Healthcare reform: A Letter to Republican Senators
Friday, September 25, 2009 at 4:37AM To my readers: tonight I was working on one of my short witty posts, but I was uncomfortable. If the final healthcare reform bill resembles the current Baucus Bill in the Finance Committee, then we progressives will have to demand that it be killed in congress or vetoed by the president. Wont that be both ironic and tragic?
I was thinking about what is needed to pass a bill that will actually alleviate the suffering of Americans caused by our current system and wondering what kind of person could build their careers by turning their backs on so much human suffering. Then I had the thought that out there somewhere, unknown to me, there has to be at least one or two Republican Senators whose hearts have not been hardened to suffering.
Hoping to reach one or more of my readers whose Republican Senator(s) may actually care about reducing the misery of other Americans, I wrote the following letter. Use this link, http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm to find your Senator and e-mail him/her the following letter or something like it. It can't hurt.
Dear Senator:
I found this by a writer who is not one of your constituents, but it captures my sentiments.
Dear Republican/Blue Dog Senator I do not know:
I live in Redding California and I write a blog, many of the entries of which are humorous and anti-conservative. Today I ran across the fact that in the past year 1 in five of the people living in Redding have not had health insurance. I also spent the day researching the number of soldiers and civilians killed in the Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan Wars so misery was on my mind as I sat, safely and quietly on my patio tonight and tried to frame my next blog post.
Do you ever think about human misery? Can you imagine what it is like to lay down to sleep in the underbrush because your town may be bombed; to wake up hungry and not know if your parents are alive or dead? Or to sit for hours in a emergency room with a child who has been sick for days, but could not go to a pediatrician? If you can imagine these things, then maybe you are reachable.
A terrible dance is being performed in the Senate Finance Committee. It is a complex ballet in which many Democratic Senators, beholding to the healthcare industry, who want to look as though they are supporting reform are dancing on the left side of the stage, while Republican Senators, also beholding to the healthcare industry, who want to kill any real reform are dancing on the right side of the stage. It is a choreographed performance with an outcome as predictable as Swan Lake. The committee will produce a bill that pads the profits of the health insurance industry and may allow such a rapid increase in health insurance premiums as to lead to a populist uprising.
You can prevent this Senator. You can let Senator Chuck Schumer know you are ready to vote for a bill with a strong public option, and then you can vote to approve an amendment including a strong public option the Baucus healthcare reform bill. You will not be rewarded by your party, but reducing human suffering is more important than party loyalty.
What does this have to do with the number of soldiers and civilians killed in the Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan Wars, or waking up hungry and not knowing if your parents are alive or dead? Nothing and everything.
We cannot go back in time and reduce the suffering in Vietnam. Votes on Iraq, Afghanistan, and Darfur are for another day and may require the wisdom of the gods. But reducing the suffering here in America that is caused by our current healthcare insurance system is in your hands. Only one or two Republican votes are needed to turn the current terrible ballet into meaningful reform.
Please, listen to your heart; vote for real reform and a public option.
Baaucus, Democrat, Healthcare, Republican, Senate, insurancce
Reader Comments (4)
Why A Strong Public Option Is Essential - By jacksmith - Working Class
Robert Reich explains the pubic option: http://bit.ly/dDYSJ http://robertreich.blogspot.com/
Hollywood Supports The Public Option :-) http://bit.ly/3XLwPi
It's not just because more than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 77% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option on day one (86% of democrats, 75% of independents, and 72% republicans). Basically everyone.
It's not just because according to a new AARP POLL: 86 percent of seniors want universal healthcare security for All, including 93% of Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 78% of Republicans. With 79% of seniors supporting creating a new strong Government-run public option plan, available immediately. Including 89% of Democrats, 80% of Independents, and 61% of Republicans, STUNNING!!
It's not just because it will lower cost. Because a strong public option will dramatically lower cost for everyone. And dramatically improved the quality of care everyone receives in America and around the World. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.
It's not just because it will save trillions of dollars and prevent the needless deaths of millions more of YOU, caused by a rush to profit by the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!
It's not just because every expert in every field, including economist, and Nobel laureates all agree that free market based healthcare systems don't work. Never have and never will. The US has the only truly free market based healthcare system in the World. And as you all know now, IT IS A DISASTER!
It's not just because providing or denying medically necessary care for profit motivations is wrong. Because it is WRONG! It's professionally, ethically, and morally REPUGNANT!, Animalistic, VILE and EVIL.
THE REASON THE PUBLIC OPTION IS ESSENTIAL:
The public option is ESSENTIAL because over 200 million of you are trapped in the forest of the wolves. Which is the forest of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! With no way out except through needless inhumane suffering, and DEATH. While the wolves tear at your flesh, and rip you limb from lib. Then feast on your lifeless bodies like a dead carcase for transplant parts.
At the most vulnerable times of your lives (when you were sick and hurting), millions of you have had to fight and loose cruel, but heroic battles. Fighting against the big guns of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! in the forest of the wolves. All because you have no place else to go. You have no other CHOICE!
But the PUBLIC OPTION will give you someplace safe to go. And it will give us someplace safe to take you. The public option will be your refugium (your refuge). Where the wolves cannot get at you when your down, hurting, and vulnerable. Where everyone who needs it can find rest, security, comfort and the care they need. Protected by the BIG GUNS of We The People Of The United States. THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE AND COUNTRY ON EARTH.
This is why it is so critical that we do not lead another 50 million vulnerable, uninsured Americans into the forest of the wolves, without the protections of a Strong Government-run public option. We The People Of The United States MUST NOT LET THAT HAPPEN to any more of our fellow Americans. If healthcare reform does not contain a strong public option on day one. YOU MUST! KILL IT. Or you will do far more harm than good. And millions more will die needlessly. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.
To those who would continue to obstruct good and true healthcare reform for the American people, and who seek to trap millions more vulnerable Americans in the forest of the wolves. We will continue to fight you. We are prepared to wage all out war against you, and will eagerly DESTROY! you. Time...is...UP! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! No Co-op's! No Triggers! NO INDIVIDUAL MANDATES! without a Strong public option on day one.
Healthcare reform can be the GREATEST! Accomplishment of our time and century. A time when future generations may say of us, that we were all, AMERICAS GREATEST GENERATIONS.
BUT WE MUST ACT!
I therefore call on all my fellow Americans and the peoples of the World. To join us in this fight so that we may finish becoming the better America that we aspire to be for everyone.
SPREAD THE WORD!
I have been privileged to be witness as many of you fought, and struggled to take your first breath, and your last breath on this earth. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Life is precious.
Whatever the cost. WE! MUST SUCCEED.
God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings
jacksmith - Working Class
Things You Can Do To Help NOW! http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2009/09/tired_of_watching_people_die_n.html
No Triggers! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-rosenbaum/a-trigger-for-the-public_b_277910.html
Triggers http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/weve-seen-these-triggers_b_283583.html
Krugman on heathcare (http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/)
Senator Bernie Sanders on healthcare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM8t_cLZgk&feature=player_embedded)
John Garamendi on the Public Option and the Grassroots: http://bit.ly/TJMty
Howard Dean on the Public Option http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SKfW2dUnow&feature=player_embedded
We're Number 37! in quality of health care http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgOl3cETb4&feature=player_embedded
Twitter search (#welovethenhs #NHS #hc09 #hcr #healthcar #obama #p2 #topprog #) Check it out.
You are doing great work. Keep it up.
Yes there is much debates about the health care insurance in the US.Your letter help to give the views of suffering citizens to the senators and to ruling administrators.
http://www.vitabits.fr/remede/