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Amendment 6 won't benefit all

Hernando needs senior exemption Oct. 22

I was wondering, how does voting yes for Amendment 6 (raising the homestead exemption to $50,000) help all of us due to increased property taxes?

Read the fine print. They want to raise the homestead exemption to $50,000 only for low-income seniors. What about the working class still trying to support their families getting the same?

Everyone deserves a break.

T. Seeman, Brooksville

Feds must control health insurance

Socialized medicine is not the remedy for us ,Oct. 13

Dr. Ravindra Nathan recently visited London and had discussions with colleagues on England's socialized medicine. There, medicine is socialized because in 1948 the Ministry of Health became owner and operator of all hospitals, as well as being health insurer.

The U.S. has hundreds of competitive commercial health insurers making exorbitant profits from sickness and injury. They need replacing by the federal government as sole health insurer. Money thereby saved could be applied to making adequate compensation to hospitals, doctors and other health care providers. Further, it would enable millions now without health insurance to have access to needed care. This is not "socialized medicine" because care providers would remain independent. Also, patients would continue to have freedom to choose primary care physicians.

Hopefully, Dr. Nathan and his colleagues in this country will use their influence to persuade legislators to enact comprehensive health care and the federal government as sole health insurer, the first step in solving the health care crisis. Otherwise, many more millions, without access to the tremendous advances in medical science and technology, wearily will drag sick minds and bodies through a life of frustration.

James A. Willan, Brooksville

True patriotism is not blind support

I would like to applaud Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite's change of view on the Iraq war. I am not sure what brought about the change, but I wonder now if she questions her own patriotism and support of our troops?

I know that Brown-Waite truly believes that to speak out against the war is unpatriotic and shows the troops we don't support them. I know that Brown-Waite believes we should support the president and stay the course. How do I know? She told me and others who visited her in her Brooksville office earlier this year.

My husband is a veteran who served during the Vietnam War. He believes in our country. He believes that speaking out for what you think is right is patriotic and our duty. Brown-Waite told him that he was supporting the enemy by speaking out against the Iraq war. How can she question someone's patriotism and then change her views on the issue as we close in on Election Day? Politicians should not take advantage of critical situations to advance their positions

As for me, I am a true patriot. True patriotism is not blind support of any government. True patriotism is not changing your views to better your popularity and win an election.

A true patriot believes in the promises of the U.S. Constitution and works to uphold and defend those promises, whether it's to take up arms in defense of our country or to protest against government use of military force.

As for Brown-Waite's new vision, I wonder what she sees on the horizon.

Judith Lee, Weeki Wachee

[Last modified October 27, 2006, 06:34:19]