Sorry about this, but i realize that I may get flamed for writing this. That there are those who share my sentiment and those who say that it is to soon to worry. Sue me! I needed to vent and decided to vent up instead of laterally. It is not you, who are the basis for my dismay. It isn't even the Democratic party or the president. Nor is it really the republican party. I am angry and upset and I wanted to tell someone how stupid, I thought the attempts at bipartisanship were, so I told the one person who may never read my words, care about my position or bother to do anything more than what is being done. I wrote to the President. Steel yourselves for my words for it's time to take a jump...
What follows below are my words, my thoughts and my letter to the 44th President of the United States.
Mr. President,
As someone who donated money to your campaign, walked the streets to register voters and supported your efforts on the many things you campaigned on since your historic inauguration, I have one word for you right now.
ENOUGH!
I have been following the health care debate for some time now and though this issue was not the most important to me during the campaign it has become the most important issue to me now. Recently, I had become disheartened with how the issue was being framed, of the lies coming from the right and the lack of a clear message coming from you.
I called my senators and asked that they not support any option if a strong, robust public option was not included. The more I followed the story, the more disillusioned I became with the direction that I saw the Finance Committee going. Listening to Kent Conrad, Max Baucus, Mike Enzi and Chuck Grassley became like listened to people whose constituency was the health care industry and not the people of their states.
It was bad enough that the full committee was not invited to the table for talks, but to allow these few individuals, who represent so few, dictate terms seemed like madness. To not even allow single-payer to be discussed seemed to say that there would be no true bargaining to be had, at all. The public option was the only hope we had.
Last night, I received encouraging news, from the New York Times, very encouraging.
"Democrats Seem Set to Go It Alone on a Health Bill"
Finally, my party realizes that the right has no interest in working with us, but only opposing the people for the benefit of high industry. They are not working with you in good faith and have no intentions of doing so. With the news from the New York Times though there was 'hope' that something might get done. And now this...
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the administration remains committed to drawing Republican support for the bill, particularly in the Senate.
"I don't know why we would short-circuit that now," Gibbs told reporters.
He said the White House believes some Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee "are still working in a constructive way to get reform through the Senate and ultimately to the president's desk."
Enough!
Americans are suffering while you try to play Bipartisanship with a group of people who would rather spit in your face than shake your hand on a deal. Americans are suffering while you pander to Chuck Grassley and John Kyl and, yes, Sarah Palin. You are failing on the single most important issue of our time and the sad part is that I worked to give you a mandate for change.
The lesson should have been learned with the stimulus bill, when only three republicans came aboard, the lesson should have been learned with the Waxman-Markey Bill. How many Republicans signed on to that? Eight! Mr. President, how many do you think will sign on to this. Chuck Grassley won't and he's helping to write the bill.
Enough!
Mr. President, it is time to lead. It is time to leave bipartisanship behind. You can't drive the car, when your passenger keeps trying to grab the wheel and drive you into a ditch. It is time to lead. Be the man I hoped you would be and lead. Be the man I worked my tail off for and lead.
See what we see and realize that our best hope for a better tomorrow isn't in bipartisanship or cutting deals with those who oppose you. See what we see and realize that our hopes for a better tomorrow begin when you start to lead. When you decide to lead and not cater to the stupidity of bipartisanship, which has no interest in bipartisanship or you, I will be there for you as I have been in the past. But, I beg of you sir, it is time to lead and as for bipartisanship...
ENOUGH!