Keep opinions out of reportage

I really wonder if anyone really questions whether the media is controlled by liberals and therefore reflects their bias in news "reporting." I understand opinions, such as carried on the Opinion page, but when newspapers allow this to show up under the guise of "news," I find it appalling.

In an Associated Press article appearing in the Feb. 8 Daily Herald under the headline "Obama invites GOP to health care talks," the reporter, Charles Babington, talks about this invitation but then clearly crosses the line between reporting and opinion when he says "The issue (of health care) is of critical importance to the United States, which is among the few industrialized nations that doesn't provide universal health care. The private system in the U.S. has left more than 40 million without health insurance coverage. Obama is reaching out again to Republicans..."

Thank you for your opinion, Charles. The broad assumptions he makes on one side of an issue are reasons why this country is so outraged by the current situation. Every survey conducted shows that most Americans (that would be well over 50 percent for those who don't understand the meaning of "most") are satisfied with their health care and don't find this issue of critical importance. Yes, I believe most would agree that some elements of the system need fixing, but a complete overhaul is not needed.

What is even more troublesome is that current solutions by the Congress do not even include tort reform and insurance coverage over state lines, like is available with your car insurance. And yes, again, most don't want the government-run systems like they have in Canada and England, or even Massachusetts. Why do Canadians come to our country when they don't want to waste months waiting for an MRI?

Scott Haugh

Roselle