This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Re op-ed from Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz accusing President Obama of intentionally deceiving U.S. citizens about the Affordable Care Act and comparing him to "third world dictators" ("Chaffetz: Deception of Americans is never acceptable," Opinion, Nov. 14):
Chaffetz is obsessed with diverting attention from his congressional career, absent of any noteworthy accomplishments, by criticizing all aspects of the current administration. After the Benghazi attack, Chaffetz accused then U.N. Ambassador Susan E. Rice of providing false information about the attacks to the U.N. Rice was presenting talking points provided to her based on what was known at the time.
Similarly, Chaffetz' suggestion President Obama intentionally deceived Americans about keeping insurance policies that fall below the ACA requirements is absurd. These sorts of wild accusations place Chaffetz in the same tier with such other lackluster intellectuals and shallow thinkers as Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin and Rick Perry.
Chaffetz and his colleagues have failed to offer anything to address the flawed U.S. health care system that enriches insurance companies and bankrupts Americans. Until Chaffetz and other Republicans turn away the insurance lobby and serve the interest of Americans, they have no right to criticize a president who is trying to fix the problem.
Jonathan C. Seegmiller
Salt Lake City