Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I’m responding to the letter from Jim Renner praising government funded health care ("Affordable health care is inalienable right," March 22 Readers Write). His first error was when he stated that healthcare is an "inalienable right." Jim falls into a trap that is all too common these days. Every time someone sees something they want, it becomes their "right," and one that is usually paid for by someone else. Just because something is nice to have, even necessary, or because you want it, does not make it a "right."

Mr. Renner references 50 million people who are uninsured. As often happens, those touting this number fail to mention that it includes, among others, an estimated 13 million illegal aliens, young people and adults who can afford insurance but choose not to buy it because they’re healthy, and others who choose not to buy it because they’d rather rely on the emergency room and let someone...