Easley Progress readers seem to be be satisfied with the availability and quality of their healthcare, as 75 percent voted against the federal government moving foward with plans to provide a national healthcare program.

“Getting the government involved will only lower the quality of healthcare available,” one reader wrote. “and we’ll still be paying plenty for this ‘free’ healthcare in the form of higher taxes.”

Another reader said America’s free market has led to the country’s high quality healthcare. “When there’s competition, people strive to do better, to improve on their services,” he wrote. “How many times must we see this in action before we realize that it is a fact?”

Another reader said she worried about giving up choice if there is a national healthcare program.

“I did not like the doctor I used to go to,” she wrote. “I switched doctors, and I love the one who is serving me now. If healthcare was a national program, I would have had to just accept the old doctor.”

It was a matter of freedom for another reader. “This country was founded on the ideal of freedom, but we keep turning away from that. Freedom means not having the government tell me what doctor I get to see. Sure, the cost of healthcare is high, but lowering that cost isn’t worth giving up freedom.

Fewer spoke out for the national healthcare program.

“The major hospitals and drug companies are brainwashing people into being scared of a national healthcare program. They’re making millions and laughing at the fools who continue to put money in their pockets.”

Another reader was concerned about those who cannot afford insurance. “We have a young couple that lives next to us, and they cannot afford healthcare. When they get sick, they just hope they will get well soon. I worry about them, especially the wife, because she seems so frail.”

Another reader felt a national healthcare program would more than pay for itself through increased productivity.

“If somebody is sick and cannot afford to go to the doctor, they are not going to be productive in what they do. A healthcare plan would allow people to do prevent diseases and take care of them before they become major.”

This week’s question:

We’ve had some pretty serious questions over the past few weeks, so let’s have fun this week.

Former football players for Easley and Wren high school are preparing to play an alumni football game this Friday night. Who do you think will win?

The game is a fundraiser for the Easley High School athletic program and — rumor has it — will be in full pads with no flags — in other words, full tackle football.

Alumni from both schools have formed teams Easley is said to have more than 40 players, while the Wren squad had around 30.

Most of the players come from the past 10 years, but there are a few older ones still willing to give it a try.

Here’s your opportunity to talk a little trash and get ready for the upcoming football season. Go to www.theeasleyprogress.com and vote for the team you think will win. If you would like to make any comments, send them to brobinson@theeasleyprogress.com. Please let us know if you want your name to be used with your comments.

And show up Friday night at Brice Field to support and cheer for these former high school gridiron warriors as they try to regain glory while helping the school’s athletic program.