Backing those who are against DeSantis visit
I personally want to congratulate the good citizens of Greenwich who opposed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis coming to our state for a fund-raising mission. [Sept. 7, Page 1, “Visit by DeSantis sparking concern”]. I find the “culturally conservative” agenda of Florida to be highly offensive, disingenuous and divisive. Friends from Florida who work in the educational system have reported that the words “equity, diversity and parity” have been disallowed in any official materials in their school curriculums. Many good teachers and administrators have been leaving their educational positions in Florida due to his restrictive “anti-woke” legislation. The book banning is outrageous and the denial of history is so egregious that one has to wonder how anything so regressive could possibly be accepted in this supposedly “enlightened” era.
I know everyone has a right to their opinion, and I have mine — the individual who would spend $3,300 to have a seat at this gathering is seriously misinformed. How does a man who claims to be so “moral” excuse his bullying, racist, homophobic, anti-educational conduct?
Sandra Marshall, East Hampton
Cigna deserves to come under fire
Robert Patricelli asks, “What’s behind the attack ads against Cigna?” [Aug. 20, Opinion, Page 2]. The real answer: Righteous anger.
Cigna once branded itself as “A Business of Caring.” If that were ever true, it stopped when Cigna purchased Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI). It is essentially a middleman, adding little value to the health care industry while reaping unconscionable profits.
Cigna wisely let ESI keep its name in their merger to maintain plausible deniability, but the companies are one, and ESI has boosted Cigna’s profits to $45.7 billion. But, apparently, it’s “unfair” to pick on the hometown boy Cigna.
For real? The idea that AIDS Healthcare Foundation is “unfairly” and ungentlemanly attacking Cigna is a bit like saying David unfairly and indecorously attacked Goliath while Goliath was hanging out in his backyard.
AHF is a nonprofit health care provider, providing integrated care to people with chronic conditions. AHF knows how people’s health suffers when that integrated care model is broken up by for-profit health insurers linked with PBMs, which care more about denying or limiting coverage than promoting access.
Ninety-six cents of every dollar AHF makes at our pharmacies directly fund programs aimed at ending the HIV epidemic and improving people’s health. So, when a not-for-profit organization advocates for fair pharmacy practices, greater patient access, and better health outcomes, we should all get behind it. In Connecticut — and in America — we must not let corporate bullying go unanswered.
Laura Boudreau
The writer is Chief of Operations for AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Age/term limits are what we need
I just had to comment on what I saw on the news. For the second time I witnessed Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) freeze in place for about 30 seconds. Sen. McConnell is 81 years old, and it’s obvious to me that he should retire and get the medical attention he needs. What a sad sight to see him standing there like that, one of the most powerful men in Washington.
We also have Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) who is 90 years old and unable to perform her duties due to an illness, but she will not voluntary step down. With the Senate being almost even, her vote is almost always critical on every bill that comes up for a vote.
Both McConnell and Feinstein have represented their parties very well over the years, but they should step down. What we need are term limits, whether by the number of terms served, or by age. The average person has to retire after a certain age; why shouldn’t Congressmen and Senators be held to the same standards? I think all political offices should have term limits. I also realize that some people can do their jobs longer than others, but we have to set limits.
Maybe by getting new people and new ideas we could have a Congress that works together to help the people who elected them. We have to try something to fix the mess Washington has become.
William Sukach, East Hampton