Dear Mrs. Butler,
Thank you for contacting me in opposition to a public health insurance plan. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue, and I agree with you. (My Emphasis)
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicts that the Obama health care plan will cost more than $1 trillion over the next ten years and will still leave 34 million people uninsured. Other independent studies show 120 million, or 60 percent, of Americans who currently have health coverage, would lose it and would be forced onto the public plan. Also, the CBO Director stated that the proposed plan would hurt the already weakened American economy, creating an even greater national debt.
Like you, I understand that Washington-run health care would decrease access, quality, and choice in health care for Americans. Health care decisions are best made by patients and their doctors, not by bureaucrats and politicians in Washington. Important, life-saving surgeries and procedures are often delayed for people living in other nations that have government-run health care. I support and want health care reform, but cannot support a Washington takeover of health care that decreases access and choice and results in delayed and denied care. Rest assured that I will continue to work in the U.S. Senate on legislation that promotes health care choice for Americans in a free market.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about other issues important to you.
Sincerely,
Senator David Vitter
United States Senator
Of course, I wrote to Vitter demanding that the public option be included in the health care bill, and I reminded him that his duty to his constituents trumped protecting the profits and CEO bonuses of the health care industry. I added that, although the industry pays him big bucks in campaign contributions, his responsibility is to the people who elected him, who are in dire need of help.
My question: does it do any good at all to write to Congress critters?
Good plan, Jim! Send it Mimi! Well copies of the letters anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe original letter was a waste of time, because Vitter will never vote for any version of the public option. But the plan to send the versions to the media is a good one. Vitter thinks everyone in Louisiana agrees with him, so he sends out the same form letter, no matter what opinion his constituents express. This has happened to me before.
ReplyDeleteThe Democratic plan does not suit me, either, because I want a single payer plan. I want the same plan that the Congress has or a version of Medicare for everyone.
Employers could still pay the premiums or a portion of the premiums, with the insured paying a part. For those who can't afford to pay the premiums, then the premiums would be subsidized.
Give 'em hell Grandmere, on the 6 o'clock news!
ReplyDeleteThis line in the Vitter letter caught my attention:
ReplyDelete"Health care decisions are best made by patients and their doctors, not by bureaucrats and politicians in Washington."
But David Vitter, a bureacrat and politician, didn't hesitate to involved himself in the health care choices made by the husband of Terry Schiavo.
I think it is good to contact elected people and never give up on that. I do think face-to-face meetings are better (as well as district meetings with congressional reps in front of the media -- of course, no need for people to be having riots at these things).
The great irony here is that Vitter and I are both covered by useless, "socialistic", government-run health care plans.
ReplyDeleteWrite to him again, impressing on him that adult diapers must be covered by the plan.
ReplyDelete...with the stipulation that non-incontinent persons be covered, Lapin.
ReplyDeleteTobias, the thought popped into my head that my power-blog might be better than the local news outlets for getting the word out, but I banished the thought quickly as prideful and wishful thinking, and I said three "Hail, Marys" for my penance.
You should see the one I got from Kay Bailey Hutchison about ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act), which is in regard to discrimination based on sexual orientation.
ReplyDeleteShe said, "the legislation remains overly broad and unclear in many respects, specifically with regard to its effect on individual, constitutional, and states' rights."
So is she claiming that she feels it is an individual, constitutional, and state right to practice employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation?
What does she not understand about "no discrimination based on sexual orientation?" Is the concept really that difficult?
I find that writing to my representatives, Kay Baily Hutchison, John Cornyn, and Lamar Smith is nothing but a waste of time. They are slaves to the angry bitter hateful Republican "core."
Replies from Olympia Snowe's staff from messages I've sent have been on point, so I don't think all elected officials are as obtuse as the ones mentioned above, but Maine is a much smaller state in terms of population, so maybe that makes a difference. But I think think the most remarkable thing I have personally observed was when I was doing an interim in Wyoming. Our secretary's husband (a Vietnam vet) was having difficulties and a staff member of one of the senators actually came to the office to speak with her and to offer help with their issues. In states with small populations there seems to be more of an attempt to assist (and listen to) their constituents.
ReplyDeleteMike, I know it's a waste of time to write to mine. The two Democrats are Blue Dogs, and they don't take orders from Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, or me. Vitter is hopeless, except for providing fodder for blog posts for me.
ReplyDeleteI can't find my copy of the letter that I wrote to him, so I suppose I'll lose my chance to appear on the local TV news or in the local newspapers.
Amelia, not all of them are as obtuse as David Vitter. He stands out from the pack in obtuseness.
The replies from Mary Landrieu address my points only vaguely, before she proceeds, also in a vague way, to state where she stands.
Charlie Melancon is better. He's a good guy in many ways, but he voted against the anti-torture bill, and now he's on the wrong side on the health care bill.
Mimi, I'll trade you my Boustany for your Charlie Boy.
ReplyDeleteYou can have Vitter, and more and more I think now, Mary Landrieu, too.
ReplyDeleteNot a chance, Crapaud. You're welcome to Boustany.
ReplyDeleteA real pity you can't find your letter to the guy! This needs to be made public!
ReplyDeleteI got the same type of response from my Georgia senators. Oh -- they agree that something needs to be done, but never at the expense of profit and greed, no! I, too, had urged them to include a public option in health care reform.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know what good it does to write to them, but I continue to do so, just so someone in their office will know what their constituents (at least, those of us with brains) are thinking and want them to do. I didn't vote for either of my current Senators, but I like to think I can hold a miniscule bit of fire under them by letting them know my opinion. Of course, my opinion won't hold sway, but at least I don't feel like I am doing nothing, you know?
Suzer, that's my thought, too, and who knows? Perhaps a staff member will read the letter and be converted. I think of it as evangelization.
ReplyDeleteCornyn and Vitter are almost enough to make me glad that Holy Joe (Likud-CT) is the worst we do here. The irritating thing is their claim to "represent" me: never happen.
ReplyDeleteJohnieb, by comparison, Holy Joe is a prince. Ouch! It hurt to type those words.
ReplyDeleteGöran, Vitter has been mocked in the media for much worse than sending a stupid letter to a constituent. The "family values" voters don't seem to care that his phone number was found on the list of the madam of a house of prostitution. Poor woman. She is dead, allegedly from suicide.
ReplyDeleteShe had lost her clientel...
ReplyDeleteGöran, Vitter got off scot-free, except for bad publicity, and Deborah Jean Palfrey was tried and convicted of racketeering and was to be sent to prison. That's not right.
ReplyDelete