I find it perfunctory that Lewis Diuguid can make such a prescient statement in his op-ed about the historical impact of the health care reform bill ("GOP missing chance to avert historic slide" (Opinion, April 23). Alleging that the GOP legacy will be suffocated by credibility downturn in light of its political stance against health care reform is not only absurd, but ill-founded.

I claim no membership in a political party and am strongly opposed to political denominations that have brought about such a rift in our country’s society and culture. Since "one nation under God" became simply "one nation" under political correctness, the divisiveness sickens me — as it has so many proud patriots and servicemembers. While maintaining a solid stance of nonpartisan affiliation, I am deeply concerned over the defacement of the conservative principles on which our country was founded. Recently, because of the progressive liberalist movement, these principles have become more and more ephemeral — at least in the public’s sight (largely because of the media bias). The tea parties have been the hardcore conservative rebuttal to progressivism.

Yet, these things are doing nothing to mend the rift between right and left. So when Diuguid posits that historical reflection of this landmark reform will read that "Republicans should have had visionaries ... looking forward instead of backward," is he not only looking backward himself by instigating not a left-wing policy vs. right-wing reproach, but rather petty sticks-and-stones antagonizing? It is very sad to me that this has become the country we fight for. When did our foundational principles of unity, freedom and justice become so subjective?

Health care reform is necessary in America. But doing so at the expense of extreme federal invasiveness into the capitalist threading of our national economic fabric? Try again. Blaming any party for future fallout is foul at worst and, at best, unproductive.

First Lt. David BullockIncirlik Air Base, Turkey