This is in response to two guest columns in the July 26 Sun Journal.

First, I give thanks to Dr. Stephen Sokol for his guest column. What a breath of fresh air concerning health care reform after reading the Heritage Policy Center gospel on the opposite page. Too bad some public officials in Washington, D.C., aren’t listening.

The guest column by Martin Sheehan is just what one might expect from the ultraconservatives: Good gracious, Mabel, let’s not rush into health care reform. It is a very complex issue and we must take our time. My word, Mabel, we’ve just got to slow down. For goodness sake, Mabel, don’t you know we’ve only been working on the issue for 60 years and these things take time, don’t you know.

Sheehan and his gang would try to sell the people on the idea that it’s too bad about the 47 million or so uninsured, and about the people who are dying because their insurance (if they have any) will not cover the cost of treatment. And isn’t it a shame that health care costs are driving some people to lose their homes. But let’s be patient. Slow down. Just allow competition in the marketplace to work it out.

See you in 2010.

Jack McKee, Kingfield