To the Editor:

To the Republicans lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, who are proposing to remove President Obama's Affordable Care Act:

You cannot just take away health care insurance with nothing to replace it, it is political suicide and morally indefensible. So far there is no Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. The proposed high risk pools are expensive for those with pre-existing conditions: they already face high deductibles and high drug costs. Taking away the Affordable Care Act with no reasonable replacement will lead to more non-insured people going to emergency rooms, which is an expensive way to get health care for those without it. It raises everyone's taxes. In order to lower health care costs, there has to be universal coverage by the government. You cannot just have cheap health care for the healthy, the costs and risks of insurance have to spread over the entire population. It would help people if they want to move to another state or job if they know that there would be no difference in their insurance if they moved. It would help the economy, too, by making the workforce more mobile.

Why do the Republicans want to build a ridiculously expensive wall to keep out illegal immigrants? How about working with the Democrats and try to SOLVE our health care crisis.

The Swiss government requires everyone who can to help pay for some for their health care costs, but the government runs it and it pays for all serious health care needs. It is difficult enough to have serious health care issues, why add worry about paying the bills.

Incidentally, our U.S. Senators and Representatives have excellent health insurance, courtesy of the taxpayers.

We are all in this together.

Sally and James Lynch

Potsdam