I have been a physician for 37 years and am in my sixties. I am opposed to abortion, rationed healthcare and loss of my personal freedom. For these reasons, I am strongly opposed to the national healthcare bill, in particular, and the direction in which our country is headed, in general.

I don’t pretend to be an attorney or an economist, but I have studied the bill and other events in our government in recent months and strongly feel that a person needs to decide to be FOR nationalized healthcare or AGAINST nationalized healthcare based on fitting into one of two groups.

AGAINST: 1. Those opposed to abortion, euthanasia or rationed healthcare. These have occurred or are occurring in most nations where nationalized medicine is in place.

2. Those opposed to the demise of many small businesses, which will result in a much smaller middle class.

3. Those opposed to diminished respect for our government because of the increasingly heavy tax burden. In many countries, this has resulted in decreased reporting of income to avoid taxes.

4. Those opposed to losing their freedoms because the government increasingly controls their life, beginning with banking, the automobile industry, healthcare and expanding to other areas as well.

FOR: 1. Those who believe that the government, rather than the individual, knows what is best for the individual.

2. Those who believe that the government is better at running various industries than the industries themselves.

3. Those who believe that companies were not created to make profits, but were created to run increasing deficits like our government.

4. Those who believe that there is not much right with our country, domestically or internationally.

5. Those who believe that their ends justify their means.

I am a military veteran and I love my country and my freedom very much. There are areas in any industry that need improvement and, indeed, can be improved.

Capitalism is always self-correcting, if not hindered by too much regulation. All one needs to do is look to history, other countries, and common sense to know that we are dangerously and rapidly headed in the wrong direction.

John Potts, M.D.

Peachtree City, Ga.