Obamacare increases burden on intact families Re: “It’s the demographics, not the deficit,” April 26
Robert W. Patterson’s claim that family breakdown drives demand for big government reforms in the health care industry is wrong. His argument is predicated on the idea that the new legislation creates incentives for married-parent families by rewarding them with lower health care costs. This is false.
In fact, according the Congressional Budget Office, the new law will result in disproportionately larger premiums for American families. By 2016, annual health care costs for families will increase 140 percent (to $15,200), compared to a 94 percent increase for individuals.
President Obama’s stated legislative goal was to provide health insurance for all Americans and reduce insurance costs while simultaneously increasing the value we receive. While we may debate about which aspect of the law, new tax, or regulatory burden will be the most deplorable, we can all agree that Obama’s plan fails to address our nation’s supposedly eroded family values.
Michael Majcen
Arlington
History also teaches us what mistakes not to repeat
Re: “Time for the U.S. to remove itself from NATO,” April 26
Gene Healy’s column contains important omissions. “Two fruitless and expensive wars weren’t enough, so we’ve added a third,” he states. But these “wars” are not fruitless. Our vast military-industrial complex has been kept rolling with weapons research, implementation, and exports — thus enhancing our economy.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a relic of the Cold War, as was the Soviet Union’s now defunct Warsaw Pact and the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, which gave us a license to invade Vietnam some 50 years ago — a tragedy in lost lives.
As Mr. Healy correctly states, “There are lessons to be learned from these debacles.” Indeed so, but for the wrong reasons.
Edward Abramic
Washington
MontCo dawdles on property assessment appeals
A number of Montgomery County homeowners are being treated unfairly by the Department of Assessments and Taxation regarding our property tax assessment appeals.
The county’s home assessments are above market value by as much as a factor of two. I filed my appeal on time and on Dec. 28, presented strong, convincing data to Mr. Jamison White of DAT proving extensive over-assessment. I was told that a response would be forthcoming within four to six weeks.
Almost four months later, I have received no response from the county despite numerous emails to DAT. Property tax bills are sent out in July, and I suspect that the county is very deliberately delaying its response until past that date. When I protested that such delays are unconscionable and very unfair to homeowners, I was ignored.
Bob Stevens
Gaithersburg
