MAILBAG:Hooters review isn’t even remotely newsworthy

When I saw your review of Hooters in the Thursday paper, I was sure it was a joke. I thought the mission of a local paper such as the Daily Pilot was to highlight what makes our community unique — in what way is a review of a national chain with numerous other outlets in Southern California even remotely newsworthy? What can we expect next, reviews of every Starbucks and McDonald’s outlet in Newport/Mesa?

There are plenty of excellent, locally owned restaurants in our area worthy of our attention and support. And no, I don’t have a financial interest in any of them; I just like eating in them. But apparently your new “critic” has too timid a palate, or too little initiative, to check these out.

You can — and should — do a lot better.

FELICIA LEE

Tax increase from AB 8 could cause loss of jobs

We oppose AB 8 (Nunez), as amended March 29, which would require employers to provide healthcare for their employees at an unspecified percentage, or pay that amount into a state fund, essentially pay or play.

We are concerned this increase on small employers would hurt California businesses and cause the loss of jobs.

The tax would have to be significant in order to support the program as articulated in the bill. Furthermore, since health-care costs increase faster than inflation and exceed payroll growth, the tax would have to increase to fund the program.

Employer mandates threaten jobs and slow economic growth. For these and other reasons, I oppose AB 8.

LARRY SCHNAIDT

Moore advocate failed to notice Harman’s plan

It would help if Pam Lawrence read Tom Harman’s entire article and criticism of Michael Moore’s movie (“Moore ‘mockumentary’ on health care is misleading” June 25) before she indicts him for using the Daily Pilot’s Forum to “sensationalize” his “agenda” (“U.S.’s health-care system makes us look barbaric,” June 28).

Apparently Lawrence failed to notice that Harman acknowledges that California “desperately needs a health-care system that is less expensive; increases accountability, access and coverage; and reduces the burdensome mandates that unnecessarily drive up the cost of health care.”

Did Lawrence also fail to notice that Harman advocates a program titled Cal Care that “empowers individuals to make choices for themselves” and take “personal responsibility for their health care,” and that the Cal Care plan calls for no new taxes?

Lawrence claims that Michael Moore is “an advocate for basic human rights.”

I haven’t viewed Moore’s film, but it is my understanding that he takes the viewer to Cuba to illustrate how much better Castro’s Cuba’s health care is than ours.

I don’t believe Michael Moore is stupid so I can only conclude that he knows Cuba’s system is a two-tiered system, with foreigners, Castro and other government elites granted access to health care comparable to that available in the U.S., and is lying through his teeth with regard to the state of Cuba’s current health-care system.

ILA JOHNSON

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