A column by Cal Thomas in the Dec. 30 Portland Press Herald must be answered, as his facts are wrong, his language inflammatory, and he gives evidence of having absolutely no idea of what the recent rule announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) represents (“Death counseling back in Obamacare”).

He also appears to be ignorant of what responsible physicians do every day in caring for their patients.

Additional Photos

Paying doctors to talk to their patients about their end-of-life options is part of the president's program, unveiled in Portland last year. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

The rule created by CMS simply provides reimbursement to a physician for the time spent counseling patients about advanced directives, based on the patients’ choices, not the physicians’ directives. The patient, often with the help of a family member who may act as a “durable power of attorney” can decide what options he or she would want to pursue in situations where treatment options may be futile or produce intolerable suffering. The rule is a mechanism to reimburse a physician for time-consuming counseling, nothing more.

This service, which has been provided gratis by physicians up to now, deserves payment by CMS.

Advanced directives give a patient the power to be a participant in the choice of treatment options. They have nothing whatsoever to do with assisted suicide or “death panels.” I suggest that Mr. Thomas get his facts straight before writing such an emotional and inaccurate column.

Peter K. Shaw, M.D.

Falmouth

I must protest Cal Thomas’ unbelievable distortions in his Dec. 30 column. If he, while in a painful terminal condition, wants thousands of dollars spent on aggressive procedures to extend his life by a few weeks without restoring quality of life, he certainly has that choice.

I would rather opt for palliative care to make me comfortable until death comes, and have a detailed “living will” to express that desire. (My age is 83.)

Most (perhaps all) states’ statutes offer “model advance directives”– including “living wills” and “designation of health care proxies.” Even many hospitals ask for your advance directives if you have them. But not all people know that. “End of life counseling” by your physician can tell you about your options and explain them. That’s it! It does not lead to the government deciding.

Frank Heymann

Brunswick

Election may be over, but political disputes stay hot

I have been following the discussion of the recently approved tax bill on the opinion pages for the past several weeks. There have been many excellent columns, articles and letters arguing the injustice, bad economics, and long-term damage we can expect as a result of this bill.

Simon Johnson summed up the foolishness in his article printed Dec. 27 (“Tax cutters set up tomorrow’s fiscal crisis”). All of this leaves me with a feeling of hopelessness and despair.

What can we citizens, who appear to be a majority, do to minimize the anticipated damage? Our next opportunity to change direction will be the 2012 election.

We need a loud voice. An anti-tea party voice. “Tea party” describes a group who wanted to bring down a government. I would like to see a party that wants to support our democracy and create a stronger United States.

I pray for a leader (or leaders) to create a “Common Sense Party.” We need a group that can speak for the millions of moderate voters and demonstrate some statesmanship (a word rarely used at the present).

Thomas Paine said: “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.” It seems to me that time has come again.

Tom Carroll

Falmouth 

Deficits created without calculating in for historical downturns in economic activity, revenue shortfalls and establishing a safety net (surplus) are disturbing and irresponsible! The government, with its huge ability to collect revenues from every aspect of daily life, should never ever be in a deficit! The people in charge should be criminally charged for fraud, racketeering and thievery!

Joe Taxpayer should never be on the hook to pay back overspending! Ever! It’s taxation via wretched representation!

Patrick Scully

Alfred

It is very interesting that our new governor does not have any way of getting in touch with him unless you are a volunteer or a part of his campaign. I guess we will all have to write letters or make phone calls. We are in the computer age, or is this how he is going to govern? Fortunately, I live close to him so I could picket his home.

Steve Cole

Mount Vernon 

Richard Connor’s fulsome paean to Gov. Baldacci notes that the governor is a humble politician (“Wit, humility sustained Baldacci,” Jan 2). It seems obvious that he has much to be humble about.

Martin Feeney

Scarborough 

Bipartisanship is a two-way street, and I am a strong supporter. I have seen the term often in reports from our legislators.

But when one party takes a one-way street and says, “This is the way we’re going. Come with us and we’ll call it bipartisan,” it is not.

Before the newly elected Legislature even convened, and the new governor not yet sworn in, one party tried to eliminate a long-established legislative committee, and before having official authority, the newly elected attorney general announced his intention, at the request of the new governor, to challenge the federal Health Care Act in court.

As a registered independent, I support Rep. Cynthia Dill, D-Cape Elizabeth, and others joining her in defending what we have that we consider good and in making new proposals.

Rep. Dill made clear why she voted against Rep. Nutting as Speaker of the House, both to him personally and to the public. She did not deserve the underhanded response of criticism of her campaign tactics.

Is this what will happen if you choose to stay on your side of the dividing line?

Ruth Hassett

Gorham 

Column on airport security excess hit the mark 

Re: USM’s Michael Hamilton’s Dec. 28 Maine Voices Column (“Sheep don’t make good capitalists”).

Mr. Hamilton has it figured out. He correctly points out the absurdity of TSA’s uninspired, unimaginative policy and rule-making capacity, specifically when it comes to screening the public. I often feel frustration, and even anger, toward TSA screeners, but these feelings are misplaced. Those folks are just trying to do their jobs. The problem does not rest with the screeners; it rests instead with TSA leadership. This is a classic case of bureaucratic ineptitude and it’s high time President Obama put people in charge at TSA that can “think outside the box” and use at least a modicum of common sense.

Good work, Mr. Hamilton. I never heard of Michael Hamilton before today, and his commentary reinforces my view that current UMaine leadership is doing a fine job in selecting its faculty.

Rick Kelley

Windham 

Taxes and regulation put undue burden on business 

One of the basic tenets of business is that all expenses are ultimately passed on to the consumer. When people complain about “corporate welfare,” or subsidies in the form of tax breaks and incentives, they should reconsider their position.

A corporate tax break directly favors the consumer in the form of lower price; a corporate tax liability directly disfavors the consumer in the form of higher price. putting money into government hands, it seems to disappear, or return at a far lesser value.

Why is this so hard for many to understand?

Kurt Christiansen

Windham 

It was interesting to read about the Department of Environmental Protection proposal to require some manufacturers to set up and pay for their own recovery programs for covered products (“DEP targets manufacturers of paint, drugs” Jan. 1).

One paragraph goes on to say that these manufacturers would have to cover these costs; “they may not be characterized” as “a government-imposed tax or fee.”

Really? Wait a minute folks, what’s this? Revisionist history in the making or a gag order written in the law?

When the Legislature makes a law that causes a company to have to charge its customers extra to fund the law, it is by definition a government-imposed fee, tax or fine, just like pay-per-bag trash collection is another form of tax increase and the primary seat belt law is a way of making it easier for police to stop and fine people not buckling up.

Furthermore, this whole proposed law is ill-timed at a time when we are trying to bring more jobs into the state. This makes Maine an even more unfriendly place to do business, which is what this last election was all about. This law is unfriendly to business as it is and should not pass.

John Bowen

Westbrook

South Portland softball was one of the top 10 stories 

First of all, I don’t usually have any complaints about your newspaper. I read it pretty often (I’m a college student, out-of-state, and don’t have a lot of free time during the semester).

However, with this end-of-the-year issue, I have found a problem, or at least what I consider to be one. After reading the “Top 10 of 2010” in the Sports section, I am upset by the absence of the South Portland High School softball team’s state championship.

This is as good a time as any to mention that I was on that team. We were not favored to even make it to the state championship since we had Scarborough in the Western Class A Finals.

But we did. With some serious bat power (remember that home run by Katlin Norton?) and a fantastic outing by Alexis Bogdanovich, we beat Scarborough for the first time in years and moved on to state’s for the second time ever.

And again, with some pretty timely hitting by Katlin, some speedy running by Danica Gleason, and yet another astonishing performance by Alexis, we took home a state title for the first time in history, beating Bangor 1-0.

I’m not saying that other sports stories aren’t important, but I know a lot of people who will never forget that day. Plus, it was history. Come on, now. That’s a pretty worthy story if you ask me.

Olivia Whitton

First Base, South Portland Red Riots

South Portland

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