LETTERS

HEALTH CARE

Campaign of fear

Rep. Tim Huelskamp received the "Champion of Health Care Innovative Award," in April from one of the nation's leading health care lobbying front groups -- the Health Care Leadership Council.

The HCL membership includes the CEOs of the country's largest insurers, drug companies, hospital chains and medical device manufacturers.

During the 2009 national discussion over health care reform, HCL initiated a campaign called "Medicare Today" and produced state specific television advertising to encourage citizens to contact members of Congress to ensure that billions of dollars of federal Medicare funding for private insurers was unaffected by the debate.

Wendell Potter, former Cigna executive-turned whistle blower and author of "Deadly Spin," continues to speak out on how corporate America is deceiving Americans about health care.

"The campaign of fear, uncertainty and doubt continues today. I know because I participated in many meetings of the Health Care Leadership Council during my years as an insurance industry executive," said Potter.

Potter, who now serves as the leading spokesman for The Center for Public Integrity said, "A yearlong investigation has revealed that health insurers may have fleeced taxpayers out of $70 billion in just five years."

Huelskamp is making a lot of noise in Washington, but he appears to be most proud of his recent award to help the insurance industry in its lobbying efforts. The announcement of the award headlines his webpage. Huelskamp commented: "What an honor to receive this award. I feel it is very important o make sure the United States remains at the forefront of healthcare technology and initiatives."

Really.

LARRY WEIGEL, Manhattan

ELEPHANTS

Enlarge habitat

I am a junior at The University of Kansas and have studied environmental education and zoology. I have learned a great deal about elephants. They have big hearts and humble aspirations.

Please expand the territory at the Topeka Zoo for elephants Tembo and Sunda. I can make a confident prediction that they are not happy being held captive to begin with. Please make their lives a little better. They deserve more space.

If these animals are being forced to live in a cage for temporary amusement by a small population, please do them the honor of granting them more room to roam.

Elephants are very large creatures and need to live in very large environments to be happy and healthy. It's basic environmental physics.

MADELINE NIEMACKL, Lenexa

Correction

Unaffiliated voters can declare a party preference at the polls during the August primary elections and vote in the primary of their choice. An editorial published Saturday in The Capital-Journal erroneously indicated unaffiliated voters had to declare a party preference before the primary.