Doctor shortage to worsen

Your Aug. 10 editorial "Doctor in the house?"drew attention to one of the most serious public-health issues: access to care. As you pointed out, the shortage of physicians is a reality that only will get worse.

I see in my practice as an obstetrician-gynocologist a clear gap in supply and demand for a primary-care doctor. The Affordable Care Act will expand coverage to millions more Americans, but that does not mean they can get access to a doctor in reasonable time.

You are correct in underscoring the need to train more physicians and emphasize primary care. To increase doctors' compensation, multiple third-party payers, including government and private insurers, need to lead this initiative.

To your point that we all need to work together to improve care and doctor-patient relationships, I add that a patient needs to be more responsible and use health care judiciously.

Dr. Gregory Karasik

Bellevue, Ohio

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People in Tampa got double whammy

I feel bad for the people in the Tampa area ("Delayed party ready to roar; Gathering sets sunny outlook," Aug. 28). Not only did they have then-Tropical Storm Isaac bearing down on them, but Category 5 Hurricane Mitt Romney blew in soon afterward. The difference between the two: Isaac wouldn't lie.

James Szczerbiak

Monclova Township

Public schools don't make the grade

Several years ago, I worked toward a degree in education to find out why public schools were failing and what I, as an individual and possible future teacher, could do to help ("Charter schools encroach on TPS," Readers' Forum, June 28).

I discovered that higher education offered no solutions. It was a repeat of public school. The courses were teaching to the test.

As I became mired in handouts and requirements to create notebooks from each class in which to place these thousands of handouts, I slowly lost my enthusiasm and desire to continue.

We must put aside the myth that pouring more money into public schools will produce intellectual, decent citizens who will serve communities.

We must step back to the days before compulsory public education and take steps to enroll children in charter, private, or parochial schools, or better yet, to home-school them.

Cynthia Ruff

Southwood Road

Farm bailout pales compared to auto's

Your Aug. 1 article "House GOP looks to aid drought-stricken states" said the government is looking to help farmers who have been hurt because of the drought through insurance and subsidies from taxpayers.

I'm a member of United Auto Workers Local 12. I'll bet that those who were whining about a government loan to the auto industry -- which was repaid -- won't say a thing about the farming subsidies that will never get paid back.

Tony Everhardt

Lake Township