John Russell attempted to reach Congresswoman Castor several times over the past few days with his emailed reply to her attempt to use the Health Care Town Hall antics of this past week as a means to raise campaign cash.
So Russell went ahead having failed to reach the congresswoman and published his letter to her on Huffington Post. Russell's letter is re-published here in its entirety.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Here's the email plea for Ca$H from Castor to her list...
On Fri, Aug 7, 2009 at 5:42 PM, Kathy Castor <kathy@castorforcongress.com> wrote:
Support Castor for Congress!
Dear Friend,
Thank you to all who have offered support in our efforts to bring down the cost of health care and reform our health insurance system. It has become clear that health care reform is critical to improving the health of our struggling economy. You voted for change last election and I am going to continue working for everyone on this important issue.
We cannot let the ugly display we witnessed at a town hall meeting in Tampa last night keep us from having an honest and open debate about health care. As an elected official, I am used to hearing many different opinions being expressed and sometimes even in very loud voices. However, when Lee Stirrat, a hospital worker, was unable to tell her personal story about a family that lost their child to foster care because of the cost of health care that is indeed an ugly display.
Our economy will never recover unless we fix health care. We are faced with daunting obstacles, yet we are armed with hope and the strength to stand up to the cynicism that has plagued politics of the past.
I will continue to fight to increase access to health care and reform our health insurance system. Will you contribute $250, $100, or $50 today so I can continue to work for our community?
Thank you,
Kathy Castor
U.S. Representative
Florida , District 11
Here is Russell's letter in response!
Dear Congresswoman Castor,
We do NOT want and WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY "Compromise Plan" WRITTEN BY THE INSURANCE AND PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY that MANDATES that people purchase Private/Corporate Health Insurance!
As a U.S. Representative in a gerrymandered overwhelmingly Democratic Congressional District where virtually ANY individual with a D next to their name could win the office that you hold, you stand out deplorably weak on an issue of such grave importance as Health Care Reform.
I understand the "propagandaspeak" that the Democratic Party at the behest of the Insurance Industry and their Lobbyist dollars is putting forward talking access to affordable Health "Insurance...."
Kathy, you are acquainted with me personally and understand where I am coming from. You are allowing yourself to be manipulated on this issue in return for the personal and professional gain that is accorded those who "go along to get along."
Why you do this is beyond the imagination of myself and many of my friends and associates who pay attention to politics. You could unwaveringly stand up as a leader for the American people on this issue because you know as well as I, that you Do NOT have to worry about getting re-elected in your gerrymandered district.
Instead you just sit back and keep your mouth shut relatively speaking...
WHY are you in Congress and wearing the Democratic Brand if not to step up when the time could not be riper to ensure ACCESS to Comprehensive Affordable Health Care rather than the corporatist agenda of mandating the purchase of Health INSURANCE?
As you are probably aware I am a Nationally Certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner MS/ARNP with an MBA in Health Systems Management. I work in health care and see every day how the Corporate dominated health care system rations health care allocating optimum care to the "HAVES" while restricting care to the "HAVE NOTS!"
Providers do the best they can but they cannot go broke buying chemo drugs for patients that... often cost THOUSANDS of Dollars per month! The poor are generally well cared for under either Medicaid or SSI Disability... and of course so are those with substantial financial resources or exceptionally good insurance which only those with substantial financial resources can afford. Interestingly, Americans over the age of 65 are covered by a well known national single payer type plan known as Medicare, which by any and all accounts is the most cost efficient means of financing health care that is available in this country.
Optimally speaking, a National Single Payer Health Plan is ABSOLUTELY the MOST COST EFFECTIVE MEANS of solving America's exhorbitant cost and qualitative deficiencies related to our current system of financing health care. Notwithstanding the current faux debate, a Comprehensive Public Option (Medicare for All) should be a key component of ANY bill that arrives on the President's desk, legislatively guaranteeing ACCESS to Affordable COMPREHENSIVE Health Care to ALL Americans as a reasonable alternative to an outright Single Payer Plan.
Kathy you are secure in your seat and you can afford to do the RIGHT thing by strongly advocating for an Affordable Comprehensive Public Option!
In the hope that you might be open to influence, and might possibly perceive the political "value" of stiffening your spine and stepping away from the shared agenda of the National Democratic Party and the concomittant investment by Corporate Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Lobbyists in preserving and protecting the "Status Quo," I would like to respectfully provide you with some information on this subject.
I am providing for your convenience, a link to my website's Health Care segment which will provide you with some valuable ammunition with which to stand up for the American people rather than proceeding merrily apace standing for the corporate authored Status Quo... should you choose to do so. It's YOUR choice....
Kathy, for your review... "http://www.johnrussellforcongress.com/page.asp?PageId=35"
My contact information is available below if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your service. John Russell, MS/ARNP, MBA/HCSM
Here is my little music video to Obama as well as the Congress on Health Reform... http://www.youtube.com/...