An open letter regarding Health Insurance Reform to President Barack Obama and the Democratic Members of Congress
An open letter regarding Health Insurance Reform to President Barack Obama and the Democratic Members of the United States House of Representatives and Senate
August 17, 2009
Dear Honorable Sirs and Madams,
About this time two years ago, Democrats across the country started gearing up for the fight of our lives. Primary elections were just around the corner, and it would be only a year until we would have our candidates for President and Vice President confirmed at our National Convention. Although some said that Democrats could put up an asparagus and beat the Republicans, most of us in the Democratic party knew all too well, after the disastrous results of the 2004 election, that this was going to be a hard-fought battle right to the finish line.
But this was not just about President and Vice President. This was about restoring the Democratic Party to a position of power to enact the legislation we must have to help move this country in the right direction. Millions of us in every state, took to the phones and the streets and the web. We rallied, we phone banked, we pounded the pavement knocking on doors. We talked to our neighbors, friends and business associates. We raised hundreds of millions of dollars, much of it five dollars at a time. And we did this for candidates on the Democratic ticket all across this nation.
We broke our backs, lost our voices, and some of us lost friends or other relationships, so that we could have a majority in both Houses, as well as regaining the Presidency. We gave you a huge majority in Congress and a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate. We handed you the reins on a silver platter!
We did this because our party ran on what is perhaps the most important Domestic issue in many of our lifetimes; Health Insurance Reform. With people filing bankruptcy, losing their homes, and dying every single day from our broken and corrupt system, we don’t have the luxury of time to wait any longer.
You have a grave and serious responsibility before you. NOW is not the time to cave in to the Republican party! You don’t have to! You have an obligation to do the job we sent you to Washington to do – pass Health Insurance Reform, and to do it as you promised you would, with a strong PUBLIC OPTION.
To say that I am perplexed, to say that I am stunned, to say that I am angry would all be understatements. You have allowed Republicans to take over control of the message and hijack this legislation. Their constituents get to go to sleep at night knowing their representatives are fighting tooth and nail on their behalf, while we Democrats go to bed wondering why on earth we worked so hard to put you in the majority, when you’re letting us down when we need you to stand up for us the most!
Make no mistake, this legislation is going to be “make or break” for our party. If you can’t get it done when you have control of the Administration, the House of Representatives and the Senate, what’s the use of working to keep you there in the next election cycle(s)? You seem to have forgotten that you work for us – the people who put you in office, not the Republicans.
While I respect the concept of bi-partisanship, there comes a time when it simply must be abandoned. And in fact, I contend that if you show the Republicans that you will pass legislation with or without them, and they get a bill they don’t like, then next time they’ll be more likely to work with you so their voices are heard, won’t they?
It’s time.
Progressives, and even moderates in our party have to start putting the screws to the "Blue Dogs" who are looking more and more like the "Blue Cross Dogs" every day. And to those of you who are the "Blue Dogs", don't forget that you are Democrats. You ran as Democrats, you won as Democrats, and you have an obligation to legislate as Democrats, not moderate Republicans.
President Obama, you need to wrest back control of this message, and if necessary, write your own legislation and make sure it gets passed instead of passing the buck.
Democrats in Congress, you have the power. Use it.
Or lose it.
Sincerely,
Jill K
Redondo Beach, CA
August 17, 2009
Dear Honorable Sirs and Madams,
About this time two years ago, Democrats across the country started gearing up for the fight of our lives. Primary elections were just around the corner, and it would be only a year until we would have our candidates for President and Vice President confirmed at our National Convention. Although some said that Democrats could put up an asparagus and beat the Republicans, most of us in the Democratic party knew all too well, after the disastrous results of the 2004 election, that this was going to be a hard-fought battle right to the finish line.
But this was not just about President and Vice President. This was about restoring the Democratic Party to a position of power to enact the legislation we must have to help move this country in the right direction. Millions of us in every state, took to the phones and the streets and the web. We rallied, we phone banked, we pounded the pavement knocking on doors. We talked to our neighbors, friends and business associates. We raised hundreds of millions of dollars, much of it five dollars at a time. And we did this for candidates on the Democratic ticket all across this nation.
We broke our backs, lost our voices, and some of us lost friends or other relationships, so that we could have a majority in both Houses, as well as regaining the Presidency. We gave you a huge majority in Congress and a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate. We handed you the reins on a silver platter!
We did this because our party ran on what is perhaps the most important Domestic issue in many of our lifetimes; Health Insurance Reform. With people filing bankruptcy, losing their homes, and dying every single day from our broken and corrupt system, we don’t have the luxury of time to wait any longer.
You have a grave and serious responsibility before you. NOW is not the time to cave in to the Republican party! You don’t have to! You have an obligation to do the job we sent you to Washington to do – pass Health Insurance Reform, and to do it as you promised you would, with a strong PUBLIC OPTION.
To say that I am perplexed, to say that I am stunned, to say that I am angry would all be understatements. You have allowed Republicans to take over control of the message and hijack this legislation. Their constituents get to go to sleep at night knowing their representatives are fighting tooth and nail on their behalf, while we Democrats go to bed wondering why on earth we worked so hard to put you in the majority, when you’re letting us down when we need you to stand up for us the most!
Make no mistake, this legislation is going to be “make or break” for our party. If you can’t get it done when you have control of the Administration, the House of Representatives and the Senate, what’s the use of working to keep you there in the next election cycle(s)? You seem to have forgotten that you work for us – the people who put you in office, not the Republicans.
While I respect the concept of bi-partisanship, there comes a time when it simply must be abandoned. And in fact, I contend that if you show the Republicans that you will pass legislation with or without them, and they get a bill they don’t like, then next time they’ll be more likely to work with you so their voices are heard, won’t they?
It’s time.
Progressives, and even moderates in our party have to start putting the screws to the "Blue Dogs" who are looking more and more like the "Blue Cross Dogs" every day. And to those of you who are the "Blue Dogs", don't forget that you are Democrats. You ran as Democrats, you won as Democrats, and you have an obligation to legislate as Democrats, not moderate Republicans.
President Obama, you need to wrest back control of this message, and if necessary, write your own legislation and make sure it gets passed instead of passing the buck.
Democrats in Congress, you have the power. Use it.
Or lose it.
Sincerely,
Jill K
Redondo Beach, CA
Total Comments 12
Comments
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THank you.
It sums up what needs to be said.
GeechiePosted 08-17-2009 at 09:21 PM by Geechie North
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Damn, girl! I was feeling the same rage. What do they think 60 votes means? Our problem is the Blue Dogs - not the GOP. However, if they give in on this, the GOP will lie and cheat twice as hard next time because it worked.
Great post.Posted 08-17-2009 at 09:55 PM by idahogie
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I was in support of Dennis Kucinich during the primaries, because anybody that introduced thirty some odd articles of impeachment against The Bush Crime Family deserved all the support that they could get. I supported Obama during the elections and now I am so pissed that Obama and Congress are not drawing the line in the sand and telling the Republicans and the Blue Dogs to go straight to hell! Many of us are enraged and rightly so. Don't they realize that they will be ousted from office by the same people that worked their tails off to get them in??? I heard somebody say today that maybe Hillary would have been tougher in this health care issue. Who knows. It's crazy. Thanks for the post.Posted 08-18-2009 at 11:54 AM by sickofnyc
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Well done, Jill! You've expressed what many of us are feeling...frustrated and angry. We did work our tails off to be certain that a new and different administration would take the country in a different and better direction. To allow that hard work and genuine good will be overshadowed by the small radical right-wing fringe would be disastrous for our citizens. Now, let's all get off our tails and follow your good example by contacting our own representatives. Excellent incentive, Jill! Evenstar51Posted 08-18-2009 at 04:05 PM by Evenstar51
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You have put my feelings...and those of my entire family ..into words. To me this is the hill on which the party either lives or dies. If they back down on this issue I will go to my grave believing it is because the lobbyist paycheck was more important to them than their country. And I will never vote for anyone who folds on this issue...whether president, representative, or senator.Posted 08-18-2009 at 04:18 PM by LML
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Thank you guys so much for all your wonderful feedback.
As an update, I not only used the White House website to email this to them, but yesterday I FAXED it to them so they have it in hard copy. Check out the fax confirmation -
It's posted here, as well as on my blog at Organizing for America, and I've registered for accounts at Kos and Huffington, so I can post it there, as well.
And I also faxed it yesterday to Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York. He was on Hardball with Chris Matthews yesterday and became my new hero. He strongly spoke exactly what we've all been saying. So I included a hand-written message to him at the bottom, thanking him for working so hard for us and imploring him to continue to put the pressure on his colleagues. His fax number isn't listed on his website, so I called his office and they gladly gave it to me. If anyone else wants to send him a note of thanks and encouragement, his fax number at his Rockaway district office is 718-520-9010.
Info on Congressman Weiner.
I'm also compiling a list of district fax numbers for every Democrat in both houses of Congress. As soon as it's complete, I'll upload it to Google Docs and share it with everyone here.
Thanks again, everyone! You guys rock and help keep me inspired!
JillPosted 08-19-2009 at 09:57 AM by Jill61
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Such a great letter! You hit it on the nose! Use it or lose it!!!Posted 08-19-2009 at 02:32 PM by helenejen
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Here is another place where likeminded people are trying to be heard. You might enjoy getting in touch.
Login | FacebookPosted 08-19-2009 at 10:55 PM by LML
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What a super letter! We should all use it as a model in writing to our elected representatives.. I cannot believe how the media has hijacked this issue and turned it on its head. Shame on all those dems who aren't fighting harder to make health care reform happen..
(If it wouldn't put so many thousands of folks out of work, I'd vote to get rid of the health insurance companies altogether!)
Excellent, excellent letter...Posted 08-22-2009 at 01:46 PM by SarahSal
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May we use this letter? I would love to send something like this, but could never write anything so perfect.Posted 09-16-2009 at 04:59 PM by Tek_Freek
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I am sorry you are so brainwashed. My condolences for the extreme hate you hold within.
Posted 01-11-2011 at 10:49 AM by pokegama1973
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Simply outstanding!
Posted 11-20-2012 at 09:58 PM by AksarbeN
