To the editor:
On December 5th, Clancy Dooley died due to a short illness. In the presence of his family, he reminded all those around him of the goodness and grace of having a dog in their life as he drew his last breath.
Imbuing the spirit of his native Nova Scotia, he loved water. He loved to swim in any body of water with or without the permission of his family. He loved lashing bowls of water while nearly submerging his whole face into it. He loved to create new pools in the aftermath of those lashings on the floor.
His life was marked by a unique sense of strength and solidity. He was built 121 pounds and tall. He loved to lay on cold hard surfaces. His feelings were always clear towards anyone and they were almost exclusively met with the strongest kiss that they ever felt. He loved his family and he was the rock of their happiness.
We hope that in his life, he brought the same sense of joy to others that he brought to us. It comforts us to believe that the Good Lord put Clancy on this planet to remind us that in times of strife, euphoria, or even boredom, a large dog like him with endless love in his heart is a worthy interruption to one’s day. He is profoundly missed.
He is remembered by his immediate family here in Peekskill and his family in Canada.
Patrick Dooley, Peekskill
United Healthcare and where to go from here
To the editor:
As the comments and arguments continue as to whether suspected killer Luigi Mangione of Brian Thompson is a murderer or folk hero, one thing that becomes clear to me is how remarkable it is that we have collectively allowed the healthcare industry to be one that is for profit. Not only that, but we have allowed them to make as much money as they want.
The economic model for our health care system is fundamentally a criminal operation in its design. It brings to mind conversations between mob thugs in the movies and their victims “We would hate anything to happen to your children…” Guess you better pony up that money for this plan and yes, its a crippling amount but you will find the money somewhere won’t you? And, like dealing with the mob, you can’t count on them to be fair.
Unlike the mob, United Health is a publicly traded company, so they are expected to make profits. Most of their CEOs pay comes in the form of stock options, so this message is embedded in their compensation package. The only way to increase profits is to increase efficiencies, squeeze providers, and deny coverage. The CEO of United Health is no criminal. He is just doing his job.
It’s not like we can choose to be without coverage, which is why it is unacceptable that we accept that the Healthcare Industry is one that can be a profit making machine.
Currently, United Healthcare is buying up physicians groups, hospitals and outpatient service centers. Perhaps in the next four years we can thank United Health for laying the groundwork for a takeover in order to create a not-for-profit single payer system, or expand Medicare. At very least, we can elect people who will commit to taking the profit incentive out of this industry.
Laura Perkins, Peekskill
