The Daily Utah Chronicle - Page Four Friday, January 24, 1992 Opinions L XX- - XVlUijl W Xi XX X V7X XXVW1 Dmisiuiirairsice U.S. needs a better alternative for the poor their time are wasting representatives Congressional pros and cons of 31 proposed health care reform bills. While more than 10 percent of U.S. citizens do not have health insurance, arguing semantics is only an inefficient, visible display of action. Eleven percent of Utah's population have no health insurance and more than 16 percent nationally, not including those over 65, do not have any means to pay for emergency or routine health care beyond their own pocketbooks. The plans to meet the growing U.S. population's need for health care range from restructuring Medicaid and Medicare to eliminating those current systems of nationally subsidized health care and requiring employers to purchase an insurance plan for their employees. All these proposed revisions allow some number of U.S. citizens to fall through inherent cracks they can only scratch the surface of the itch plaguing the American public. A long-tersolution meeting all homeless, retired, needs must be enacted indigent citizens' health-car- e comprehensively on a nationwide scale. Implementing such a comprehensive national "insurance" plan m would not be simple. Such a plan entails inherent political traps as well as administrative nightmares. Increasing taxes to fund such a social service will always be a messy move. Likewise, government would be responsible for the costs of malpractice suits traditionally covered by each hospital and individual practitioner's incomes. But government must undertake these risks to overcome the larger problem facing U.S. citizens. The critical health-car- e needs of those who cannot pay for their own treatment must take precedence over politicians' concerns about reelection. Private enterprise and the capitalistic, money-makin- g standard health care. Congressional representatives should do more than yap their gums about the health-car- crisis they must mandate e radical action. Sound bites is catering Television journalismattention waning to the American span and general sound illiteracy by using short and bites. The only problem occurs when the bite's and the d world of speaker's meaning is lost in the video editing. Perhaps one of the most critical media circuses every four years, the presidential election, is falling victim to the vicious knife of producers vying for convenience-induce- d easily-consum- ed fast-pace- ratings. Campaigners' sound bites have decreased in air time from 43 seconds in 1968 to nine seconds in 1988. While many citizens don't want to listen to a journalists are often the only droning politician, source of many viewers information. A certain level of T.V. responsibility inherently lies within that dubious honor. Television journalists must maintain and evidence their commitment to providing information for "the masses" by increasing sound bite time spans and educating their viewers, willing or not, concerning candidates' and any other source's opinion. Church and state. Too often that line in Utah, an eccentric, You're living and, let's face it, a pretty, weird state. From the culture to the politics to the people, Utah is, putting it politely, "special." Of course, if you're not one of the majority, the entire state may seem a bit foreign. Let's establish one given when dealing with Utah: the LDS Church aZJo Robert Gehrke Vf A fj, Chronicle runs the whole shootin' match. Face it, the government could consolidate its expenses by moving its offices into the Church Office Building, which is really where all the legislative decisions are made now anyway. I don't think I'm breaking any new ground here, and I hope I'm not stepping on too many toes. Hopefully, no one will be sent into shock to learn that a vast majority of Utah congressmen are, in fact Mormon, as is historically true with governors, mayors, etc. nature of health care in the United States is impeding many citizens' ability to acquire emergency and Line of separation between church and state is a dotted one in Utah This isn't intended as a moral judgment, I don't mean to say that it is wrong to be Mormon, or a legislator, or both for that matter. I'm merely establishing a fact. Perhaps a majority of Mormon legislators is altogether practical, merely because it reflects the majority of Mormons living in the state. But one must ask exactly where the line must fall separating the has been blurred, even dotted, allowing church leaders to make political decisions. The item currently in the news is the issue concerning a gambling bill which proposed legalization of , gambling in Utah. This bold challenge of authority shook the leaders of "The Church" into upscaling their piety. They wrote a letter to each state legislators denouncing the bill and stating their stance on gambling: gambling is baaaaad; quilting is good. Many might say that the Church had a right, just as every citizen has a right, to voice their opinion. But, they overstepped their authority. First, the Church is not a lobbyist group in the manner that the ACLU, NRA, or NAACP are. The Church is not commissioned by its members to speak on behalf of them or represent them on political matters. They are entitled to instruct the congregation, not the congressman, on spiritual matters. If the Church had sent the letter to each ward or stake to remind people of the evils of gambling, it would have been a different story entirely. But by pressuring RepresentativeBishop LaVarr B. Young to vote against the bill, they clearly overstepped that line. Secondly, the Church is openly engaging in thought control. Granted, that is any religion's sole purpose for existence. But by extending their morals beyond the chapel walls, they instituted values by law. There are two types of rights Americans are entitled to. First, abridged rights such as driving a car, which are limited by age, driving record, eyesight, etc. Second, there are Letters Photo essay captured the true essence of Jerusalem Editor: Bravo Scott. Your photo essay (Jan. 16) and accompanying text capture accurately the essence of the situation in the city of Jerusalem. The angry ramblings of Orie Niedzviecki (Jan. 17) notwithstanding, the Arab majority in the occupied Old City of Jerusalem endure daily the heavy price of Israeli military occupation and all that goes along with it, including racial discrimination. Therefore, were tossed out from their homes into the dark, rainy night by Jewish settlers, and under the watchful but consenting eye of the Israeli military. The expelled were told that this was ordained by God! (God, according to the settlers, is also in the real estate business). apologists naturally get offended when Jerusalem is referred to as "occupied." But occupied it is. Even the U.S., Pro-Isra- el Israel's staunchest ally, has "routinely brace their windows consistently declared the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem (let alone its annexation) illegal and has continuously called on Israel to withdraw forthwith. example, did we see on our TV screens how some Arab families Murhaf Jouejati GraduatePolitical Science that Palestinian residents with bars and barbed wire to protect against 'attack'" comes as no surprise. Only last week, for fundamental rights which ensure that a person may think what one wants, say what one wants (although, this can be limited under circumstances), or do what one wants with their own body, property, or time. I'm not suggesting that the "right to gamble" is one the founding fathers explicitly had in mind when writing the Bill of Rights, and it by no means is wholly unabridged, but the right to make the moral decision whether or not to gamble is central to the Bill. By imposing values on "The Church" once again took their calling as "moral police" tod far. Of course the gambling issue, by no means, is an isolated circumstance. The Church is, at least in part, responsible for Utah's zany liquor laws, limiting cable TV laws, and one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. Still, each year they feel it necessary to script and stage their Utile puppet show on the Hill. Not only is it wrong, but it's insulting. So what can possibly be done if you're a nonmember in Utah or are a member and are just tired of the Church's "Big Brother" control? The Church obviously isn't going to chase itself out of Utah politics. You can grin and bear it. Buy a tie and a two-pasuit from Mr. Mac's and just try to fit in. Or, you can voice an opinion against the Church and have an infinite number of people tell you you're wrong, just like I'll have. But be practical about it. As long as the only requirements to be elected to Congress are an interview with your bishop and the ability to carry your ward's vote in a general election, things certainly aren't going to non-Mormo- nt change. LETTER POLICY The Daily Utah Chronicle Business hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 581-704- 1 The Chronicle welcomes reader response. Please bring typed, double-space- d letters, not exceeding two to 240 Union Building. Each letter should include your name, major, year in school and pages, telephone number (for verification purposes only). Unsigned letters will not be considered for publication. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit letters for spelling, grammar and space.