This dedicated reader of the State News opinion articles found it necessary in the pursuit of truth to rebut two recent letters from retired USAR Col. Frank Daniels, published on June 24 titled, “As the circus engulfs Washington, the nation suffers,” and on July 28 titled, “Political disarray in Delaware and U.S.” His genuine concerns for the well-being of Delaware and the United States and the world are commendable. However, it is important to address the issues he was concerned about with valid truths divorced from alternative facts that seemed to have served to disillusion him. That is not a good thing. Let’s briefly review seven issues worthy of discussing that Mr. Daniel’s addressed in his June 24 article. 1. Special prosecutor (Robert) Mueller has only hired a handful of people who contributed to Hillary’s campaign. Hiring political donors has never been a cause for disqualification. Mueller and Comey, fired FBI chief, are both Republicans by the way. Mr. Daniels falsely claimed, “that all of Mueller’s team sycophants are Democrats.” Be careful not to buy into Faux news 2. Social Security and Medicare taxes have been borrowed over the years, not “stolen,” and replaced with the “full faith” of U.S. Treasury bonds. We have never defaulted on our debt. Keep the faith! Social Security remains fully solvent through 2037. 3. Granted, it was not possible to keep the faith due to your concern that home ownership unregulated policies enacted in the U.S. in 2008 paved the way for the corrupt too big to fail world banking collapse. A movie, “The Big Short,” illustrated how Wall Street investment bankers teamed up to bet on what they perceived to be an impending housing market collapse. They began trading off what they began to perceive as dud loans to unsuspecting worldwide bankers. These dud loans were created by real estate agents from big mortgage companies who connived their naive clients to sign off on potentially unaffordable balloon mortgage loans. Profit and greed transcended ethics and morals. 4. Term limits are already in place every two or four years since we can vote another candidate into office. We should keep continually challenging the incumbents when they are not legislating in our best interest though. That is a given. 5. Student college debt and the unpaid interest on that debt does need to be addressed. That is also a given. Not everyone needs college if they have a better aptitude for vocational skills. However, every millennial needs an advanced education to qualify for skills that employers are having trouble finding qualified workers for. We could, at a minimum, lower the interest rate for the students instead of lowering the tax rates for those who could still live happily without a tax cut. Just a thought bordering on Socialism. 6. In regards to Mr. Daniels’ second article centering on heaven forbidden” socialistic policies,” along with a fear of “Socialized Medicine,” he need not worry. Our Medicare and Social Security benefits, not entitlements, are continually paid into by us during our working years. They were legitimized in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution that stated, “the Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common Defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, Imposts, and Excises, shall be uniform throughout the United States.” In essence, the states, contrary to conventional wisdom, do not have the alleged “sole power” to provide for the general welfare. This article brings health care for all into focus. 7. What is wrong with progressive policy ideas that Col. Daniels is complaining about? Due to the decrease of insurance companies from financial losses participating in the Obamacare exchanges, there are whispers in the wind that our hospitals will take over the insurance industry cutting out the middle man’s profits. Our Veterans Administration is a “Socialized Medicine” system” where our government employs the doctors and nurses, builds and owns the hospitals, and bargains for and purchases the technology and medicine, also cutting out most of the middle man’s profits. It is the same at the VA clinic we attend in Dover. In contrast, “Single Payer” is not Socialism. Medicare is mostly a “Single Payer” system that has private insurers to choose from. Our government purchases all or much of the care from doctors, nurses, hospitals and medical devices. However, unlike the VA, it cannot negotiate prices. It should be able too. In conclusion, it is readily apparent we need to continue to strive for progressive changes to improve our health care system and care for all Americans. In the Army, it took a while for us to actually learn to progressively take care of all our people and accomplish the mission. We learned to do it though. We must continue to march on to insure a more prosperous and peaceful world for everyone. Fulfill that prophecy!

Bill Clemens

Smyrna