Letter to the Editor: Lawmakers want to punish people for being poor
The mean, cruel, ill-begotten, judgmental stance to penalize our most needy Montanans by requiring drug testing and employment for people to get insurance should not be a part of much-needed health care insurance.
Scott Sales chauvinistic statement, “get a good job and buy insurance” — who is going to do the full-time jobs required to keep our communities running but do not pay enough to allow people to work full-time and not be homeless? How can people get jobs paying $75,000 or more without a high level of education which many cannot afford? Repeating and supporting this arrogant, narrow-minded attitude is out of touch with reality. It is easy to be judgmental. Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.
Montanans who suffer from PTSD or are physically handicapped and cannot work are among those who should not be punished as they seek medical care. People may be using medical marijuana to control their pain with opioids, but they will not be able to work or pass a drug test. People who have been injured and are trying to get back to work comprise another group which will be penalized by this irresponsible, punitive legislation.
Legislators are elected not to figure out who they can hurt but who they can help be productive. Punitive legislation is a form of intolerance and hate.
Please encourage legislators to keep Medicaid requirements as they are.
Sue Beland, Livingston