Nicholas Chopiak – 2/17/08

This page was last updated on February 17, 2008.

Socialized medicine; Nick Chopiak; Beaver County Times; February 17, 2008.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Politicians have it, and when they leave office they have it.

“Yet they will not give socialized medicine to you. You will not even get affordable health insurance.”

[RWC] Politicians don’t have “socialized medicine;” they have employer-based healthcare insurance just as many/most in the private sector. The difference is the government is the politician’s employer. Medicaid, Medicare, PACE, SCHIP, et cetera are examples of socialized medicine.

At least Mr. Chopiak is clear that he wants socialized healthcare.

“The drug and insurance companies will not allow those they have bought and paid for to change the way they make millions at your expense. In October, health-care companies donated $6.5 million to Democratic candidates and $4.8 million to Republicans.

“These politicians will not fight those who helped put them into office. I tried writing U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire on our health-care crisis only to be stonewalled.”

[RWC] FYI, Mr. Chopiak has written at least four letters since September, 2006, and all used the word “stonewall.” In his first letters, Mr. Chopiak described Melissa Hart and Rick Santorum as stonewallers. In his last two letters, Mr. Chopiak’s used that term to describe Mr. Altmire. As I noted in a previous critique, I believe it’s “stonewalling” to Mr. Chopiak when he gets a response he doesn’t like.