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Letters To The Editor

Distinction made

To the Journal editor: A recent letter was published in regards to supporting “Medicare Advantage.” However, Medicare Advantage plans are not actually “Medicare.” They are private insurance plans, which are skimming billions of dollars from the government and from the people who enroll in them. That is the goal of these insurance companies: to make money! These Advantage plans may seem cheap right now with all their supposed benefits, but just wait until there is a need for an expensive, life-saving procedure or medication — something almost all of us will require at some ...

Fluoridation 101

To the Journal editor: State College Borough in Pennsylvania voted to end water fluoridation in 2022. “Systemic application removes medical consent and freedom of choice,” Kern (Water Authority member) wrote. “Fluoride can only be removed from water by reverse osmosis and ion exchange resins, which may be financially difficult or unattainable for residents to install in their homes.” Many communities in Wisconsin and Michigan ended water fluoridation, including Alpena. “I’m not a chemist, I’m not a doctor, and I’m not a scientist,” Alpena Mayor Waligora said. “We ...

What we need

To the Journal editor: When I went to graduate school in 2000, we were heading into the information age. The future looked bright. We could be smarter faster. Now we are in the disinformation age. I’ve left social media — it’s not a healthy place. It’s certainly not a reliable source for information. In our thirst to know more faster, we’ve lost our sense of balance. And so, little local print newspaper, I turn to you. You are flawed, but so am I. You are at least tangible and as information online gets scrubbed, tangibility is something. You will likely print this letter ...

Don’t save SAVE

To the Journal editor: In 2022, Michigan voters approved Proposal 22-2, making voting easier and more secure. And we successfully used this secure, modern system in the 2024 election cycle! Currently there is a federal bill — HR-22 or the SAVE Act — which will endanger Michigan’s secure system. The SAVE Act creates a burden by requiring a passport or original copy of birth certificate IN PERSON in order to register or update registration. This will make it harder for millions of Americans to register and cast a vote, regardless of party affiliation. How might this ...

Voter supression apparent

To the Journal editor: Republicans have proposed myriad voter suppression laws since 2020 based on the lie that our elections are wrought with voter fraud. The latest attempt, the SAVE Act is a solution looking for a problem. it supposedly is meant to address the issue of non citizens voting. This is not an issue. It is already illegal, under penalty of perjury and deportation, for a noncitizen to register to vote. Who would risk deportation to illegally register to vote? Many audits and studies have shown that non citizens voting happens about once a year. Literally. To ...

Support Medicare Advantage

To the Journal editor: I’ve been a carpenter my entire adult life, a member of MRCC Carpenter Millwright Local 1510, and I can tell you that working Michiganders support the lawmakers who understand what our needs are as well. Given the physical nature of our jobs, this is especially the case when it comes to our long-term healthcare. I’m asking all concerned citizens and Congress to take appropriate action to ensure sure the Medicare Advantage program gets the adequate funding it needs to operate. Medicare Advantage isn’t just a healthcare program, it’s an entire support ...