County-USC Budget Is in Failing Health

Re “County-USC ‘Annex’ Is Put on Hold,” April 24: People are dying in hospitals overwhelmed by the sheer number of uninsured patients. Since L.A. County is home to more legal and illegal immigrants than any other area, it is reasonable to guess that most of the uninsured are illegal immigrants who are uninsurable. Thanks to Supervisor Michael Antonovich for pointing out the obvious: “There’s no way L.A. County can be an HMO for illegal immigrants without bankrupting the entire county.”

Using a Band-Aid where a tourniquet is required is bad medicine, and confusing an act of nature such as a tidal wave, which must be “coped with,” with a man-made disaster such as unrestrained immigration, which must be “dealt with,” is a policy that kills people as our essential infrastructures melt down under the impact.

Barb Vickroy

Escondido

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Gross incompetence by our county budgeters! Worse yet, this problem is rampant throughout all levels of government in this state. Why is it that when times were good a few years ago, they did not roll back taxes or just simply save surpluses for times like these? Every time it gets tough, they say, “We need more taxes.” I say no more.

Steven Pruett

Glendale

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After the Bush administration takes care of the lack of hospital facilities in Baghdad, then President Bush’s “greatest nation in the world” can do the same here at home. If County-USC does not qualify as a Third World hospital, then what is it?

Greg Horbachevsky

Glendale