Since this year’s health care debate started in earnest I’ve set quietly on the sidelines and watched the political and Congressional theater. In fairness, mostly because I was not sure what to do beyond call my members of Congress – which I dutifully did.
While I’d like to send a donation to every real pro-reform Representative I see (Grayson, Wasserman Schultz, Weiner, Frank) and Senator I hear about (Rockefeller, Kerry, Schumer) and send money to the opponent of every anti-reform idiot (Wilson, Brown Waite, Boehner and, yes, Baucus), that’s just not practical.
Here’s what I have decided to do.
I’m keeping a Top 10 list of the players I’d like to see rewarded and punished in this long and distracting process (my list is more or less outlined above) and I will send each respective leader or obstruction’s opponent a dime for every single "no" vote on the final health care bill.
I suspect that when a health care reform package comes up for a final vote, there will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 ‘no’ votes in both chambers. Almost all, of course, will be from Republicans. It can’t be more than 265 and still pass but there may be 250 votes for the status quo.
If 197 "no" votes are recorded in the House, for example, and 42 "no" votes are cast in the Senate, each of my Top 10 are getting a donation from me $23.90.
I know it doesn’t seem like much. But when I do it 10 times, it will be $239.
Again, I’m sure that’s not enough to shake the foundations or even produce a mild tremor. But I’ll also being including a note with my check (or online donation) explaining the donation amount.
And, of course, I’m asking others to do the same – give just one dime for each and every "no" vote on health insurance reform to a list of candidates who have earned your praise or to the opponents of those who earned your ire.
You can help me and the nation by doing the same. Even if you can’t or don’t want to take part, you can help me shape my Top 10 list by telling me who especially deserves my meager – but principled – donations when this is over.