Dear Senators Baucus, Nelson, Conrad, Feinstein, Landrieu, Lieberman, Wyden, Bayh, et al, and Congresspersons Ross, Pomeroy, Space, Hill, Melancon, Barrow, Matheson, Gordon, et al:
Over the past few months, I and other like-minded people have contacted you repeatedly, asking you to support health care reform with a single-payer system or a strong public option, which would compete with private insurers and keep them honest. We've asked you for legislation that would rein in the outrageous costs of health care and stop the abuses of health insurance companies including exclusion of those with pre-existing conditions, exorbitant premium and co-pay increases, unfair rescission of patients needing expensive treatments, as well as denial and delay of needed health care; which has resulted in the preventable deaths of more than 18,000 and possibly as many as 100,000 Americans each year.
Despite the fact that 83% of Americans support health care with a public option, and even 50% of Republicans support reform, it seems that our attempts to persuade you to fulfill the will of the people have fallen on deaf ears.
We have no illusions. We know that your opposition is because of the 1.5 million dollars spent every day by lobbyists for the medical, pharmaceutical and health insurance companies that are pouring money into your campaign coffers. We know that because of the lobbyists' money, you have remained willfully defiant of the people's wishes and ignored their needs, despite the destructive effects of our broken health care system on our economy, and the suffering, deaths, bankruptcies and crushing debts that have befallen the people of the United States, including your constituents.
You have selfishly chosen to put your own self-interests ahead of the needs of the people who have elected you. You are taking blood money, some of which rightly should be used to provide health care for the people who paid that money in the form of premiums to health insurance companies, but is instead being used to influence you in America's system of legalized bribery, so insurers can continue to reap billions of dollars of profits while Americans continue to die.
If you had shown some principles, and worked for progressive health care reform, I might have contributed my own money to your election campaigns. I personally have contributed hundreds of dollars to Barack Obama and other Democrats during last year's election season, and I've given countless hours of volunteer time. Since you're failing to live up to Democratic principles, and failing to address the needs of the American people, I must inform you that none of my money or volunteer time will be forthcoming for you.
In lieu of donations to your election campaigns, I have instead contributed my money and time to the organizations Democracy for America, MoveOn.org and Organizing for America. I chose these organizations in particular not only because of their support for robust health care reform, but because they are using contributions to fund advertising campaigns in your states and districts asking your constituents to contact you and demand that you support health care reform with single-payer or a public option. I hope your constituents enjoy the advertisements, and take them to heart.
Understand that we, the people of America are very angry at the state of affairs in this country, and if you continue to anger us by refusing to address our needs, the insurance blood money in your campaign coffers will not save you from electoral ruin. We gave your party the White House, dominance of the House of Representatives, and a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, and we can take that away just as quickly. While I personally would not vote for a Republican for dog-catcher, most people do not share that sentiment, and they can throw you out of power, just as they did in 1994. Also, understand that those glad-handing lobbyists that are currently giving you lots of cash will abandon you and support your Republican opponents the moment they sense you are vulnerable - they find Republican rule to be much more profitable. If you like those seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate, and you want to keep them, respect the will of the American voters and give us strong health care reform with a robust, government-run public option or single-payer system.
Sincerely,
Meldroc