OTTER: Keeping monster in check

Dear Governor Otter: I would like to thank you for your move to sue the rapidly growing monster, the Federal Government, for the many violations of our Bill of Rights and Constitution!!

 I read with great satisfaction that about 35 other states will join you in this suit. Mr Rigoli’s letter is a “shotgun” comment containing general statements and advice which has literally, NO specifics. He goes on to mention health care for children. He must not be aware of S-CHIP’s program. Anyone who has income of three times the poverty level (about $66,000) or less can apply and get health insurance for their children, free from our government.

A few things we should all remember about our government and their “estimates” and “budgets”. Last year’s Cash for Clunkers was estimated at $1 billion; it cost $3 billion. The price for the stimulus bill was estimated at $787 billion, CBO office recently raised their estimate to $862 billion.  Health care for the poor currently costs 3,700 percent more than the original estimate. The upward revision of S-CHIPs was estimated at $5.4 billion but actual for the first year was $6.8 billion.

I suggest that we must think long and hard on all government “estimates” and where they are taking us. I fear that the final tab for the new Health Care Bill is going to shock most of us especially when the taxes to pay for it come out. I sincerely hope that I am wrong; that we can all get something without it costing anything.

ED ZIERLEIN

Coeur d’Alene