Hunting rights

In 2011, I became a member of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. I believed my donations would help stop abuse of domestic animals, as the commercial on TV portrays. Recently, I discovered a percentage of my donations are also applied to another cause ASPCA endorses. This cause is anti-hunting.

ASPCA endorses laws to stop hunting of bear, moose, coyotes, etc. This is not what I expected my donation to support. I support structured hunting 100 percent. Without it, animal control would be out of control. The bear referendum currently on the table is endorsed by ASPCA.

Wildlife is prevalent in Maine. To cease hunting would only allow wildlife to outrageously populate. Competition between the animals for food would no doubt be deadly for some.

Perhaps they would search for food in people’s backyard since food would be scarce in the woods. Maybe property taxes would increase to cover the cost of state officials having to remove wildlife from yards. Would people be comfortable allowing their children to play outside?

Also affected by the anti-hunting lobbyists are our youth who aspire to become future game wardens.

The Aroostook County Conservation Association used to sponsor our youths’ tuition for “ Warden Camp” at Bryant Pond. Because of the funds needed to work against the anti-hunting lobbyists, ACCA is not able to support the same level of sponsorship this year. The money is being donated to the Maine Wildlife Conservation Council in hopes of defeating the current bear referendum efforts.

Mainers need to stand up for hunting rights. Our safety and heritage depend on it.

Cathie McBreairty

Tiffany Dodd

Caribou

Listen up

Gov. Paul LePage recently vetoed the hearing aid bill, LD 523, because requiring insurance companies to provide more coverage might increase the cost to everyone who holds a policy.

Why should he care about people with hearing impairment? He hasn’t heard a thing his constituents have said since he took office; and furthermore, he thinks he doesn’t need to.

Patrick Quinn

Winterport

Mayhew credibility

Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew stated in a March 12 BDN OpEd that many people could be covered by the Affordable Care Act with premiums as low as $5 per week. She then blames the BDN for not informing its readers of this fact. She also implies that people prefer having MaineCare cover them, rather than utilizing this incredibly inexpensive federal insurance.

Is this the same lady who, as head of DHHS, has been working to discourage this exact enrollment? DHHS had the obligation to provide Affordable Care Act information to prospective enrollees.

She also stated that people will drop their employer-sponsored coverage or commercial coverage to get no-cost Medicaid coverage. When can people who earn less than $16,000 per year afford either type of coverage?

Is this the same lady who has consistently argued against providing insurance coverage to all the people in our state? Why should I or anyone believe anything she says?

Joyce Schelling

Orland

Thank you

On behalf of National Doctor’s Day on March 30, Pen Bay Healthcare wishes to thank our dedicated physicians who care for the needs of our citizens and community.

For the third year in a row, Pen Bay doctors have opted to forego celebrating Doctor’s Day and donate any budgeted funds for continuing clinical education. These funds have already been directed to support nurses attending RN-to-BSN programs, as well as critical care, obstetric and newborn care education. They also help support continuing education for our medical assistants and certified nursing assistants.

As always, our physicians’ continued support of the nursing and clinical staff is greatly appreciated. The physicians’ investment will be evidenced in the delivery of quality, safe patient care, improved patient experience and stronger employee engagement.

We appreciate and thank our Pen Bay doctors.

Monica Chau

Paula Delahanty

Pen Bay Healthcare

Rockport

Truth or consequences

Sen. Harry Reid’s recent assertion that the criticisms of Obamacare are “all lies” is not wrong because it was scandalous but rather because it will be accepted as truth by many Democrats. Pause a moment and consider the implications of that.

What it means is that the leadership of the Democratic Party is fully aware that many of their members are sufficiently ignorant of and uninformed of current events to accept Reid’s deliberate untruths as truth. I think that’s cruel. Cruel because it deprives them of their right to know the truth and think for themselves.

Sadly, it reduces thinking Democrats to be part of an uninformed herd waiting for directions from their ruler. Perhaps there is a sense of security in being a compliant member of a big group. It certainly works for ants. The question to ask is, if your leadership is accomplished in lying to those less knowing than you, what keeps them from lying to you?

David Huck

Swanville

Increasing costs

Elizabeth Liscomb wrote a letter in the March 11 BDN about the increasing cost of her family’s health plan. A $10,000 deductible is outrageous to begin with. I suggest she check other policies instead of trying to get the same policy, as well as check out Maine Community Health Options instead of staying with Anthem.

When I tried to sign up online for insurance, I was confused about the different offers, so I called ACAP and made an appointment to have help signing up. The lady helping me was very knowledgeable and suggested Maine Community Health Options as my best option after explaining the difference in what Anthem offered. She signed me up on the office computer. With a silver plan I have a $200 deductible, after which the insurance pays 70 percent. There is a $500 cap on what I have to pay out of pocket yearly.

Yes, I am going to have a subsidy because of income, but I still will have to pay a small part of the cost. Without a subsidy, the cost for one person would be $868 per month. My husband’s income counts with mine, but he is on Medicare and VA health care, so I am the only one needing insurance.

If Liscomb would get help from ACAP, I believe she would be pleasantly surprised. All people with incomes below $40,000 are eligible for subsidies on a sliding scale.

Cara Doucette

Van Buren