Social Insecurity

Once again, Mr. Bush is successfully creating fear in the American public by creating imaginary cause and effect links. Just as his administration achieved its warmongering goals by consistently referring to "Saddam Hussein" and "al Qaida" in the same sentence, so they now are parroting "Social Security crisis" and "private accounts" in the same breath. And even when the questionably esteemed Alan Greenspan, in the same paragraph, observes that there is no immanent Social Security crisis, and that if there were, private accounts would only make it worse, but philosophically, the idea of private accounts is a good one, all the "liberal" media hears is "good idea."

No credentialed actuary, within or without the Social Security Administration, will make a case for a looming crisis. And yet that is the linchpin in Bush's case for private accounts. If he is successful, well then, yes, I suppose we will have a Social Security crisis. And the bankers on Wall Street will certainly be fatter and happier. But what happens to our senior citizens? And to us Baby Boomers?

The same goes for tort reform. The doctors and hospitals will certainly be happy that patients' legal recourse for malpractice will be eviscerated. But what of the patients whose lives are ruined by bad medical judgment and practice? I can't help but constantly remember that 50% of all doctors finish in the bottom half of their class. They are human beings, just like you and me, and they screw up, just like you and me, and, like you and me, they should be held responsible. Don't even get me started about the pharmaceutical industry...

We don't have a Social Security crisis. We do have an energy crisis, and what is the Bush administration doing about that? Nothing. We don't have a tort crisis, we have a healthcare crisis, and what is the Bush administration doing about that? About health insurance costs? About hospitalization costs? About drug costs? Nothing. Tort reform doesn't even qualify as a bandaid.

For what it's worth, I'm writing my senators and representatives in Congress. Professionals say that real, old-fashioned paper letters are taken more seriously than email. Maybe I'll do both. If you want names and addresses, email me and I'll send them to you.

– Roger Rebetsky of Taneytown