Pass single-payer bill

Your editorial on single-payer health care, (“A wise pause on flawed bill,” June 28) got it wrong. Health care is a human right, a truth acknowledged by every First World country, except the United States. You didn’t even address this issue in your editorial.

SB562 proposed coverage for every California resident. The bill had no arbitrary restrictions on the physician choice available to those patients in need of speciality care. Also, it would cost less than what Californians are now paying because private health care insurance companies would be eliminated. Their percent profit allowed by the state would be replaced by a single not-for-profit insurance company run by Sacramento. The cost of prescription drugs could be negotiated, unlike Obamacare, which allowed pharmaceutical companies to charge exorbitant amounts without recourse. What’s not to like?

This proposal should be evaluated by the Assembly, not killed by a single, powerful speaker who is blatantly ignoring the will of Californians. Anthony Somkin, Berkeley

No need to rush on health bill

As a mostly Democratic voter who favors universal health care in principle, I was disgusted when the state Senate rushed to pass SB562 on June 2, so as meet the “house of origin” deadline for consideration this year. Rushing legislation is what Republicans do. And this bill is enormously incomplete, with no funding plan or cost controls.

I was relieved when state Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon shelved this half-baked effort. Health care is estimated to cost $400 billion per year in this state, so take your time and do it right. Two suggestions:

Read the Commonwealth Fund’s 2014 analysis of health care in 11 developed countries.

Lose the nine-member board whose vested interests will taint their decisions.

With this much money on the line, state taxpayers deserve far better than a rush job fueled by vested interests. And we Californians do not need another high-speed rail or twin-tunnels funding circus. Bob Benson, Lafayette

Cell phone tower style

Regarding “A brazen cell phone power grab” (editorial, June 28): Not only should local governments decide where cell phone equipment goes, but they should also decide how mini-cell towers look. I’ve seen locations where some of these “slim cylinders and flat boxes strapped to utility poles” are cleverly disguised to resemble trees.

If Sacramento gets to decide where the cell tower equipment goes, it will no doubt decide to apply a dull uniform appearance for it, too. Cities ought to use a little imagination and make their mini-cell towers blend in with their surroundings. Raneesh Patel, San Francisco

Feminism’s proud legacy

It always bugs me when someone like Marissa Mayer, who has profited so greatly from the feminist movement, states she is “not a feminist.” Ms. Mayer, if not for feminism, you’d not have been president of a company, you’d still be someone’s property. Barbara Super, San Francisco

The worldview on health care

I’ve been following the debate on health care reform as closely as I can and, at the same time, reading “The Healing of America” by T.R. Reid, which describes various countries’ approaches to achieving universal care, and the outcomes that they have achieved.

Now, we’ve all heard about the countries that spend considerably less on health care and achieved better outcomes than we do in America. And we’ve heard about the virtues and shortcomings of both liberal and conservative plans. What is missing for me in the discussions is a sense of heart. Where is the will, driven by concern for our fellow man, to solve a problem that is so clearly within the means of the richest country on Earth? We’re for it, or against it based on our respective philosophies, and I fear we’re losing sight of the goal.

Harry Fish, Moraga

BART’s dubious track record

So BART says they’ve installed real cameras on their trains. The question is, “do they work?” BART’s escalators are real, and they don’t. Richard Ackerman, Castro Valley

The Christian way

I cannot imagine how any member of the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives who call themselves a Christian (and a lot of the Republican members do) could ever vote for something which would take from the poor in order to give something to the rich. The current health care plans in Washington would do exactly that.

It’s decidedly un-Christian and differs from previous tax cuts for the rich (trickle-down economics) which benefited the wealthy but not at the direct expense of the poor. Those who oppose these efforts have a great defense for their position when confronted by the various Conservative PACs which will challenge them: I simply can’t vote to take from the poor and give to the rich. They will be set up as heroes, which in fact they are.

John Schroeder, Dublin

Republican lethal values

Dirty air. Dirty water. No health care. Wake up America: The GOP is trying to kill us. Judith Ganz, Oakland

Cover-boy Trump

Time Magazine has asked President Trump to remove from his properties, fake covers of its magazine depicting Trump’s image and various platitudes of his brand. What’s next? One could imagine Trump superimposing his image on the covers of rock band Green Day’s “American Idiot” album.

Oh wait ... he may be onto something there. Never mind. Al Comolli, Millbrae

It’s not Republicans’ choice

Republicans would consider it a trophy to oust House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. President Trump says he wants Pelosi to stay, which surely means he wants her gone. It’s not for Trump and the Republicans to choose Democratic leaders. Bill Collins,

Pacifica