Disappeared News

by Larry Geller

Dear Michelle,

Glad to get your email. I especially liked your empathy for the “daily struggles now confronting so many families.” Yes, many, many families are in deep trouble.

So may I ask a favor?

I think you know that many of those struggles can be attributed to so many families losing their homes or jobs, and also their medical care. You know that the cost of paying for medical care can bankrupt a family, then they lose their homes. I don’t need to tell you this, I know.

What most Americans want and most doctors want, according to poll after poll, is single-payer health care. In fact, A new poll by the New York Times and CBS News has found that 72 percent of Americans support the government creating a public healthcare plan, similar to Medicare, which would compete with private insurance plans. That is: single-payer.

If your husband hasn’t seen that poll yet, I wonder if you could circle it in the paper and put it in front of his morning coffee tomorrow?

The insurance industry lobby is swarming around him like flies, and he hasn’t dared to swat a one of them. In fact, it was reported today that he may be willing to drop the so-called “public option.”

How would it feel if the flies won?

If businesses small and large are relieved of the burden of paying for health insurance, then they will be more competitive, and so many jobs will not be lost. That’s why the Canadian auto industry will survive even as the US auto industry fails, for example. You can mention this to him also, because you said you care about our daily struggles.

Unless something is done for the people instead of for bankers, conditions in this country are going to get worse. By election time, 2010, there could be a backlash against Democrats who have supported insurers and bankers over the needs of struggling Americans. Congress could swing Republican. That could put an end to your husband’s chances of hanging in there for another four years.

In the end, we’ll all lose. So please spread some of your compassion around the household, and get Barack to do what’s right for the people.

I emailed him myself about this, but so far he hasn’t replied. He just wants me to contribute money.

Guess what—I’m tired of bate-and-switch politics. No more money until he begins to deliver on his campaign promises.

Sorry to have to say that, but we citizens, even if jobless, even if houseless, still have the power of the vote. I’d hate to see the Republicans regain any of the hard-fought ground we stand on now, but all they have to do is promise a chicken in every pot on Fox News, and many people will be persuaded.

So go in there and yell at him, would you? Wake him up.

Thanks
--Larry

Permalink posted by Larry @ 6/24/2009 02:52:00 PM