COLUMNIST Peter Mullen expresses his disappointment at the difficulties US President Barack Obama – above – is having with his proposed healthcare reforms, commenting that 45 per cent of the population are disgruntled (Echo, Jan 19).

Surely this was expected since the Republican Party has always fought against the policies being put forward.

It always seems strange to me that the Republican Party, the party full of church-going Christians, the party that Mr Mullen would probably support, cares so little about the health of the poorer members of American society.

It doesn’t seem very Christian to my way of thinking.

Eric Gendle, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough.