Opinion: Lindsey Graham was respectable. Now, with Graham-Cassidy, he’s just another cruel Republican

To the editor: To think I considered voting in the primary for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the coauthor of the latest GOP bill to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. I admired his standing up to Donald Trump in the Republican presidential debates.

Graham seemed to be a voice of reason. Now he is pushing the bill-du-jour to replace Obamacare, and the main difference between his proposal and others previously is that he will soften the financial blow on red states. (“Graham-Cassidy: Another day, another lousy GOP healthcare bill,” editorial, Sept. 21)

Really? Millions stand to lose their healthcare coverage, including in states that supported President Trump in the election. This is a sad development.

Graham has shown his true colors, and although I am partially colorblind, I get it: The Republicans in Congress seem not to like low-income Americans having medical insurance if it means the wealthy have less money. Shame on him.

Bob Warnock, Eagle Rock

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To the editor: Fortunately, there is still time for one of the central lessons of Ken Burns’ and Lynn Novick’s documentary, “The Vietnam War,” to register with congressional Republicans: Just because a misguided and ill-advised decision or promise has been made public, that doesn’t justify persisting in it.

The bill proposed by Graham and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) is sold as delivering on Republicans’ repeated promises (made while they did not control the White House) to repeal Obamacare. Now that they must actually govern, they should do so on behalf of all Americans.

Graham-Cassidy would be the most fundamental modification of this critical sector of our economy in 50 years. With virtually all major organizations representing healthcare deliverers and patient advocates — even insurers — actively denouncing the proposal, it is all but criminally irresponsible to bet on a crap shoot.

Cheryl McDonald, Pasadena

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To the editor: A compromise for Republicans and Democrats that would enable a single-payer system could involve a government-funded insurance system that is run privately.

Republicans have embraced privatization in the past, as witnessed by KBR Inc. and Halliburton Co. assisting the armed forces in Iraq (although unfortunately without enough oversight).

If the single-payer system is managed by the current employees of the private health insurance companies, the only people who would be hurt would be the industry executives earning large salaries.

People’s health should not be controlled by for-profit businesses.

Daniel Diamond, Santa Barbara

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To the editor: This latest attempt by Senate Republicans to take healthcare away from tens of millions of Americans brings to mind the words that U.S. Army attorney Joseph Welch directed toward Sen. Joseph McCarthy about his allegations of communism in the Army.

Welch’s words apply today to Republican senators:

“Until this moment, senator, I think I have never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness…. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”

John F. Rossmann, Tustin

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