Skewed Priorities
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
The Feb. 17 Metro article "Montgomery Program for Uninsured in Uphill Battle" omitted important facts about the Montgomery Cares clinic program. The article didn't mention that many of the facilities are in elementary schools in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods. These schools need renovation to provide a better educational environment, not health clinics for a growing illegal immigrant population. Instead, the Montgomery County Council put precious tax dollars into these unnecessary facilities.
While the reporter correctly noted that illegal immigrants and their families would use already financially stressed hospital emergency rooms if these clinics were not available, this misses a key point. Federal law requires only "emergency medical care" for illegal immigrants, not full-service clinics with dental and mental health care.
There is a better solution. Demand IDs and proof of citizenship of all those who request services. Use the savings in lower clinic usage to upgrade our schools.
-- Brad Botwin
Rockville
The writer is director of Help Save Maryland, a citizens group opposed to illegal immigration.
