I read with interest Temple Ligon's article, "Romney Needs to Talk Healthcare" published on 2/2/07. I am a Massachusetts resident who was shocked to find out last April the government of Mass. is going to decide how much I can afford to pay for health insurance, make my healthcare insurance choice for me, manage that choice including deciding what drugs I can take and which specialist I can visit (despite the fact that I have been taking certain meds for the past eight years and seeing certain specialists for my particular disease for longer than eight years) and fine me if I can't afford to pay the premium.

The government of Mass. doesn't know each person's heating costs, their food, their utilities, their rent or mortgage, or how much debt they may have. Residents in the 101% to 300% poverty level income bracket can ill afford yet another monthly payment considering the high cost of heating in the harsh New England winters, not to mention everything else.

Romney's analogy that "Vehicle insurance is mandated and necessary so why not healthcare?" is not appropriate. The big difference is if you can't afford vehicle insurance, you don't drive. Based on that, I guess those who can't afford the health insurance or the penalty should move out of Mass.

So I beg you and your fellow journalists, Do not refer to this as Universal Healthcare because this is not at all the same thing. And don't think for one minute Romney has solved the healthcare crisis. It's about forcing people to pay for something they cannot afford.

For the 101% to 300% poverty level earners nailed with a $50 per month premium (I'm just grabbing a number for sake of conversation) plus co- pays, that is the $50 you need for heat, food, electricity, and the heat will go up along with the electric which went up 27% last season and another 20% this season. But incomes stayed the same or went down.

You should also know the person Romney appointed as head of the board who is implementing this mandate earns an annual salary of $225,000, which is paid by all of our taxes. I find that ironically sad. He has an obscenely large salary and is in charge of forcing the people who pay his salary to pay for something they may not be able to afford.

Mass. is having problems with people leaving because of the high cost of housing and property taxes. There will be more leaving because of this mandate and, quite possibly, fewer young people coming into the work force because of it.

But Romney has covered himself in a recent article in the Boston Globe in which he is quoted as saying that if the mandate (plan) fails it will be the fault of the Democrats; if it succeeds, he will claim credit for it.

A Massachusetts

resident

concerned about South Carolina