Letters - Saturday

Sirota just doesn’t get it

David Sirota has driven me over the edge this time. (Opinion, Nov. 14).

First, the defense budget does include the costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. That is a change made by President Obama. Removing those costs, the 2010 defense budget is significantly reduced. Numerous procurement programs are being canceled to meet this budget. Defense is the only part of the Federal budget being reduced under President Obama.

Defense of the nation is the first priority of the Federal government. I realize Sirota might not agree.

The idea that Obamacare will produce a return on investment is ludicrous. It is a numbers game that will never work. Supposedly Obamacare will be paid for by cutting Medicare benefits, reducing payments to doctors and hospitals, eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse, and raising taxes.

Medicare benefits will not be cut. Those gray-haired snowbirds vote in big numbers.

Doctor and hospital payment reductions have been the law for 20 years. It has been done once during that time. Pay less, get fewer doctors. Not a good plan when you want to cover 30 million more people.

We have been promised so much elimination of waste, fraud, and abuse that we would not have a national debt if it had been done. Never happens. You also don’t need an Obamacare bill to get started.

More taxes is always the answer. You can make anything look good with enough tax increases. Only in Mr. Sirota’s world is a tax increase a return on investment.

There is no free lunch. Never has been, never will be.

Skip Anderson, Monument

New mammogram guidelines

I would like to ask The Gazette to publish an informational article about the genius “experts” on the government-sponsored task force panel who came up with the new mammogram recommendation.

Specifically, I am looking for the names of these experts and how much of our taxpayer dollars went into paying for this worthless study, whose results will most hopefully be ignored.

Patricia Mork, Peyton

End of Oprah

I’m sad to hear that Oprah is ending her show, the Oprah show has been an important icon for 25 years. I’m sure that she will not retire and move on to other things. She has had so many memorable shows and has talked to everyone and every story. Oprah has always set an example for us all.

I hope to see her go on to help the needy and do what she has set off to do.

I wish her the best.

Janet Lubin, Colorado Springs

Ted Haggard, tax exempt

It appears that Ted Haggard has received sufficient positive reinforcement to allow him to start up his so-called “ministry” again.

Frankly, I would not care if Ted sprinkled heroin on his Cheerios.

However, I can’t seem to wrap my mind around the fact that people are going to continue to throw money at him — tax-exempt money.

I am sure that Ted has done some good here and there, but the greatest good has been what he, himself has gained: the financial support of the schnooks who buy his line and attend the weekly performances.

As George Carlin so aptly remarked: “When you’re born, you get a ticket to The Freak Show; when you’re born in America, you get a front-row seat.”

Bernadette Young, Colorado Springs