Saturday, March 13, 2010

Attack on Saunders politically motivated

Tim O'Hara published a political piece in the March 3 Citizen, although written with much care and precision, it assassinated the character of Florida House Democratic leader Ron Saunders. Some of the complaints made against him were approximately three years old. One complaint identified as being inaccurate was still published; and all of them have been rectified. Record-keeping enhancements initiated by Rep. Saunders' office satisfied all of the auditors and the lodging of any criminal or ethics violation investigations was not even considered.

Although attempting to deflect his involvement, this political attack benefits a desperately flawed and failed candidate, Morgan McPherson, who was recently removed from the mayor's office by the citizens of Key West. Having been defeated soundly, he has been assured by the Republican Party that it will take down his opponent by any means necessary. Mr. McPherson cannot compete against Rep. Saunders based upon his record or ideas, thus the mud-slinging begins.

In 1992, a group of combat-wounded veterans came to Rep. Saunders seeking his assistance in developing a Purple Heart license plate for our state, so that the nursing home needs of indigent veterans could be funded by the sale of this plate at no cost to the taxpayer. It would be veterans helping veterans. Ron Saunders' leadership and diligence, along with his heroic action on the floor of the Florida House, secured passage of the bill that created this plate. For the previous five years, before contacting Rep. Saunders, we were not able to get our Purple Heart bill moved to the floor of the Florida House for a vote.

During the past 18 years we have witnessed Rep. Saunders consistently maintain his integrity, exemplifying an ethical code of conduct while under fire. This man of honor is not going to sell his soul for the small change identified in Mr. O'Hara's story.

This malicious attempt to impugn the good name and reputation of a morally upright individual really speaks about the malevolent heart of Morgan McPherson, the malfeasance of the people who support him and the caliber of the political machine that is behind them.

John Donnelly

Key Largo

On-site backup needed for heart procedure

I have a comment or two to make about the excellent emergency cardiac care services available to all of us at the Lower Keys Medical Center, and a point of significant concern to express about the recent establishment of a heart catheterization lab at our hospital.

A couple of months ago, I went to the emergency room here in Key West at about 8 a.m. Within 10 minutes, I was advised that I was having a heart attack and was air-evacuated to the University of Miami Hospital in Miami; and a stent was inserted into one of my heart vessels by noon.

So, the bottom line is that the existing collaborative system for cardiac care between our hospital and the U.M. Hospital works swiftly, surely and effectively. That is a certainty.

A $1.5-plus million heart catheterization lab has recently been established at our hospital. That sounds great -- additional local services. But maybe not. A heart catheterization lab without full on-site cardiovascular surgical support, as is the Key West circumstance, is dangerous.

The U.M. Hospital cardiac cath doctor doing an angiogram for me advised that, depending upon the "pictures," I might just need a stent, or possibly open-heart surgery, and that if an emergency occurred a heart surgeon was available in minutes.

What if an emergency arises in a Key West heart catheterization -- with as short as a 20-30 minute interval determining life or death? That's not the optimum time to take a chopper/ambulance ride to Miami.

Having a cardiac cath lab at our hospital without heart surgery backup carries a real risk that is not good overall. We need to stick with the proven and swift treatment that gets patients into a hospital with all of the on-site emergency backup needed. Thankfully, the collaborative arrangement between our hospital and the U.M. [Hospital] provided that kind of care for me.

Ted Herzog

Key West