No, this is not a bitter, angry, I'm pitching a fit until I get my way screed you get all too often here. But it is a protest I believe many should heed.
I have leaned Democratic in politics for years. I never joined the party officially until last year. I was drawn into it by the promise of President Obama.
I still feel that promise, I'm still a supporter, and I'm still a Democrat. For most anyone who reads a blog like this one...what else are you going to vote for, really?
Health care was not one of my big concerns in last year's election, but as I hosted and organized a number of house and public meetings, my eyes were opened to just how big a deal it is to a lot of people. So, I've supported the health care drive not only through discussion, not only through letters to my local paper in my role as county vice-chair of the party, but also in a $30/month contribution to DNC online.
As of this morning, that last item is stopping.
I don't require a public option for health care reform. I do want one, but it would not be a requirement for me. That's because the first, most important job to any reform is to provide affordable insurance for those who can't afford it, and to get rid of the highly immoral acts of "pre-existing conditions" and dropping people when they most need insurance.
You don't need a public option to do that. I think you need a public option of some kind, though, to do the second most important thing...begin to contain long-term costs.
I now have serious doubts as to whether this bill as it is currently formed in the Senate will do either one. If I was confident it would achieve at least the first of those requirements, I would probably be willing to bite my tongue and accept it.
But someone really needs to explain to me now how it will achieve at least the first goal of affordable insurance and stopping those reprehensible practices. Because it isn't clear to me its going to do that.
So, for the moment, no more contributions until things are changed, or certainly clarified to my satisfaction.
And I urge all moderate to liberal Democrats here who might read this to do the same. I'm not demanding that everything go my way or I'm taking my toys and going home. Politics is a rough game, and you rarely get everything you want. I'm cool with that.
I'm not cool with the Senate version of this bill. And so I choose to begin "incentivizing" my party leaders to do better...or else.
From north Georgia, with thanks.
Tom McMahan