Virginia's battle against universal health coverage

Regarding the Feb. 2 front-page article "Va. Senate bills say no to requiring health insurance":

Is the proposed health-care reform "compulsory health insurance" or "universal coverage"? Some opponents of health insurance reform object on constitutional grounds to a government mandate to compel individuals to be covered by insurance. While most of us are concerned about protecting civil liberties and freedom from inappropriate government intervention, surely the government has the right to levy a tax to provide for universal health coverage.

An individual health insurance mandate could just as easily be achieved if Congress levied a tax to help provide for health insurance subsidies and exempted from that tax individuals who already have health insurance. The tax could be graduated so that individuals of considerable means would pay more if they did not have insurance.

Whether it is achieved through a direct mandate or a tax with an exemption, universal coverage benefits all of us, and all of us who can afford it should be responsible for paying for it.

Howard H. Goldman, Potomac

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Right on, Virginia, but why stop here? Let people opt out of paying for police and fire protection, too. Why should you pay to protect someone else's property from disaster, especially since property is far less important that life and health? Why should you pay for police protection if you are not a crime victim? Let these people pay themselves. Why should you care if someone goes untreated for tuberculosis so long as they don't cough on you?

Maybe you'll start a nationwide movement where public safety is a ridiculous dream from long ago.

Keith Ensminger, Merced, Calif.