July 30, 2007

Our Readers Speak — July 31, 2007

Thanks Post 32 for Boys State sponsorship

I would like to take the opportunity to thank American Legion Post 32 for sponsoring me to attend this year’s American Legion Mountaineer Boys State. It was extremely rewarding, and I would suggest it to anyone even remotely interested in politics or law, or anyone who simply wants to learn more about the system on which our great government is based.

I’ll admit, the first couple of days I did wonder, just as Mr. Sayre said we would, why and how I managed to get myself into this. However, Boys State quickly became the most exciting, fun and rewarding experience that any young man could wish for. The growing knowledge, camaraderie and patriotism were almost tangible by the end of the week. I made many friends and expanded my own knowledge and respect for our system of democracy a great deal.

Before I left Boys State, I made sure to fill out an application to be a junior counselor for next year’s program. I could think of no greater legacy to leave to Mountaineer Boys State than to return and help the next group of young men to realize the greatness of our governmental system, and assist them in getting the most out of their Boys State experience, just as many junior counselors, counselors and the rest of the Boys State staff helped me to do.

Once again, I thank you for your sponsorship from the bottom of my heart.



Robert C. “Chip” Kelly

Beckley

CHIP should be limited to low-income children

Your editorial, CHIP on July 21, may be raising fears that children in West Virginia will lose their health insurance because of a debate in Washington over renewing the state Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

The president supports reauthorizing this important program for low-income children with enough new funding to ensure that no one currently enrolled loses coverage. His budget also calls for enough funding so that eligible children not already enrolled can be covered.

But the Senate and House are each proposing bills calling for a massive expansion of the program to those in higher-income families, moving them from private insurance onto public assistance. The president does not support those proposals, which would more than double SCHIP spending and extend eligibility to millions of children who already have private insurance or whose parents earn enough to afford private insurance.

Do we really want to force taxpayers to pay for government insurance for children whose parents earn $70,000 or $80,000 a year?

The bills proposed by Congress are not about helping low-income children; they’re about using SCHIP to stage a gradual government takeover of American health care. Some members of Congress have said publicly that this is what they intend, but neither the president nor the American people will stand for it.

Congress should stop trying to use SCHIP to provide coverage for those who can afford it on their own and concentrate on keeping its commitment to the low-income children SCHIP is meant to help.



Gordon R. Woodrow

HUD regional director

Region III

Philadelphia