LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Finding common ground

In regards to Ms. Monahan’s letter to the editor on 12/18/16 titled “Obama and Trump — pros and cons,” she bought into the false allegation that Nancy Pelosi, Democratic House minority leader from California, was quoted as saying “that we have to pass the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in order to know what is in it.” Ms. Pelosi actually stated that “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it away from the fog of controversy.” Translation: Once the citizenry becomes more educated about all the comprehensive beneficial benefits in the bill, they will want to buy into it. Twenty-plus million have enrolled to date. Yes, the better-off among us were required to pay more for Obamacare to subsidize those with lower-middle-class incomes or below a certain threshold of the poverty line. If they were extremely poor, they could apply for Medicaid. Block grants in the replacement plan will shortcut the benefits. The problem remains that half of our citizenry do not believe all Americans are entitled to health care. The Republican plan is to replace it with “Universal Access,” which translates to everyone can buy it only if they can afford it. Obamacare could have been improved incrementally if Republicans were willing to help take on the exorbitant pharmaceutical industries’ inflated mark-ups and other overpriced health care providers. Instead, they chose to protect them and remained obedient to their wealthy beneficiaries’ greed. The Veterans Affairs able to negotiate pharmaceutical prices. Why not Medicare? Corporatocracy rules to our demise. Be advised that the unemployment rate dropped to 4.6 percent last month, not 4.9 percent Economists believe we are close to full employment. The participation rate has also been steadily increasing. Delaware has remained about 4.4 percent unemployment the last four years. The market has had eight years of bull market growth. We can thank increased regulations and the Consumer Protection Board initiated by the Obama administration for catching Wells Fargo’s corrupt business practices a few months ago. They were fined millions of dollars. Our Paris Accord with 46 countries has the goal of trying to save us from the looming catastrophe of man-made global warming. Yes, it is already wreaking havoc on our farmlands and cities. There have been many accomplishments in the Obama administration that hopefully will not be reversed by the one about to take over the helm. Last but not least, I don’t know what else we could have done in Aleppo and the other countries in the Middle East short of sending in our troops; that likely would have started a Third World War. Hopefully, that will not be on the horizon. The Arab Spring revolution in the Middle East was inevitable due to longtime oppression of the people by dictatorships. It will take many years to resolve these injustices. Our new Secretary of Defense will probably be Gen. Mattis, known as “Mad Dog.” His name is not “Mannis.” The real mad dog is Gen. Flynn, who will most likely be relieved of duty [as incoming National Security Adviser] as soon as possible. He is the guy who believes the Muslim religion should not exist. Peace be with you, Ms. Monahan, and the United States of America.

Bill Clemens Smyrna