Public Forum Letter
April 11, 2010

I was not surprised to read that Utah Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, is using Utah's share of the funds for the Ryan White Program and life-saving AIDS medications as a pawn in his game to show displeasure for the recently signed national health care reform law ("GOP questions funding for HIV/AIDS patients," Tribune , April 8).  Rep Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, stated that she is "struggling to understand" Waddoups' "focus on this program and this group of people."  I can help her.  It seems that Waddoups believes HIV/AIDS only affects homosexuals and drug users who probably deserve the disease as a consequence of their "lifestyle choices and things of that nature."  He goes on to argue that programs such as this are unnecessary because the new health care reform legislation prohibits denial of health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions.

If Waddoups actually bothered to understand the new law that he so vehemently opposes he'd know the ban on pre-existing conditions does not go into effect for adults until 2014.  Until then, he should stop using some of Utah's most needy citizens as a platform for his bigotry and ignorance.

Hunter Wolfe
Salt Lake City

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