Protecting Medicare

Rep. French Hill’s early ads claimed that he had voted to protect Medicare and Social Security. I called both his Arkansas and Washington offices to ask for clarification of this claim. Neither staffer with whom I spoke knew the answer. In fact, they claimed they were not conversant on the specifics of Representative Hill’s policies but that I would receive a response. I did receive an email stating that Hill voted for a balanced budget amendment and comprehensive tax reform in order to get spending under control and thus continue funding essential programs. I don’t believe voting for tax “reform” which gave huge tax breaks to corporations and the very wealthy, resulting in a trillion-dollar deficit, balances the budget. Republicans are already discussing slashing “entitlement” programs (Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security) in order to reduce the deficit they just exploded with those tax cuts.

Now Hill’s ads claim the Democrats are going to bankrupt Medicare by supporting “Medicare for All.” Expanding Medicare to cover everyone, or a single-payer medical insurance for all, will require the wealthy to pay more taxes; however, the ones whose massive wealth will be diminished will be the heads of insurance and pharmaceutical companies. There will be huge savings throughout the health-care industry once the profit motive is eliminated. Expect Big Pharma and private insurance companies to fight tooth and nail against expanding Medicare to all. They already are fighting it. The politicians who are in their pockets are their spokespersons.

It seems French Hill is attempting to frighten voters into thinking that expanded, affordable health care is a bad thing. Nothing could be further from the truth.

SUSAN WESTON

Clinton