Don’t fall for H1N1 spin

I am troubled by the increasing lack of common sense in America. Americans believe the government and media more than their own gut instinct and fall for the media “spin.” Am I the only one who has compared the “unprecedented” H1N1 flu death toll of 4,000 in the U.S. to the CDC’s average flu-related deaths in the U.S. of 36,000?

It is a coincidence that the hype of H1N1 corresponds to a pivotal health care reform, is it not? Does it make sense that our military is pushing scores of Taliban and al-Qaida insurgents from a non-nuclear country over the border into Pakistan, a nuclear-armed, corrupt and unstable Islamic country led by a self-appointed military dictator?

And honestly, if we want health care to cost less, just find means to bring down the rising overhead cost of medical care in the first place, such as malpractice lawsuit limits and even lowering the cost of attending medical school. Remember, folks, the doctors are passing on much of their inflated costs and risks to the patient, which equals higher health care bills.

A little common sense goes a long way, folks!

Mark J. Elliott

Post Falls