Letter to the Editor: Think health care, Social Security before punching Nov. 4 ballot

Now that Missourians have completed the voting primary season, I hope that two issues will remain front and center: health care and long-term financial security as we begin seriously thinking about election choices on Nov. 5.

Health care costs are out of control for both individuals and employers. One in four Americans has problems paying medical bills, and one in three say they have skipped treatment, tests or prescriptions because of costs. Then, too, 46 million Americans are uninsured!

Financial security is just as tenuous for too many. National saving is at an all-time low and pension plans are dwindling.

Workers are not enrolled in 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plans, and Social Security is not enough for those who rely solely on that benefit.

Washington is stuck in gridlock and too dominated by special interests. We need our leaders to address the financial and health security problems that so many Americans face.

I encourage all Missourians to join the Divided We Fail (www.dividedwefail.org) initiative that AARP has helped spearhead. Learn about health care and long-term financial security and how you can impact the top domestic issues in 2008.

If we don’t work together to do something about these two issues, then we will fail. We’ll fail future generations as well. And that can’t happen.

—Gregory Sokerka, Springfield