‘Catastrophic Legislation’

If you like Ronald Reagan and what he and his Administration have done toward decimating our Social Security and Medicare programs, you will simply adore Lamm. Lamm feels that our elderly in America deserve nothing! Rather, our government should direct such monies and services now being spent on the elderly toward the young, permitting the elderly sick and poor the opportunity to die under whatever painful circumstances just so long as government funds are not directed to their behalf.

I can agree with Lamm only upon his assessment that America doesn’t have a health-care system, simply because it has been decimated by the likes of Reagan and his Administration who embody the very same philosophy as Lamm.

Lamm refers to the acute unmet needs of the young being a higher priority than chronic needs of the elderly. I would like to know just where in the scheme of things does he place parental responsibilities? Perhaps Lamm refers to the thousands of unwed mothers on the welfare rolls who persist on having additional illegitimate babies merely to up the take on their welfare payments.

Workers in America have been and are enjoying greater and broader employee benefits today than ever before. Insurance coverages of employees has always had provisions for individual family members. This coverage over the years has been expanded to include dental and ophthalmology, with costs being borne by industry. Medical insurance likewise has always been available to the self-employed albeit quite costly. So what is left?

Catastrophic illness for the elderly is a must regardless of how Lamm feels. We know from his past history while governor of Colorado how he feels about the elderly, but surely most solid thinking Americans would shrink in horror before becoming a party for the removal of health and welfare benefits from one segment of our society to be given to another. Our founding precepts dictate our concerns for all members of our society regardless of age, sex, race or religion, the Lamms and Reagans notwithstanding.

RICHARD LIGHT

Placentia