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Readers write for Sunday, July 5

Last update: July 4, 2009 - 1:32 PM

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SEN. AL FRANKEN

He'll be a voice in D.C. for his supporters

On Tuesday afternoon, Sen.-elect Al Franken declared that he wanted "the people of Minnesota to know I'm ready to work for all of you, and I'm committed to be a voice for all Minnesotans."

Whither those Minnesotans who desire less government, more of their paycheck, the freedom to choose the vehicles they drive, the lightbulbs they install and the health care decisions they make? For them, I'm afraid the satirist-elect's lips will be silent.

JEREMY BERG, NEW ULM, MINN.

• • •

Thanks to so many for doing right. Especially thanks to Mark Ritchie, Minnesota secretary of state, for being the beacon shining so brightly to guide the election and recount process to a credibile conclusion. Mark, you did a good job.

RON JACOBSON, ROSEMOUNT

DEBATING A PUBLIC OPTION

AMA's goal: Making sure all have coverage

I am deeply disappointed about the mischaracterization of the American Medical Association and our quarter-million physician and medical student members. The fact is, the AMA is committed to health reform this year that provides all Americans with affordable, high-quality health coverage. Over the last few years it has invested more than $15 million in its Voice for the Uninsured campaign to call attention to the uninsured crisis and lay the groundwork for health reform that gets all Americans covered.

The term "public plan" has so many different meanings that it confuses more than informs the debate. As the nation's largest physician organization, the AMA has made it perfectly clear that it welcomes and will thoughtfully consider all proposals consistent with the principles of pluralism, freedom of choice, freedom of practice and universal access for patients.

AMA physicians vote on policies twice a year through a democratic process that includes physician and medical student delegates from all state and specialty medical societies, as well as groups representing medical students, residents and medical schools. No other physician group in the nation allows all physicians a voice in the future of medicine in our country. We urge all physicians to join us in our quest to pass health reform this year that better serves patients and empowers physicians to deliver the highest quality care.

J. JAMES ROHACK, BRYAN, TEXAS;

PRESIDENT, AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

THE UNREPORTED SCANDAL

Congress is afraid of the NRA's long arm

We have heard a lot about scandal lately. Last year it was New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, and, more recently, Sen. John Ensign and Gov. Mark Sanford.

However, the real, unreported scandal -- and it is an enduring scandal -- is the fear that the National Rifle Association inflicts on the members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives: guns in the national parks, failure to ban the import of AK47 attack rifles, failure to plug the gun-show-sale loophole and the unwillingness to assist the Mexican government to slow the sale of American guns to their country's drug-lords.

That is a genuine scandal. Thousands of innocent lives are lost each year because of lawmakers' timidity and subservience to the gun lobby.

WARREN SPANNAUS, MINNEAPOLIS;

FORMER MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL

health care in U.S.

The problem isn't having too few doctors

Gail Rosenblum's June 28 column on the difficulties of foreign-trained physicians to practice in Minnesota misses a more basic question: Namely, does Minnesota require more physicians?

Despite more money spent on health care than any other Western nation, the United States ranks very low in the quality of our health and longevity. Our health care cost inflation, at a level where it adversely affects the entire economy, is based on the mistaken notion that more medical care is better care.

Many studies demonstrate no relationship between the amount and cost of care on health outcomes and longevity. If anything, more care may be worse care because unimportant health conditions are studied and treated for no yield.

Indeed, more care is not better care, and enabling foreign-trained physicians to practice here will not correct the basic misconception.

SEYMOUR HANDLER, EDINA

ALCOHOL-FREE STADIUM

Legislature wrong to force university's hand

In response to Nick Coleman's June 28 column, "Suds Sonsalla wishes U had tapped a keg": I've been a Gopher season-ticket holder since the early '70s, and to think that whether or not I go to a Gophers game depends on if I can have a beer is so ridiculous it boggles the mind.

The Legislature had to get its collective fingerprints all over this and back the university into a corner. I had no problem with whatever the university administration decided, but it should have been left up to it.

ROB MARX, MAPLE GROVE

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