This is not the time for politics

For too many years we have turned our backs on Americans who are unable to get proper health care. We are a compassionate people, as we showed with how quickly we have gone to the help of the people of Haiti.

But we have people here who are denied coverage, or are unable to afford it. This includes battered women who are afraid to leave because they will have no health coverage for themselves and their children. This includes children, our future, left without proper coverage.

Rather than working toward a solution, Congress has been stopped by Republicans who would prefer to play political power games and play to conservative right by trying to hold health care reform hostage, using it as a way to take away abortion coverage from millions of women who have that coverage now.

This is not a time for politics, nor a time for pandering to special interest groups. It is a time to provide real reform and health coverage for Americans. Basic, pre-emptive, coverage will save the people of this nation millions. It will save companies as their employees will miss less work. It is common sense - preventing an illness is far cheaper than paying for it.

Why should anyone in this country have to choose between a home for their family or proper health care? Is this a sign of a compassionate country?

Larry Widing

Naperville