<strong><span class="subhead">Health care reform, or entitlement?</span></strong></p><p>Sen. Harry Reid&rsquo;s newest proposal wants &ldquo;coverage&rdquo; extended to millions who lack it. He also proposes to ban insurance industry practices such as denying &ldquo;coverage&rdquo; because of pre-existing medical conditions, and he wants to slow the rise in medical costs nationally. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has even suggested a new name for this approach calling it &ldquo;the consumer option.&rdquo;</p><p>Regardless of what you call it, insurance it is not. When the ability to charge the &ldquo;consumer&rdquo; the appropriate amount is missing, it is not insurance &mdash; it is an entitlement program. Entitlement programs do not charge what is required. The government simply taxes or prints more money to cover the shortages. &ldquo;Coverage&rdquo; is a cover-up word for entitlement program. Guess where the money comes from. Ever heard them discuss the concept of revenue neutral?</p><p>This is not competition for insurance as the playing field would not be level. Too bad Senator Reid and his supporters cannot be honest. The working taxpaying public is the pig, and on the skewer.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Carl W. Kent</strong></p></p><p><p align="right"><em>Raymore</em></p> <strong><span class="subhead">Nurses could ease health care crush</span></strong></p><p>The health care reform bill is a milestone for the nation. With 46 million uninsured Americans, the status quo would be shameful for even a Third World country. Those without insurance go without preventive care. We should envision that which benefits the masses, creating a healthier America.</p><p>As an advanced practice nurse, the resultant legislation will undoubtedly have an effect on my practice. Using advanced practice nurses as independent primary care providers is an effective and efficient way to serve many areas of need.</p><p>The warrior Hannibal once said, &ldquo;We will either find a way, or make one.&rdquo; If the ensuing congressional actions can meld the different versions of the health care reform bill, we will have made our way to health care coverage commensurate with that of a leading world power.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Earl Williams</strong></p></p><p><p align="right"><em>Kansas City</em></p></p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Liberals&rsquo; approach to Afghanistan</span></strong></p><p>I found a very big nest of thousands of brown recluse spiders in my basement garage. I decided to follow the strategy of a number of liberal democrats in their thinking about Afghanistan. I just do not park in there anymore. I&rsquo;m sure they won&rsquo;t ever come into the main part of the house if I ignore them.</p><p>Not sending the troops and resources that the generals have requested is surrendering to an enemy that is totally committed to our destruction. They will not quit the war.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Dan Dannaldson</strong></p></p><p><p align="right"><em>Lee&rsquo;s Summit</em></p></p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Social Security increase undeserved</span></strong></p><p>I am disgusted with seniors who have whined about not receiving a cost of living increase next year. Under the law, we are not eligible for an increase. To reasonable people, this would close the case. Instead, we have had whiney babies who bawl: &ldquo;If X gets a raise, then we ought to get one, too!&rdquo; That childish &ldquo;reasoning&rdquo; was featured in The Star (10/15, &ldquo;Obama calls for seniors to receive $250 checks&rdquo;). </p><p>What makes it worse is that our president uses the whiney babies&rsquo; complaints to buy himself future votes by arranging a give away to each of us of $250. For what? Is it the reward you give like a mother spoiling her crying brat? </p><p>It is true that many seniors live in poverty. But so, too, do many young couples who struggle to put enough food on their table for their children. We seniors are not the only ones who have life tough, and I wish the media would stop featuring the crybabies. We seniors who lived through the Great Depression learned how to make-do, tighten our belts and not whine.