I disagree with MoveOn.org. Sen. Orrin Hatch has not been bought by insurance company lobbyists. Instead, Hatch is blinded by his rigid ideology. Americans are dying because they don't have health insurance -- 3,732 every month, according to a Harvard study. Medical bills are forcing people into bankruptcy. Insurance premiums are skyrocketing. This is a national crisis, and Hatch is wringing his hands about deficits and government involvement. He cannot possibly be that obtuse or cold-hearted. Health care reform is not some abstract math problem. It is a moral obligation. All Americans deserve access to affordable health care.

We couldn't afford President George W. Bush's tax cuts for wealthy Americans, but Hatch had no problem voting for them (another ideological blind spot). If he votes against health care reform, he will find himself on the wrong side of history. He should put away his calculator and open his eyes and heart to the fear and suffering of millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans. The free market is very nice, until it fails us. The insurance companies have failed us. It is time for Hatch to compromise his inflexible ideology and help pass a meaningful health care reform bill.

Carol Gray

Sandy