The idea of government involvement in health care and competing with private insurers is ludicrous.

Both U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree and Michael Michaud voted in favor of the health care reform bill. Michaud had said he wasn’t certain of how he would vote but, after lots of soul searching, he decided to vote yes, even if it means costing the taxpayers more than a trillion dollars and taking away some health care protection for senior citizens in order to pay for it, and competing with health insurance companies on price controls.

Mandatory health care insurance from small companies will cause more people to be out of work. And how in the world can a private insurance company compete with the U.S. government? It can’t, and will go out of business. Then we will be at the total mercy of the federal government.

Pingree is said to be very proud of casting her vote in favor of such a ridiculous health care plan.

I don’t trust the federal government with my health care. It can’t even supply citizens with much-needed vaccine for the H1N1 swine flu virus, even after President Obama stipulated that this was a national emergency.

I hope U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins continue to vote no on the public option part of the health care plan.

The stimulus package cost the taxpayers $1 trillion and there is still more than 10 percent unemployment. The proposed health care plan will cost another trillion dollars. Watch out.

Daniel R. Lalonde Sr., Lewiston