Socialized benefits

So, letter writer J. Ronald Gainsford ("Why Change Now?" July 27) opposes socialized medicine. And what does he think Security Blue and Medicare are? Medicare is socialized medicine for seniors, pure and simple. Mr. Gainsford is old enough to remember the dire predictions of the right-wing opponents in the '60s that we were headed the way of socialist Europe.

And what is Security Blue? A gold-plated, heavily government-subsidized and government-regulated Medicare Advantage Plan, once again, available only to seniors.

Mr. Gainsford apparently simply opposes extending the benefits of socialized medicine, to which his letter abundantly testifies, to that portion of the population under age 65.

DOUG BURNS
Mount Washington