Like many on this site I have been a lurker. I recommend a diary here and there. Post a comment or two. But haven't published a diary. I hope this isn't my last.
Like many of you, I also check this site daily. I check the Huff Post and other sites. Watch Keith and Rachel when I can. Lately, you can't like what you have been reading. It's been a tough week. Every time you turn around there is another distortion and lie about health care. I am happy to see so many progressives fighting the good fight. But I get nervous that Democrats are trying too hard to include the Republicans and have given up too much of what we actually stand for.
With that in mind I wrote a note to the president. I wanted to remind him of why I supported him. What a working guy like me thinks about health care. The rest is below the fold. Your thoughts welcome.
Dear Mr. President,
I am 56 years old. I have been married for over 35 years and have two adult sons and three beautiful granddaughters. My wife does not work but stays home and watches the grandchildren. It saves day care expenses for my son.
Born in the 50's, I grew up with JFK, RFK and MLK. There were many progressive leaders for me to look up to. In my younger days, my wife and I volunteered for Ted Kennedy's senate campaigns. Before redistricting took him away, I volunteered for Barney Frank in his battle against Rep Margaret Heckler. I say this so you can see I have a liberal background.
I use to worry that the younger generation, including my children, did not have the Democratic role models I had growing up. They seemed to know only Republican presidents. President Carter was a one term president who lead us to the so called "Reagan Revolution". President Clinton, for all his good, was a flawed role model. As much as I love and admire Senator Kennedy, he too, has shown his human failings. So I was thrilled when you came along. A family man. A progressive leader. Hope.
My 6 year old granddaughter knows who you are. My 17 month old and two month old granddaughters hopefully will have the opportunity to learn more about you when they are old enough to go to school.
Which brings me to my concern. I have a few more years to go before I can retire from teaching and coaching. As a public school teacher I pay 50% of the cost of my health insurance. With HMO Blue, it comes to close to $200 a week for a family plan. It is a lot for someone with only one income in the family. Yet I know I am blessed compared to many. I do not have to tell you the number of people dropped by insurance companies or with no insurance to begin with. I may struggled, but I get by. What happens to them?
Many Democrats have tried to bring us health care. The Clinton administration the latest to try and fail. The way things are going now, I fear we may lose an opportunity again. Please do not allow this to happen. It is a wonderful idea to try to include Republicans, but when they oppose every single thing Democrats have offered, I think it is time to move on. Don't think of the politics. Think of the people! Think of the people who stood in line long hours to vote for you. The millions like me who contributed what we could online. The millions who took a chance on a first term senator because we believed it was time for "change".
The Republicans are not ready for change. They want you, and your administration to fail. The people who elected you want you to succeed. Because when you succeed, we all succeed, and we have a better country.
Please, we elected a Democratic majority, use it. Get us the change we need. The change you promised. I don't want my younger granddaughters to only know you as a one term president who the "Party of No" drove out of office with scare tactics and lies. I want them to know you as the president who brought the change America needed. Republicans have been against everything from social security to medicare. You can not please them, as they turn further to the right. If every other industrial nation can cover it's citizens, we can too. Thanks for trying for cooperation but I say it is time to pass the best Democratic bill you can. Sign it. Move on.
Thank you for all you do.
Sincerely,