This is my letter I am mailing to the President, my Senators, and Representative. Please add your voice of support by contacting your legislators.
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Dear President Obama,
Since your Office of Communications receives thousands of letters every day, let me get my main point out early: DO NOT DROP A PUBLIC OPTION IN HEALTH CARE REFORM MEASURES.
As a social worker, uninsured masters-level degree holding employee, an individual with a pre-existing condition, and brother to my younger sister who passed 2 years ago for want of medical care, I am writing you today to let you know that it is absolutely imperative that we have REAL, MEANINGFUL HEALTH CARE REFORM.
I was a strong supporter of yours in the campaign, and am grateful you were elected to office. Further, as a former health care community organizer, I am thrilled that you have elevated the discussion of healthcare reform to an actionable state. While I am disappointed that single payer is not being seriously considered outside of HR 676, I am also pragmatic and understand that our nation is years away from being able to intelligently consider its merit.
That is why it is ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL that you DO NOT ABANDON A PUBLIC OPTION. As an educated and thoughtful individual it is not necessary for me to lecture you on the unsustainable proposition of an unchecked private health care industry. It is already bankrupting untold number of Americans, allowing thousands to die prematurely every year, stifling entrepreneurship, and failing to uphold a basic American value: treat others how you wish to be treated.
The private marketplace, while a remarkable mechanism for innovation and economic growth, has historically demonstrated that sans incentivizing, the most vulnerable and financially burdened individuals and families will not receive an equitable share of resources.
Recent remarks from your administration in which the need for a public option is downplayed in favor of health cooperatives deeply troubles me. I understand that political realities of Washington generally necessitate compromise, and at times generate better results.
HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE TIMES. Political expediency, misinformation, and hysteria have colluded to place serious obstacles in your path and the path of those who would fight for real health reform. PLEASE STAND STRONG. DO NOT SACRIFICE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. Your failure to communicate (at least publicly) very specific directives to congressional leaders what is non-negotiable worries me.
I urge you to TAKE A STRONG, SPECIFIC STAND ON HEALTH CARE REFORM: MAKE A PUBLIC OPTION NON-NEGOTIABLE. I believe that you, Seblius, DeParle, and other legislative leaders know that health co-operatives, while appropriate in theory, will prove woefully inadequate to make a meaningful dent in the private-insurance dominated marketplace.
Assuming that the fate of millions of American’s will be well served by untested cooperatives, when we have a model before us that we have seen work before (Medicare), seems disingenuous. I know that more than healthcare reform is at stake in this debate. I understand your presidency and the viability of the Democratic Party will be in part, determined by the outcome of health care reform this year.
I understand this. I PROMISE YOU HOWEVER THAT WHEN AMERICANS VOTED FOR CHANGE THEY MEANT IT. I promise you that if you remain strong, self-assured, and confident in your plan and the public option that the majority of the public will follow. A mandate for real change swept the nation with your election, and if there ever is a time to spend your capital, it is now. THE NEED FOR A PUBLIC OPTION IS REAL.
I leave you with your very own words, and pray that they inspire you to action:
“This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:
Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.” – President Barack Obama
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Original Story Here: Obama May Soften Healthcare Plan
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Please support healthcare reform & fight back against the hysteria- this is too important of an issue to sit on the sidelines.
Email or call your United States Representative: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
(202) 224-3121
Email or call your United States Senator:
http://www.senate.gov/
1.877.210.5351
Contact the White House- Tell them we need real reform now, and a strong public option. http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
White House Comment line: 202.456.1111
I’m happy to answer questions or direct you to further resources.
Thank you.
Filed under: Social Justice |
Justice Today 
[…] Go here to see the original: My Letter to Obama […]
I applaud you, sir, for making such an eloquent argument on behalf of those who really need for this system to change.
While I have my reservations about the public option, based on my history with the VA and Medicare – and the history of family and friends with Medicaid, and not to mention the projections for the survivability of those programs, I think it is absolutely time for this country to make a serious effort to straighten this mess out.
I am so sick of the “politics as usual” antics from both sides of the aisle! I swear that sometimes it looks as if those folks consider besting the other side as being more important than doing the work they were elected to do. The vision of a leader who is willing to stand up for what is right is precisely why I had such high hopes for the Obama presidency.
But we’ve all been down that road before, haven’t we? I just pray that the president will stand up to those on both sides of the aisle that would allow the usual games to derail such an important process. When you get to the bottom line, having a national health care system to protect our citizens from illness and disease is every bit as vital as having policing and military systems to protect us from the other threats we face.
None of those who stand in opposition to a national health care system would even dream of placing these other protections into the hands of the “private sector!”
hey, sorry i missed your comment. thanks for the feedback. I completely agree on the need for national health care.
hope you caught the address tonight.
Thank you for your inspiring post. I had been struggling to come up with a post of my own on the subject, and reading yours helped a lot. If you’d like to read it, it’s at The Health Care Quagmire.
I did see the address tonight, and was very impressed. I was also disappointed with the way the “loyal opposition” handled themselves. President Obama is such a decent and principled man that, quite frankly, he puts all other politicians to shame.