To the editor:

These are facts:

1. The 228,000 Kansans now without health insurance would gain it by 2019 under the Senate health care reform bill; if it is defeated, 59,000 would lose coverage in 10 years and the total uninsured would increase to 327,000. These projections are by Families USA, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research group, as reported in the Dec. 17 Journal-World.

2. Dec. 17, Senate Republicans tried to stop consideration of the defense appropriations bill to delay and kill the Senate health care bill. Defense Secretary Robert Gates urged immediate passage of the appropriations bill because it would provide “important support for our foreign policy and national security priorities and ensure continuity of funds for troops in combat.” When asked if he would support the defense spending bill, Sen. Sam Brownback said, “No, I don’t want health care.” (New York Times, Dec. 18)

3. Sen. Brownback, Dec. 16, participated in a “prayercast” meeting organized by the Family Research Council, the purpose of which was to petition God to intervene to prevent passage of the health care reform bill.

The Senate bill would enable over 200,000 Kansans who now lack health care insurance to obtain it and improve their lives and those of their families. Sen. Brownback 1) wants the Almighty to strike down the health care bill and 2) would deny money to support troops in combat, many of whom are Kansans, in order to defeat the bill.

What does this extremism foretell for Kansas if the good senator’s aspiration to be governor is realized?