Published: May 14, 2008 11:22 am      

What's 'affordable' to them may not be for us

I have just been accepted into the nursing program. I am pursuing this career not as a "get rich quick" scheme but to make a difference in someone's life.

I feel my responsibility is not only to my six children, my parents, and one day my grandkids but also for the millions of patients unfortunately caught in this dysfunctional medical arena.

I support HR 676 and will continue to be an advocate for it. "Affordable" universal healthcare is a contradiction in context. Affordable isn't universal. Who decides affordability? The government, making well into six figures?

Is it not ironic that those we put into office at any level, those we depend to represent us on issues such as healthcare and education, are the very ones that have a more than stable and profitable job, not losing their homes to foreclosure, not worrying about how they are going to pay to send their children to college, not having to make decisions between medicine or groceries.

We the people, the ordinary and not so ordinary, can make a change and begin a movement to make "them" accountable to the very people in which they represent.

Jodi Hallenbeck
Cumberland