Judy Pamer – 1/5/05

This page was last updated on January 5, 2005.

Let’s look at our safety; Judy Pamer; Beaver County Times; January 5, 2005.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“America is spending $100 million a day in Iraq in an effort to keep us safe from terrorists.”

[RWC] I have no confidence in the numbers Ms. Pamer throws around and she does not cite her sources. You may remember Ms. Pamer was spreading the “Bush = military draft” myth in her September 2004 letter.

“But are terrorists really the biggest threat to Americans?

“Your chances of being killed by a dog are one in 700,000; of being killed by lightning, one in 2 million. Your chances of being killed in a terrorist attack are so low they are incalculable.”

“Where could those millions be better spent?

[RWC] Does Ms. Pamer mean to imply we should not worry about terrorism?

“How about health care?

“America ranks 38th in the world on life expectancy while Israel, a country most of us consider to be a dangerous place, is far ahead of us at 19th.

“At least half of us will have some form of heart disease in our lifetime, and at least a third of us will be diagnosed with cancer.

“The money our government spends on research to find a cure for these diseases is far, far below $100 million. Still think the White House’s top priority is to keep you safe?”

[RWC] The last time I checked, the Constitution didn’t say anything about government finding cures for diseases. You’ll note Ms. Pamer didn’t mention how much is spent by the private sector.

I guess Ms. Pamer has missed the point that life expectancy in the United States increases every year.

“Many voted for this administration because of the abortion issue; they did not want to see any more babies die.

“But babies are dying in America. In infant mortality, we rank 35th, just ahead of countries like Croatia and Cuba. Every day, 46 more children will be diagnosed with cancer, the No. 1 killer of children under the age of 15.”

[RWC] Actually, according to the CIA, Cuba ranks just ahead (better) of the United States by 0.18 deaths per 1,000 live births. In any case, Ms. Pamer wants us to believe substandard healthcare is the sole contributor the infant mortality rate. I’m not an expert on this subject, but I suspect there are other contributing factors to infant mortality.

Ms. Pamer also didn’t put the infant mortality rate in perspective. For 2004, the CIA estimated the U.S. rate at 6.63 deaths per 1,000 live births. The figure for the socialism-laden European Union was 5.3. Though the death of any infant is a sad event, a difference of 1.33 deaths per 1,000 births is hardly a cause for alarm.

“Yet so many of our children are without reliable health care.”

[RWC] You’ll note Ms. Pamer offers nothing to support this comment.

“Many Americans were against a national health-care plan. They were afraid that the government would be in control of their health-care decisions.

“Who do they think controls their health care now? If you are like most Americans, it certainly isn’t your doctor; it is the insurance company. Those countries with socialized medicine rank way above America on almost all health issues.

[RWC] Are those the same countries whose citizens come to the United States because they cannot receive quality service in a timely fashion?

FYI, if you let an insurance company control the healthcare you receive, that is your fault.

“It is time for Americans to quit reacting to sensational news and politics and to start thinking for ourselves.”

[RWC] Terrorists have been attacking and killing Americans for over 25 years. On September 11, 2001, terrorists killed nearly 3,000 persons on American soil. Thinking for myself, I believe we need to stop this behavior before it escalates even more. I can’t personally go after the terrorists who would kill us; I can address the risk factors of heart disease myself.