Rumors

Let’s call them ‘Johnny Depps’

Our recent experience with star power has made me think we need to add a new phrase to our collective lexicon. We all enjoy a good rumor now and again (and again), but once told we have no proper retort to denote a bit of skepticism (and anyway “it” could be true).

So here’s my thought: We can just refer to all rumors as “Johnny Depps.”

Used in a sentence, it would be something like this:

Rumormonger: “Did you hear they’re going to build a bridge from Vashon to Seattle to move gravel out of Glacier?”

Retort: “Oh, don’t give me another Johnny Depp.”

— Alice Larson

Health care

Nationalizing it may end in bureaucracy

It is clear from Eric Heffelfinger and Phoebe Johannessen’s responses to my July 29 letter that they are supportive of the big government, socialist health care that’s being proposed by the House and pushed by Pres. Obama.

As for those of us who are a bit more thoughtful, less ideologically driven, value our personal freedoms more and see the failings of Medicare and Medicaid as well as the failings of socialized health care in Canada, Great Britain, France and other “civilized nations,” we remain steadfastly opposed to the takeover of our health care system by the federal government.

No one denies there are real problems with the current system, but those problems do not justify a takeover by the Feds that will eventually metastasize into another big, expensive, bloated bureaucracy with rationing and long waiting lines.

There are solutions out there that are free market, free enterprise-based with choice, competition, accountability and personal responsibility as their guiding principles.

As to the remark that I am somehow “scared,” the only ones scared are those who see their utopian socialized health care plan under attack and are afraid that under the light of day it will be seen for what it is, an attempt to take this country deeper into “socialism.”

We are at a crossroads. We will either slide further into socialism and watch our freedoms erode away with socialized health care leading the way, or we will claw our way back to a free market, free enterprise, democratic republic.

Socialism is not what made this country great; hard work, freedom and a democratic republic as the founders intended is what made America great.

In addition to the other sources I mentioned in my July 29 letter, I urge you to look at Professor John David Lewis’s analysis of the proposed health care legislation at www.classicalideals.com.

— Douglas Larsen

National care works fine in U.K.

I don’t profess to understanding the U.S. health care system. Then again, I don’t understand “string theory” either. Coming from the United Kingdom, I am always bewildered by the opposition to a “single payer” health care system, or “socialized medicine.”

I hear a lot of horror stories about how long you have to wait for treatment or that you don’t have a choice as to who to see or where to go.

The reality is less exciting than the myth. Many recent studies show that anywhere between 87 and 92 percent of people in treatment are happy/satisfied with their care.

Private health care is available in the U.K. for anyone who either wants to buy it or has it provided by their employer as a benefit. This only accounts for 8 percent of the population.

If the U.K. health care system were such a wreck, you would expect this percentage to be a wee bit higher, wouldn’t you?

— Wally Bell

Cage fighting

It’s horrific

The cage fighting that occurred on Saturday evening during the Strawberry Festival at the Island mortuary parking lot was apparently not known to many Vashonites. But many of those who became aware of it are outraged to think such a thing could occur on Vashon.

I have been told that the festival committee had nothing to do with it. However, this degrading, horrific “event” was allowed because it was between the promoters and a private business. It just “happened” to be during Strawberry Festival.

If you don’t know what cage fighting is, as I didn’t, you need to find out.

Because it took place at the Island mortuary parking lot, it was beyond the area of the festival.

However, that did not prevent promoters from approaching family men with their families, trying to line them up for participation in their event.

Any business on Vashon should think twice before having any agreement with promoters of this obscene moneymaker.

— Lillian Schork