One reason thank-you letters to Congress are effective is that they're so rare. (In P.J. O'Rourke's book Parliament of Whores, he describes going through a day's mail at an unnamed congressman's office. Of several hundred letters, two were compliments and the rest were complaints.)
My office and most of my patients live in the district of Charles Gonzalez (D, TX 20th). For what it's worth, I sent him this letter of thanks today.
November 9, 2009
The Honorable Charles Gonzalez
United States House of Representatives
By Fax (202)225-1915 (210)472-4009
Dear Congressman Gonzalez:
Thank you very much for voting for the House health care reform bill that was passed late Saturday evening. I think there is no exaggeration in saying that was the most momentous vote you have had the privilege of making in your legislative career.
I enjoyed watching your speech to the House on C-Span, refuting the Republican lie that leaving tort reform out of the bill passes up huge savings. (I do think our experience in Texas shows that it can produce some savings, but on the order of half a percent of the whole health care budget. Half a percent of a huge sum, such as the national health care budget, isn't peanuts, but it isn't a big dent in the problem either. It pales in comparison to the 25% or more that health insurance companies siphon off.)
Thank you also for voting against the Stupak amendment. I'm amazed by the way many of the people who argue against letting "a government bureaucrat get between a patient and his doctor" jump at the chance to put a bureaucrat or even a policeman between a patient and her doctor when reproductive health matters and, frankly, sexuality, come into the picture. I urge you to call those people out for being control freaks; that's exactly what they are on this matter.
Again, thank you, not just from me, but on behalf of the many patients I treat who are your constituents. May you feel as honored as I do to serve them.
Sincerely yours,
[david78209]