What kind of leader do we want for America?

One passes a major infrastructure bill that benefits the states that voted against him slightly more than states that voted for him, but overall helps the whole country. The other sends in a special police force against a governor’s wishes and denies disaster aid to states that voted against him. The major bill he passed enriches himself, his friends and other billionaires while taking away health care and protections for everyday Americans.

One signs dozens of bills that protect consumers and reduce corporate greed. The other sells presidential pardons for millions of dollars and does away with regulations that protect consumers and the environment.

One sets a course to address climate change. The other denies it even exists.

One has been a decent human being his entire life. The other is a pathological liar, cheats on his wives and business deals, and is both a felon and pedophile.

The choice should be crystal clear, but somehow it isn’t.

Peter Westcott, Carbondale

Rising health insurance costs demand real reform

Ms. Moretti (Letters, Dec. 30) wonders if she and her husband are the only ones concerned about the rising cost of health insurance as they face potential medical bankruptcy despite responsible planning. This is not a sustainable situation, and they are far from alone.

After retiring from medical practice — during which my colleagues and I could remain ignorant of rising health care costs — I finally learned what a universal health care system like Improved Medicare for All can accomplish. Despite many group presentations, op-eds and letters to the editor, most folks I encounter still don’t understand what Medicare for All is. It’s a thoroughly studied solution that’s been on the congressional table for decades, stymied only by those who stand to lose — the for-profit insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

For years, I’ve expected that we would soon reach that tragic cliff over which a critical mass of responsible middle-class folks like Ms. Moretti would unnecessarily fall, forcing Congress to finally do something. But we keep inching toward it, placated by tweaks and empty promises like Trump’s laughable “concept of a plan,” while too many of us go bankrupt, suffer needlessly and even die because they can’t afford health care.

Most politicians are afraid to support Medicare for All for fear they will be falsely smeared with the “socialist” label and overwhelmed by the powerful insurance and Big Pharma PACs. But with so many like Ms. Moretti — and even Marjorie Taylor Greene — finally concerned about unaffordable health care, genuine reform is a winning issue for both parties.

The next time a candidate asks you for money, tell them it will come as soon as they promise to vote for publicly funded and privately delivered health care, as in Improved Medicare for All. It could save your and your loved ones’ lives as well as your pocketbooks.

George Bohmfalk, Carbondale