This is why I sometimes dislike even sending the people who supposedly represent me anything to begin with. But here goes what the Senator from Texas has to say about a few things...
My notes are in italics and are bolded for your convenience....
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Thank you for contacting me about efforts to reform our nation's health care system and the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on these important issues.
Yes, I'm sure you love hearing from people like myself who disagrees with you about 99.99% of the time
The American health care system faces a myriad of complex challenges: rising medical and prescription drug costs, a lack of stable insurance coverage, and a medical bureaucracy that is increasingly difficult to navigate. I am well acquainted with the frustration of many Americans struggling to meet their health care needs within the current cumbersome system, and I understand the urgency to implement sound revisions. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), spending on health care will account for nearly 17 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2009—totaling as much as $2.6 trillion. Health care costs have more than doubled over the last ten years and far outpaced wage growth, and I believe that meaningful health care reform is very important. However, I believe reform can be achieved by lowering the cost of health care without spending more money and without giving Washington more control over the decisions of doctors and patients.
So the best thing to do is put it off and let it get even worse. That's one hell of a good leader in my book.
Health care affects every American and I believe we need to take the time to listen to the patients, providers, families, and small businesses who will be significantly impacted. America has a highly complicated system and it is important to ensure that changes are thoroughly considered and not hastily passed by Congress. It may interest you to learn, that I am helping lead a Senate health reform working group that meets regularly to discuss the most pressing areas for reform in our nation’s health care system. It is important that Americans have access to affordable health insurance and therefore, I believe we must reform our health care system, emphasizing individual choice and trusting patients, their families, and their doctors—not lawyers or bureaucrats—to make health maintenance and treatment decisions. I am committed to improving access to quality, affordable health care, and you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind as I work my congressional colleagues, as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, to address this critical issue.
Again, let's just keep putting off any changes to the system. People are not going to go out and choose. I still meet people who have not signed up for the Medicare Prescription drug benefit. Mine is, btw, through Humana, a health insurance company. No, Mr. Cornyn, you hope to bankrupt the Federal Government. That's what lowering taxes during a time of war or implementing an expensive drug benefit to Medicare without paying for it does.
As Congress works to reform our health care system, I will adamantly oppose the creation of a Washington-run government health insurance plan, which I believe is unequivocally a gateway to a single-payer system. I believe that a new government-run health insurance plan will devastate private insurance markets by acting as a competitor, regulator, and funder. Independent estimates have found that such a plan could result in 118 million Americans losing their current health benefits, and leave 130 million Americans to rely on a government-run health care plan. Additionally, I cannot support punitive health benefit taxes on small businesses, which will hurt wages and jobs.
I'm sure you will oppose anything that helps the people more than the corporation. Hey, I hope it does destroy the current system - hello, that's why we are talking healthcare reform in the first place - the current system is not working. Not to mention all of the Insurance Insecure people out there.
Additionally, Judge Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed by the Senate on August 6, 2009, by a vote of 68–31. As your Senator, and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, it is my constitutional duty to carefully review the record and qualifications of all the President’s nominees. Because Supreme Court Justices serve for life, it is essential that the Senate Judiciary Committee conduct a full and fair review of each nominee’s record.
Yes, block the most experience person elected to the bench in how long? Yeah, you are showing your White Man Rules mentality.
Fair treatment means neither pre-judging nor pre-confirming the nominee. My colleagues and I thoroughly reviewed Judge Sotomayor's record as well as her public statements about the role of judging. After careful consideration I found much to admire about Judge Sotomayor as an experienced judge with an excellent academic background. However, I have serious concerns about several of Judge Sotomayor's legal decisions that depict liberal judicial activism that has misdirected the Supreme Court over the last several years. During Judge Sotomayor's confirmation hearings, she was afforded the opportunity to explain her record and statements and put them in the appropriate context. Unfortunately, Judge Sotomayor failed to convince me that she would not use her seat on the highest court to make policy that advances a political agenda. Judge Sotomayor refused to explain her most controversial legal decisions and hid behind process arguments and judicial procedure whenever she could.
But you have no problem with two very bitter and angry men on our Supreme Court. Hum.
In the coming years, issues of deep importance to Texans will come before the Supreme Court. These issues include the right of Texans to keep and bear arms; the ability to protect Texans' property rights from cities and states that want to condemn their property for non-public uses; and the issue of life and other liberal social policies that appear nowhere in our Constitution. The consequences were too high for me to vote to confirm someone who could address all these issues from a liberal, activist perspective.
You mean like seceding from the Union (just Like the Palins?) I personally would like to know that my neighbor is not stocking up on automatic weapons - you know, in case he has another psychotic attack because he did not take his meds. Oh, and in Houston they just condemn property and then take control of it or they up the property taxes so high that owners of the property can no longer pay them. Yeah..... that's really looking out for us Texans.
After much deliberation, I could not be confident that, as a Supreme Court Justice, Judge Sotomayor would adhere to a constrained judicial philosophy that delivers fair, impartial, equal justice for all. Therefore, I voted against confirmation of Judge Sotomayor to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
As a resident of Texas, I cannot be confident that you know what the hell you are doing.
I appreciate having the opportunity to represent you in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
I don't like having my taxes pay for you and your sweetheart medical care, retirement package and all the other goodies you have.
Sincerely,
JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator