I'm trying not to have a conniption over the fact that it's not looking good for health care and the Dems are selling us out. I'm trying not to pull the klonopin out of my drawer so I can calm down about it. Writing this letter helped me feel like I was doing some small thing. God damn it, I went to BFE Nevada for Obama. This is it. This is for all the marbles. HEALTH CARE OR DIE. That's a literal statement for too many Americans.
I sent the following letter to my senator today. Yes, I know that she appears not to support the public option, but I believe she can be persuaded under the right circumstances.As AppeaseThis's diary points out, she appears to be open to it I also believe that nice and polite letters with gentle persuasion and stories of real lives have more impact than cranky newspaper-comment-type letters.
I also don't think sending her political advice will matter much. I bolded the main point of the letter, since I figure a staffer will be making tallies and that will help them count it correctly.
I could have done this several different ways.
PUBLIC OPTION K THXBYE
If this serves as a useful template for you, please use it. (Just insert your own political speech style life story in paragraph 2).
July 1, 2009
Hon. Dianne Feinstein
One Post Street, Suite 2450
San Francisco, CA 94104
Re: Health Care Reform
Dear Senator Feinstein:
Thank you for your many years of service to the State of California. I have been a supporter of yours since your first campaign for U.S. Senate. Your position as the most popular and most respected politician in our state is well deserved. I write to you today to urge you to support President Obama’s call for a “strong public option” in health care reform.
I was raised by a widowed mother who raised two children on a teacher’s salary. She was able to mold my sister and me to become successful professionals only through determination, hard work, and the good fortune of having good health care benefits. Without them, the cancer that ultimately took my father’s life would have bankrupted the family. We almost went broke from the medical bills anyway, with coverage. We were lucky.
I write you today on behalf of everyone who could use that same luck. I write today because I know that you have stood by ordinary Californians seeking a better life through education, hard work, and a fair shake your entire career. I know the political situation is difficult, notwithstanding the overwhelming majorities in both houses of Congress, the popularity of President Obama, and the sweeping victories secured by our party over the last two election cycles. But I believe you will do the right thing if you know that you have the support of Californians.
As you know, the most cost-effective solution would be to simply provide single-payer coverage to every American, the way the vast majority of the industrialized world does. Because that solution—again, despite huge majorities—is not politically viable, President Obama has offered the compromise position of making available a “public option” that would only thrive if market forces fail to temper the excesses of private insurers.
You have always been a practical politician. As such, I believe President Obama’s compromise of including a “public option” instead of a single-payer plan is a workable solution that will benefit not only those Californians without coverage, but those who pay too much for their current coverage.
I urge you in the strongest terms to support this plan.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Kind regards,
[Attorney-at-Arms]
P.S. Anyone have a list of who is committed, who is opposed, who is open to it, etc.?