I sent an e-mail to the DNC tonight; it's unlikely to cause anyone to quiver in fear or even care for more than a millisecond. But my frustration got the better of me, and sometimes even pissing in the wind provides relief. Here's what I wrote:
I have been a Democrat since my first vote in 1976, but it is only since my involvement with the Campaign for Change that I put my money where my mouth is. After the election of President Obama, I seriously considered starting a Democracy Bond, but I decided to wait until I was done paying my daughter's college tuition in April 2010. I'm very glad I waited; at this point, I can assure you that the DNC will not receive one dime from me if healthcare reform, including a strong, Medicare-like public option, is not passed and signed by President Obama this fall.
Although I am thoroughly disgusted with the actions of conservative Democrats who don't seem to understand what being a Democrat means or have any familiarity with the Democratic platform, my reason for withholding any potential donations is far more personal. My daughter loses her healthcare coverage once she graduates from college in June 2010, and since she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when she was 16, she will join the "uninsurables" of our country. We have started searching for alternatives for her, and if she is fortunate enough to live in a state with pool insurance, she may be able to get minimum coverage, with an extremely high deductible, for $500-$800 per month. Clearly, as a young graduate with student loans, this is an unaffordable option, so her father and I will likely have to pick up the tab...a tab that is more than we currently have to save each month to pay her college tuition.
I have contacted my Senators multiple times about this issue; I am fortunate that they are in favor of a public option. But I cannot and will not spend a dime on a Democratic Party that provides financial support to elected officials who are trying to destroy healthcare reform; all my dimes will be saved for my daughter's health insurance premiums.
I have always been proud to be a Democrat, but today I am embarrassed, ashamed and deeply, deeply angry that "Democrat" has apparently become a meaningless label, hijacked by those with no adherence or accountability to the broader principles of the Democratic Party.
I knew healthcare reform wasn't going to be easy, and I still haven't given up on calls and door knocks...but for whatever reason, today I just needed to let someone, somewhere know that I am PISSED.