Letters: Other views on teacher pay, rebates

Teacher union wants big bucks

After years of beating around the bush, big teacher labor has finally come out in MEA president Paula Herbart's recent column ("Falling educator pay hurts students," May 21) admitting their belief that quality of education is directly proportional to quantity of compensation. It's a shame that future generations are being hamstrung by the thickness of teachers' wallets. 

It's unfortunate that teachers apparently believe that there is a money tree orchard somewhere in the state. Are we taxpayers going to be forced to choose between the roads, Line 5 or teachers' pay? Just how much are we expected to support? 

All this makes an excellent case for leaving Michigan.

Lance Leonelli, Novi

Rebate Rule would hurt seniors

It goes without saying that the elderly and people with disabilities shouldn’t be taken advantage of in this country ("Rebate Rule bails out drug companies," May 19). That’s why it is crucial that we work to quickly address the problem of rising prescription drug prices.

Unfortunately, the administration’s proposed “Rebate Rule,” which would eliminate the only check on Big Pharma, jeopardizes the health and financial stability of our elder generation, many of whom live on fixed incomes.

The Congressional Budget Office and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimate that the “Rebate Rule” will cause premiums to rise 25 percent for Medicare Part D beneficiaries and will increase federal spending by $200 billion.

Increasing premiums to reward Big Pharma with a $100 billion bailout is completely unacceptable. Not only will millions of Americans see an increase in out-of-pocket costs, but one of the most powerful and profitable industries in the world will see a $100 billion windfall for a problem it created all on its own.

Reject this proposal so that innocent people are not exploited. 

Dave Ralph, Fenton