Republican right wing extremists ignore the quality of life for American voters

Opinion Letter echo: Republicans in House need to be replaced

I am at a complete loss to understand what some weird GOP House members are doing, including their Speaker, Kevin McCarthy.

Published in the Star Advertiser in Honolulu Hawaii.

Republicans looking stupid! Weird Kevin McCarthy

And check out this letter (although written in June 2023, this opinion letter applies to all Republican right wing irresponsible fiscal policies- highlights support for veterans):

(Editor's note: The following is a letter addressed to GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy which the writer shared with The Daily Independent.)

Dear Mr. Speaker McCarthy:   I am writing today on behalf of the Ridgecrest Chamber of Commerce and its more than 265 members that operate in and employ the residents of the greater Ridgecrest area. Since 1946, we have advocated for building this community. 

As the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, I implore our elected officials to engage in efforts to restore Ridgecrest Regional Hospital to a level of stability that will allow continual service to the Indian Wells Valley and beyond.

As I am sure you are aware, many California and US hospitals have been struggling post COVID. Our local community hospital, Ridgecrest Regional Hospital, provides most healthcare services in our community. From physician offices to radiology and laboratory as well as the emergency room and inpatient care, including surgery and obstetrics. The Ridgecrest Regional Hospital also operates our only skilled nursing facility as well as home health and the local ambulance. The nearest hospital with the same services is two hours away which creates a burden for residents in this community and would be prohibitive for many.

The Ridgecrest Chamber recognizes the importance of quality of life and its correlation with recruitment and retention. We work closely with employers and organizations on building community. Having access to quality health care is a crucial part of basic quality of life not only for individuals, but for its impact on public safety and availability of services. Without a functional hospital the ability to retain employees from local law enforcement and teachers to the engineers who work at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, protecting the warfighter and the nation, will decline greatly.

We know that the significance of China Lake Naval Air Weapon Station contributions to national safety and security warranted the public and political support to approve more than $3 billion in funding to restore the installation after the earthquakes of July 4, and July 5, 2019. 

Republicans destroying America! Speaker Kevin McCarthy ignores the needs of the people in his own state of California!

When the repairs are finished, it will be one of the world’s premier research, development, test and evaluation facilities. Even before the Ridgecrest earthquake and the pandemic, base leadership noted significant challenges to recruitment and retention in our technical workforce. If the Indian Wells Valley is going to have any chance of providing the kind of quality of life that supports those hiring efforts, we believe retaining a thriving hospital plays a crucial role in any future success.

Additionally, we have many veterans in our community that rely on our hospital for their care. With the expansion of community care for veterans, the hospital is seeing many more patients yet is not receiving sufficient reimbursement for the cost of care. RRH is concerned that the VA contracts with large insurance companies take funds away from providers that should be used for our veterans. 

It is asked that you look at the VA processes and ensure Ridgecrest Regional Hospital and its physicians are being paid sufficiently.

California’s hospitals suffered staggering financial setbacks throughout the pandemic and some facilities continue to struggle. Ridgecrest Regional Hospital’s struggle began with the 2019 earthquake damages. They are one of the larger employers in their community and serve as one of the few sources of medical care for patients. Now, more than ever, patients need a sense of security and reliability when it comes to their community health system. Assembly bill 412 provides a lifeline to struggling hospitals and helps to ensure our state’s health system remains viable and operational.

Hospital shutdowns or service reductions threaten jobs, patients, and communities. These facilities require immediate financial assistance when they are struggling, and AB 412 provides the framework for this solution. The bill requires hospitals that receive the funds to develop a plan to get out of financial distress and return to profitability, thus preventing the squandering of General Fund allocations. We have been told that the Ridgecrest Regional Hospital intends to apply when the loan application process is finally opened. There are concerns that the program is grossly underfunded and with the number of hospitals in dire financial state in California, there may be very little funding for our hospital to sustain itself until the Medi-Cal rates are increased.

We ask you, as our Legislator, to ensure that our community hospital is eligible for financial assistance, including the emergency loan program, seismic relief, Department of Defense funding (as available), and increased Medi-Cal reimbursement, as well as review of VA processes. Thank you for your attention on this very important matter.

Very respectfully,  from Rebecca McCourt, Executive Director,

Ridgecrest Chamber of Commerce