Negotiations need good faith efforts
The Morning Call front page headline April 25 brought sad news, “LVHN and UHC: No deal in sight.” The similarity with another stalled negotiation — the U.S.-Israel/Iran negotiation — was striking. It seems in both negotiations, there is little interest in negotiating. The parties only seem interested in benefiting themselves and injuring the other side rather than reaching a solution. In the piece cited for this letter, United Healthcare reminded readers that in-network care for its customers is available at St Luke’s University Health Network, a Lehigh Valley Health Network competitor. An LVHN ad in The Morning Call pointed out that it remains in network with UHC competitors. Earlier in the dispute with Iran, the U.S. and Israel interrupted negotiations with military action against Iran and threatened more. Iran retaliated with strikes against its neighbors and a blockade of shipping routes.
All sides profess to care for those affected by their respective disputes — patients, health care providers, militaries, ordinary citizens … But, in fact, these are exactly the ones suffering most from death, destruction, higher costs, care uncertainties and more. Perfect solutions are rare. But, as citizens, we have work to do selecting the effective leaders and institutions we need to represent us.
— Glen T. Cheney, Bethlehem
Remember health care issues when you vote
I hope all voters read Terry Savage’s column on health care that ran April 19 in The Morning Call. As she points out, due in part to President Trump’s opposition, subsidies to help people pay for medical insurance under the Affordable Care Act were not renewed by Congress last year. As a result, millions of Americans who had health insurance now are without. I believe all we need to do is to let Trump change the name to Trump Care because he cares more about his ego than Americans’ well-being. It’s obvious Trump and the Republican Party have no plan to help hardworking men and women with health care. Please remember this in the midterm elections.
— John Antrim, Emmaus
Don’t dream about Mars, save the Earth
It is no secret that there is opposition to the development of alternative energy sources, especially from the fossil fuel industry and the Trump administration. People may not believe that climate change will have a major impact on their quality of life, but if it does, what will we do then? If anyone believes that establishing a human presence on Mars is one solution, it is something they will never see in their lifetime. Getting to Mars is one thing, getting needed supplies there is quite another. This Earth is the only feasible place for us to live. We need to take better care of it.
— Daniel Gasda, Bethlehem
Data center plan violates Pa. Constitution
The plan to develop a massive data center in South Whitehall Township, if actualized, would be a violation of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, Article 1, Section 27, on natural resources and the public estate, which states:
“The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania’s public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.“
I urge all local officials as well as the governor to pull the plug on data center plans across the Lehigh Valley region. The evidence around the country is clear that these data centers harm the environment and, therefore, our citizens.
— Carla Lindenmuth, South Whitehall Township
Vehicle laws routinely ignored
After driving from appointment to appointment for over the last 30 years in many counties, I have to ask, do we have any laws anymore, or are they just forsaken? I remember when heavily tinted windows were outlawed, yet when I drive, I still see vehicles with windows tinted so darkly I can’t tell what the person wants to do, or if they are going to hit me.
I also thought that the police were going to start ticketing people who are driving and looking at their phones. It has become horrendous, people speeding yet checking their texts.
Or how about cars that are so loud that it overtakes even listening to a radio show in my vehicle?
If these laws or ordinances were actually enforced, every borough, city and county would make a whopping amount of money in fines, and these areas wouldn’t have to raise any taxes on working and lawful drivers.
— Jim Takatsch, Whitehall Township
Speak out to protect the planet
In April we celebrated the planet with Earth Day and Arbor Day; in the same month we also saw continued attacks on our public lands. The Senate voted to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn a mining ban in the area outside of Boundary Waters National Recreation Area. This follows a vote in the House in January along the same lines. The ban was put in place when environmental studies showed mining would cause irreparable harm to the area and a public comment period with approximately 98% of comments being in favor of the ban.
Using the CRA in this way was unprecedented, with Sen. David McCormick and Rep. Ryan Mackenzie both voting yes. A similar bill exists to overturn the management plan for Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
However we are still seeing the power of speaking out. The National Recreation Area in the Delaware Water Gap is the result of people speaking out against a proposed dam. On Earth Day, it was announced that a bill that would have weakened the Endangered Species Act was pulled. We must continue to speak out to protect our planet and open spaces in this country for generations to come.
— Tamara Stawicki, Easton
The Morning Call publishes letters from readers online and in print several times a week. Submit a letter to the editor at letters@mcall.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author(s), and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication.
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