Quality healthcare a must: Members of Congress are currently discussing making major changes to our core health system in the United States--including repealing the Affordable Care Act without a replacement and making major, damaging changes to Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicare.
Repealing the ACA alone would leave tens of millions of Americans--almost 30 million people--without the security of health coverage and affect millions more who have benefited greatly from the new law through improvements such as free preventative care and people with pre-existing conditions no longer being denied coverage.
In order to keep our families safe and our economy and communities healthy we must have quality, affordable healthcare. The last week has shown that the Trump Administration is willing to throw out politically motivated, half-developed policies like the ban on immigrants from Muslim-majority countries without proper review. The immoral ban has caused tremendous pain and suffering for little gain, and it may turn out to even be illegal.
Members of Congress should learn from this week and be very careful about breaking our healthcare system without having a quality plan that covers all Oregonians -- and all Americans -- in place as a replacement.
Sarah Samson, Northwest Portland
Media not the enemy: In my working life I had many instances where, for good reason, I felt frustrated by media coverage of events. However, I have never viewed the news media as the "enemy" or the "opposition".
To the contrary.
With a few, very limited exceptions, a free and unfettered news media with critical, aggressive, and ethical reporting is vital to the functioning of a democracy.
Anything less is "fake news" or biased propaganda deserving of only our scorn and derision.
Those in power must understand, accept, and work with this founding principle, or risk exposing themselves for what they really are.
Mark Matsushima, Southeast Portland
Our rural reliance: Thank you for drawing our attention to the disaster that has occurred in Malheur County and southwest Idaho. ("Onion storage buildings collapse, raising onion prices," Feb. 1). The weight of heavy snow in recent storms has caused roofs to collapse in onion storage sheds, with losses estimated at $100 million.
People who live in coastal cities and cities in the Willamette Valley scarcely know that Oregon and Idaho farmers grow about 25% of the nation's supply of big bulb Spanish onions. This is a huge loss for Oregon farmers, the people who raise our food. If there is ever to be a reduction in the city/rural divide, people will need to learn how their food is produced in eastern Oregon.
Thanks to Sens. Wyden and Merkley for pursuing a federal disaster declaration for Malheur County and other counties harmed by the severe weather. We can only hope they are successful.
Susan Bexton, Southwest Portland
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