In his August 23 column "Where Bush Missed, Obama has a Shot," Los Angeles Times columnist Doyle McManus [email him] says Americans who oppose taxpayer-funded health care for illegal aliens are spreading "misinformation," telling "whoppers," etc.

When I noted to him that the present House version of Obama-care provides no mechanism to verify citizenship of applicants and that the Democratic leadership has thus far defeated all attempts to add "strong enforcement measures", McManus responded with the same language one routinely hears from those in Washington who call themselves representatives and senators:

Dear Mr. Gorak,

Thanks for writing.

The opponents' charge has been: "Obamacare covers illegal aliens."

Your argument is: "Obamacare doesn't officially cover illegal aliens, but some of them will succeed in sneaking onto the rolls unless strong enforcement provisions are added."

Those are significantly different arguments.

I agree with the editorial the LA Times ran a week ago saying, basically, if your problem is illegal immigrants, then let's fix the immigration laws; don't hold up healthcare reform because the immigration system is broken.

Memo to McManus: My father didn't raise any fools or idiots but if he did, they never sat around our dinner table.