HEALTH CARE
With Medicaid, GOP reveals its priorities
Gov. Deal and Republican state legislators refuse to accept Medicaid expansion, claiming that Georgia cannot afford it. They say that knowing it is not true. Georgia cannot afford not to participate.
Under Obamacare, the federal government would pay for 100 percent of the extended coverage the first three years, and no less than 90 percent after that. That funding would provide affordable health care for an estimated 650,000 Georgians; help relieve hospitals of costs for uncompensated emergency room care, and boost the state’s overall economy.
Without the extended coverage, people will die for lack of affordable health care — but Gov. Deal doesn’t care about their deaths, the hospitals or the economy. He and GOP lawmakers care only about right-wing ideology and pandering to voters.
CHRIS MOSER, LITHONIA
ECONOMIC MOBILITY
People need to make responsible choices
Regarding the column “Reduce economic immobility now” (Opinion, Aug. 14), I would say life is about choices.
Each person makes their own choices, good or bad. Many young people need to pull up their pants; go to school; be on time; pay attention to their teachers, and become involved in their communities in a positive way. They need to stay out of the drug scene.
Church and community leaders also need to stand up and lead and not just talk, and instill values of a two-adult family and getting a good education.
JAMES TAYLOR, ADAIRSVILLE
MIDEAST UNREST
Without safeguards, democracy won’t work
Amid the turmoil in the Middle East, we continually hear that democracy is the solution; but a government based only on democratic principles is dangerous if there are no laws to protect the minority from the majority.
Morsi and other Muslim Brotherhood members were elected in a democratic election, so Egypt can say it fulfilled the expectations of the West. However, without the restraint of law, Morsi proceeded to exert his will upon his countrymen.
Democracy alone is not the solution. Democracy and its reliance on majority rule can mean a lynch mob. Our founding fathers recognized this, and added the Bill of Rights to our Constitution. A strong constitution is needed to prevent tyranny.
JEFF LAHM, STONE MOUNTAIN
SECURITY LEAKS
Those spilling secrets forget ethical principle
Everyone is rightfully concerned about the actions of Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning. To a lesser degree, we should be concerned about individuals who are quoted in daily news articles as “anonymous sources.” Every day, we read articles containing information provided by an individual who wishes to remain anonymous because he or she is not authorized to release the information that they just released.
Have we lost sight of the ethical principle that if, in the course of you doing your job, you have access to information that should not be released publicly for whatever reason — or if you have been told to treat information as confidential — you should not release it? Anonymity does not relieve you of your obligation.
BOB KELLY, GAINESVILLE
