My Letter to the Editor

For reasons that I cannot explain, I have stopped writing letters to the Indianapolis Star. If I were to speculate, it's probably because I don't like their online platform, but I haven't really put all that much thought into it.

I do, however, write letters to the Ft. Wayne Journal-Gazette from time to time. I recently had one published (August 22, 2017). Here is the text:

The Journal Gazette ran a letter on Aug. 9 by Richard W. Burridge that is quintessential AM talk radio spittle.

Burridge alleges that “it was never the government's duty to provide us with health care or demand that we buy insurance.” On what authority does he base this assertion? He politely refuses to disclose.

He then says that the government is “to provide help for the poor and needy, but we were to be self-sufficient, not government-dependent.” Again, he provides no authority for his statement.

The fact that Burridge believes something makes it an “opinion.” Things that can be independently verified are “facts.”

Here is a fact: The U.S. Constitution's first sentence gives the federal government the authority to “promote the general Welfare.”

My opinion is that health care is part of the general welfare. Perhaps Burridge's opinion is otherwise. Nonetheless, the Constitution says what it says.

If Burridge has some authority to support his opinions on the proper role of government, perhaps he should cite them. Otherwise, kindly leave the AM talk radio talking points on the AM dial and refrain from presenting opinions as facts.