Letters in the Editor's Mailbag.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Drug prices keep rising

For years I have been struggling with the great question: Why do prescription drug prices keep rising when inflation remains low? The inflation rate is around 1.8 percent; prescription drugs are rising at an annual rate of 6 percent to 10 percent.

When I asked the great question years ago, I was told research and development costs made such increases necessary. Strange. I have spent time In England, France, Italy and Australia. They also have R&D costs, yet their drugs are more affordable than in America. If R&D is so costly, why is the industry spending millions to advertise expensive drugs that can only be gotten through a doctor's prescription, and then millions more in expensive packaging of trial doses dispensed by doctors? "Ask your doctor" has become a standing joke.

How have pharmaceutical companies been able to extend patents on successful, costly drugs that have not been upgraded or improved in any way? Why have these drugs not been allowed to enter the generic realm and become price competitive? The Food and Drug Administration and Congress have crumbled under powerful lobbying (and money) from the pharmaceutical industry. The White House, as usual, remains silent.

But wait! There is a bill currently making its way through Congress on prescription drug coverage for the elderly. It is very weak and won't become effective until 2006. It's a blatant piece of election year hoopla certainly smiled on by the industry.

We know of all this. Why do we permit it?

DOUG BRINKMAN

Eugene

Tribes are sovereign nations

In a July 16 letter, Robert Hursh proposes that Indian tribes do not pay their fair share, referring to the fact that Indian tribes operating on their own lands don't have to pay federal taxes. The reason for this is that U.S. courts long ago granted sovereign nation status to formally recognized tribes. Just as Mexico is a sovereign nation and doesn't pay U.S. taxes, the same is true of this nation's 562 recognized tribes. Most tribes have their own governments and police forces.

As far as I'm concerned, they can do and build whatever their societies and governments deem acceptable on their own lands. Don't like it? Too bad! Indians have paid their fair share with their blood, land and loss of their way of life.

Some will read this and say, "Well, I didn't oppress the Indians." I will ask these people to look at our own society. People are allowed to get away with murder and rape because they suffered past abuses, and they receive special treatment from courts and in the minds within our society.

With those vile poker machines in every nook and cranny in Oregon, I'm not seeing what the big deal is. Oregon will receive revenue from a casino - maybe not comparable to our tax rates, but certainly much more than if it were not built at all.

TOM MURPHY

Springfield

Time to discuss Patriot Act

Prior to becoming a psychologist, I taught U.S. history. Now I wonder if my students remember what they learned about the founding of this nation. How many citizens in Florence remember our Bill of Rights? How many have read the USA Patriot Act? It is time to discuss both the Bill of Rights and the Patriot Act. These discussions should take place immediately.

I do not believe these discussions are partisan politics. I hope the Florence City Council will place a discussion of the Patriot Act on the council agenda as soon as possible. Cities across this nation have placed the Patriot Act on their agendas, and many cities now have developed a response to this slam-bang piece of legislation that was passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 events.

Hopefully, a mix of liberals and conservatives who don't want the government involved in their lives will come together to study the ramifications of the Patriot Act.

CHARLOTTE HIGGINS-LEE

Florence

Doctors refusing patients

When my wife and I started receiving Social Security benefits more than 10 years ago, we purchased health insurance to supplement our Medicare. We have paid both Medicare and supplementary insurance premiums since that time.

My wife, who has been in good health, has not gone to a doctor for over 15 years. Three months ago, she had a health problem that needed a doctor's attention. We called several different doctors and were told each time that they were not accepting new patients. The Ask-a-Nurse program provided names of doctors who were accepting new patients. When we called, we were told: "No new Medicare patients." We received the same response when calling names provided us by the Oregon Medical Group.

It is shocking to know that we have made Medicare and supplementary insurance payments for over 10 years, and they are worthless. Several of our friends have had similar experiences.

The practice of "no new Medicare patients" is probably followed in other parts of Oregon and the nation. Millions of people may be adversely affected when they move to another town, go on vacation or for any other reason need a new doctor.

Shortly after our exasperating experience three months ago, I sent letter to Sens. Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden and to Rep. Peter DeFazio to inform them. DeFazio responded promptly and showed concern, even though he gave little hope for a change. Smith and Wyden have not even responded.

HERMAN LAWSON

Eugene

Architects should be identified

Let's see now: Otto Poticha (letters, July 10) thinks architects' names should be listed with their creations, while Randy Kolb (letters, July 14) says, "Who cares?"

Maybe Kolb is right. Why clutter up our minds with such attributions as Beethoven's Fifth, Roberts' Rules, Halley's Comet, Rubik's Cube or Newton's laws? We can certainly dispense with the names of all artists, composers and authors. Who cares who wrote this great book or that lovely piece of music?

Seeing the light, The Register-Guard could drop all bylines. George Will, Molly Ivins, along with Bob Welch, Joe Mosley, Ron Bellamy, Bob Keefer and the 20Below kids - all consigned to anonymity along with editorial writers and those buried under "The Associated Press" credit.

All said, though, I think I would like to know the names of all these folks, as well as the identity of architects who reshape our community - so we would know who gave us the beasts as well as the beauties.

RICHARD GLENN WILLIAMS

Eugene

It's just a billboard

I'd like to address Autumn T. Seaborn's opinion (letters, July 9) that a billboard on Highway 126 reminds her of walking in on someone in the bathroom. What?

How many young girls and women not on a billboard do I see dressed like that? I'm talking about a cute hat, a tank top and bikini bottoms - I can't see a bare bottom or nakedness. So the woman has nice long legs. I personally see nothing wrong with this billboard.

Now, how about the billboard that had the word "vagina" all over it, or the continuous personal insult I feel every time I hear a tampon or pad advertisement alone or in mixed company? Wanna talk about feeling like you walked into the bathroom on somebody?

Lighten up. It's a fun billboard, for God's sake.

DONNA CULLEN

Springfield

Save Ask-a-Nurse

Recently, PeaceHealth said it is thinking of discontinuing the Ask-a-Nurse program because of budget constraints. This would be an expensive mistake, which in the long run would end up costing the hospital much more that it would save.

The majority of clients using Ask-A-Nurse are doing so because they can't afford to see a regular doctor. With no other recourse, these patients will end up in the emergency room, unable to pay. Sacred Heart Medical Center will be forced to write off the cost of the visits. An emergency room visit is far more expensive than paying a nurse to staff the phone!

LARRY NORRIS

Eugene

Let street have two names

I'm all for our town honoring Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic legacy. And, as Alan Siporin said in his Eugene City Council testimony, if renaming Centennial Boulevard is the choice of Eugene's black community, I'm behind them on that, even if I think otherwise.

On the other hand, as a long-time Lane County resident, I know the Centennial name has its own deep historic and personal resonances with many. So, here's my suggestion.

Why not create a win-win situation by retaining the original name (below Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) on signs and allow folks to choose how they want their mail addressed? I think King would approve, and it has been done elsewhere.

Let's honor all of our communities and legacies.

PAUL PRENSKY

Springfield

Why engage in name calling?

It is one thing to express one's opinion; it is something else entirely when the Mailbag section of The Register-Guard becomes a collection of rude, inflammatory remarks that are better suited to a grade school playground - although such a comparison may be an insult to elementary-schoolers.

I see no point in deliberately offensive phrases that describe liberals as "low-wattage" or "dull tools" who do not possess an IQ above room temperature" (letters, July 14). Why is someone with a differing opinion automatically labeled as stupid? There is a difference between disagreeing with an idea and attacking a person simply because his or her ideas are not identical to one's own.

Letters that pronounce liberals as unintelligent, conservatives as racist and women who have had abortions as murderers show nothing but their authors' rudeness. In my experience, those who must resort to name-calling to prove their points often do so because they lack the understanding or knowledge to present those points in any other way.

EMILY KEIZER

Eugene

LETTERS LOG

Letters received in past week: 167

Letters published: 69

What's on readers' minds: No single topic dominated Mailbag during the past week. We received 12 letters on the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians' plans to build a $26 million casino on a site east of Florence; 10 on the aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq (four of those focused on President Bush's "Bring 'em on" comment and the rest on allegations that the administration misrepresented intelligence reports to justify an invasion), and six on the absence of an entryway ramp in the design for the new federal courthouse. Other popular topics included the federal deficit, the Eugene City's Council's decision to rename Centennial Boulevard to honor Martin Luther King Jr., and the state's budget crisis and tax reform.