I was truly saddened to read a column written by Robert E. Lee, editor-in-chief, that implied that Medicaid and Welfare have somehow created a "welfare state."
The column seemed to follow no logical train of thought, but was simply a collection of misguided and prejudiced comments about a system that helps more than 58 million low-income Americans receive the healthcare they need. Statements like, "Government shouldn't pay for the laziness and unfortunate circumstances of others," and "Even if I lost everything I had, I wouldn't want the government bailing me out," represent incredibly shortsighted, insensitive and frankly, ignorant views on the subject.
I find it hard to believe that if you, Mr. Lee, came down with a serious illness and could not afford your doctor's bills, would not want the government to help you out. I also do not follow your hypothetical situation of the character that tells you what to do with your life, then lies to you about your taxes, unless you move to Canada. This makes no sense to me, especially since Canada operates on a socialized healthcare system.
And to imply that Welfare and Medicaid recipients do not want to improve their situation, and that education is something easily acquired in this country, especially for someone on Welfare, is outright ludicrous.
What bothers me the most about the printing of this column is that the editor-in-chief of my beloved Plainsman would print such an ill informed and fact-less rant as this.
I realize that this is your personal opinion, and that you (supposedly) are referring only to those people who use the system fraudulently, but the column implies that all people on Medicaid and Welfare are lazy freeloaders that are a burden on society, and the money we spend keeping them alive is better spent paving roads.
I'm not sure if you sat down right before going to press and pumped out this horrid vomit of misinformation, or if you actually took time on this and are just this misled about the way the system works.
It is obvious that you have not considered the reverse of your point, that maybe these individuals are guilty of Medicaid fraud because the system does not do enough, and that they would die without trying to do something to get the healthcare they need. You imply that they are trying to get healthcare because they want to, like healthcare is something that these individuals don't need, they just like waiting in doctor's offices for hours and bankrupting themselves just to take the tax dollars out of your pocket and burn them?
I just don't see why someone would commit Medicaid fraud for any type of frivolous reason.
I also resent the implication of the title, that somehow the US or the state of Alabama are welfare states. I expect plenty of backlash from the Plainsman readership, who tend to be intelligent and compassionate people, and I certainly hope that this is not the only letter to the editor that you receive.
Derek Lacey
Alumnus
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