for that elected representative to vote, if the bill he's voting on is a Democratic bill.

To all who whine about the poor opposition's (aka GOP legislators) inability to get any of their ideas/amendments into the health reform bill, if the GOP had a health reform bill to offer, why didn't they do so between the years 1994-2006 when they held the majority in the House and Senate? Bottom line: GOP lawmakers didn't care then, don't care now, and will probably never care.

Diane Niesman

Wheaton