ACA is good for many

After reading Al Phillips’ recent post, “ACA was bad for me,” I couldn’t help but respond. When I hear people slamming the Affordable Care Act because they might have to change their doctor, or their doctor chose to retire after 38 years to avoid new regulations, it seems like a small price to pay for a society that has limited health care to the wealthy or connected.

As a self-employed person, I know how difficult getting private insurance can be. I was turned down several times for insignificant past health issues. I think of all the people who couldn’t get insurance, had cancer or lifelong debilitations, and this legislation levels the playing field for accessing health care insurance.

Don’t we want a society that places high value on health no matter your income or misfortune? Why should people go bankrupt because they can’t access adequate insurance yet they need medical treatment? Health care can’t be about money, and yet it is in the United States. It has to be a societal value for all … not just “me, mine and I.”

I hope there comes a day when we aren’t a nation of people who only make policy decisions based on what’s good for “me.”

Shera Felde

Bend

A weed inspector, really?

Well congratulations, Deschutes County! You now have an official “weed inspector” on the payroll.

This from the Public Notices section of May 8, 2015, under County Code Chapter 8.35 and ORS 569.350 to 569.495, whose powers include (are you ready?) “the right to enter upon land or premises and destroy noxious weeds or control them in such manner as will destroy …” and authorization to place liens upon real property to recoup the expenses (including wages of the weed inspector) necessarily incurred.”

It also says “no weed declared noxious (there are approximately 200 on their list) shall be permitted to produce seed and/or spread by the owner” … or else what?

Did Deschutes County residents get to vote on this? Isn’t there something in the Fourth Amendment regarding private property? What if owners are too old or disabled and/or they can’t afford this? Will they now get a lien on their already underwater property or a property that is barely worth more than what they originally paid for it?

Will there be a good samaritan law, or does this pit neighbor against neighbor, turning each other in or the weed inspector showing up in your neighborhood for a surprise visit?

And yet the potholes and bumpy roads remain.

Way to go, Board of County Commissioners for Deschutes County.

Carol Orr

Crooked River Ranch

Support higher biodiesel blends

I’m disappointed but not surprised at The Bulletin’s misguided support of SB 164, exempting schools from the 5 percent biodiesel component for buses operating east of the Cascades. The exemption won’t solve the problem of buses gelling up in very cold temperatures because all diesel will gel at very low temperatures.

Winterized fuel, proper maintenance and, most of all, anticipation of a cold snap will keep the buses rolling. For the past seven winters I have been operating a small fleet of diesel trucks, often at higher biodiesel blends than the Oregon 5 percent.

By following the simple steps above, I operate on the coldest days of the year. And it doesn’t require the thousands of dollars of upgrades that The Bulletin suggests to winterize my vehicles.

Rather than believe the speculation of the oil companies, whose monopolies are threatened by renewable fuels, The Bulletin might actually consider the evidence of school districts, first responders and fleets operating effectively in colder climates than Eastern Oregon with higher biodiesel blends.

If The Bulletin was sincere in its concern for the health and welfare of kids riding school buses, it would advocate for much higher biodiesel blends.

Schools in Las Vegas did just that to protect school kids from asthma and other respiratory conditions associated with breathing petroleum diesel exhaust. I would think we care for our kids as much as they do in Vegas.

Jeff Rola

Tumalo