Clinton's health care ambitious gamble Recognizing both the needs of the nation and the needs of ins presidency. President Bill Clinton announced ins long awaited health-care reform package last Wednesday to the people and the Congress and wasted for the response The plan, which lias been < ailed the most sweeping va .• : 1 >■ ?..»<< e I Cl !)«•; !.•<■• <-*„ ■ \ew Dea; enjoys support from nearly all corners at least in the general sense that it pledges to make health care avail able to ail It is in the details that the cheers and applause give wav to questions and anxiety, and even staunch opposition Probably the most important detail to work out is the question of how much more the Clinton plan will cost, as compared to the status quo. Although supporters of the plan claim that the majority of the cost will be absorbed by eliminating inefficiencies under the current system, it seems doubtful that such a widespread pro gram as this, which hopes to extend basic medical cov erage to 37 million Americans who currently la't such benefits, could do so without requiring a hike in taxes The plan will require all employers, regardless of the size of their business, to provide health insurance to all employees and to pay 80 percent of the premiums Small business owners, understandably, are some of the most vigorously opposed to the plan In an effort to assuage some of their fears, however, a cap would be placed on how much a given business would have to pay in pre miums: a modest 3 5 percent of the total payroll Under Clinton’s plan, a patient's right to choose his own doctor would be preserved, although choosing a physician "out of network’’ would result in the patient’s having to pay 20 percent of the bill Admittedly, those people without the means to pay that 20 percent would be unable to choose, but many of them are effectively without a choice under the current system, because they can’t afford any doctors at all ()ne thing that all sides agree on is the need for reform. Already, several alternative plans have appeared. Hope fully, the competition between these rival plans and Clinton's proposal will result in an improved hybrid that is stronger than each of the individual plans that inspired it Intelligently, Clinton has welcomed this t ompetition, recognizing that the spirit of compromise will have to play a part if there is to Ire? any significant health-care reform at all. Clinton, elected as an outsider, unfamiliar with the wavs of Washington, has been quick ter learn The Menu* tats in Congress have been slow to tort the Clinton line, and the Republicans slower. Me knows that any degree of partisanship may doom his efforts completely, and many of Clinton’s programs, which have already run the congressional gauntlet. l>ear the scars of partisan pol itics. For Clinton to push for health-care reform, in spite of this risk, is an ambitious gamble, but it is one that ho promised to take on the campaign trail and one that the country desperately need* him to take. I ■ ■ I »hi» f <>* ,i-cj < \*v £»t©^ i of t*5ai v*> *f *’ at 300 to# *ryf 4 g Of tkvej Aiiocmltd Th# f **-„#/itMj >9 {>' . *»? e lytjfM*ty Jhm Of uM 0* p49£Xt*% >® p*U*4BUA4l>«» t>) a* j»n H**- j M*n*y*»-J THo*'> Graphics I cKlo# -»r I raat*'- < • I (MW 4a*{««sn »pont CWHX rr.r ictitorUM m* PcMwtJI Photo td«o/ kr*t« '•> f o»r\0y Soppt*m*ot» CcHtor ***y Soto Night l otto* «*‘*y Anderer* A||(»< I«I* I • Jito* *- 7 **■ •» ' (I ’Ai ?►.'<>» Ret-**: .» Comn>>,:'-ty m v«*i Jamwv tagh** f'dU •**-•- ** 4<>nw»iy Newt Staff Dave (><* ?>• • *a . Mag PeO ph Am, Devenpott M.« a I Mart.* f .«ha* t «e<*enne Ste**ena .k^e Sweneen. Mche*y P*oduct*on Dae Mt< ott» Produr**-’ CoonA-eh* Shape** At** Greg Deamond. fare Gainey B*ed »aa Jarvvie* Roland. Nad Thangrigil Clayton Yea N*w»*oom 14^5511 Bw»Jn«»» OWIC4 J4B-M12 Display Advertising >46-3712 Classified Advertising >46-4343 > DEMOCRATS and pfPUB^CANS ALL UN£D LtP ? ^ r#filial ASK KHOT w/MT W{ Conroy caw do foe vou - Prisoner’s plea ! am # prisoner on death row it' tin- Arizona State Prison and was wondering if you would do rne a fas or 1 have been here for almost 1<> w «rs and have no family or friends outside who 1 can write to 1 was wondering if you would put a small ad in the campus newspaper for me asking for cor respondents If you are not able to do that, then mat tie you have some type of message or bulletin board \ou could put it on 1 real ize you are not a |**n pal club or anything like that, but I would appreciate it il you would help me Death row prisoner Caucasian male, age 46 desires correspon dence with either male or female college students Wants to form a friendly relationship and more or iess exchange past and present experiences and ideas Will answer all letters and ex< flange photos Prison rules require a complete name and return address on the outside of the envelope Jim Jeffers Arizona State Prison Bo* B 38604 Florence. Am 8S232 Delayed reaction Don Peter* on July 1 gave an "opinion" that i find appalling Who is he to talk about the for est problem and then compli ment the president on his solu tions7 I admit the problem appears difficult, but not in the eyes of the old-growth forest, which is not protei ted after all. Peters talks like we are "start ing out" now Does he not know that more than 90 percent of an ancient forest has already been cut down and that we are fight ing over tlie last precious 5 per cent to 10 percent? Our mountains are like a rat eaten blanket full of holes and no continuum where endan gered species as well as the old trees are exposed and doomed. Who cares7 A whole ecosystem is is being sacrificed to greed w hile we hear the screams of big timber and their brainwashed workers will not have a forest ieft to cut anyway in a few years. They saw this crisis coming for years and years, but paid no heed, supported by the U S. For est Service, the protectors of our forest Thev have been too busy figuring timber sales and putting in thousands of miles of logging roads, while the stupid taxpay ers footed the tax hills. In the end it will l>e cheaper to subsidize the unemployment of workers than put billions into roads There is a lot of work that our ravaged forests and streams need, as well as replanting, which has never kept pace with clear-cutting Why didn't Don Peters talk to the Native Forest Council or ONKC before giving his opinion and misleading others7 Hilde K Cherry Eugene Catholics forget William Clinton could not have eh-ytyd without the Catholic vote Clinton's position on abortion was in direct oppo sition to the teaching of the C atholic faith taught to him at Georgetown University. The church instructs its faith ful that abortion is murder This precept has been taught for HO centuries The American Catholic population knew the (tiurr.h's instructions about abortion as proclaimed bv the Pope John Paul 11, but chose to papal declarations because of economic considerations, espe cially employment. The consciences of most Catholics were not troubled by casting a vote for pro-abortion politicians such as Clinton and Perot. The consciences of too many Catholics have become corrupt because of the commis sion of repeated mortal sins nev er sorrowfully confessed to a priest. Catholics did not realize, therefore, that they became accomplices to the abortion when they voted for pro-abor tion candidates last November Consequently, millions of Catholics with fret' will and suf fii lent knowledge committed mortal sin last Election Day, It is sad to relate that the American Catholic Bishops failed to pro vide specific moral direction about voting for pro-abortion politicians Their inaction was truly the “silence of the shep ards ' This sin of omission was also morally grievous! We Catholics have forgotten that Cod is perfect love and per ftx t justice If he did not chastise us for the horrible sin of abor tion, God would contradict bis nature. He can never do this We will be punished. Only prayer — especially Rosary — and penam e can reduce the tribula tions. Joseph E. Vallely, M Ed Washington, Conn. The newspaper's name should be changed by striking the word "daily " It is not and never has Ix-en published every day When that happens, and perhaps it should happen, the word can lie restored. Charles 0. Porter Attorney at Law I'he Oregon Daily Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing comments on topics of interest to the University Community Letters to the editor must be limited to no more than 250 words, legible, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is submitted. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style