I wrote the following letter of support on the White House site just now. Everybody please do something to help, small or large -- we really need to make this change!
And if you haven't viewed the video of the eulogy for Sen. Kennedy yet on the NYTimes or White House site, please do so.
Alan
Dear President Obama,
I am getting up early on the Sunday after your eulogy for Senator Kennedy to send this message. Thank you for your touching, careful and personal message of tribute to this great and humble man.
Last year, while normally a person of very moderate politics both in intensity and in terms of range along the spectrum, I took a week of vacation and time away from my family to travel to walk and work as a campaign worker in another state to get you elected. Your message of practical government that is informed by high ideals and works on behalf of people led me to do this.
I support this message and was willing then, as I and my family are now, to help you carry it out, and to see the changes that we elected you to perform come true. Many of these changes have taken place: you and the people working for you have shone light into dark practices of the previous administration and started steps to correct them, moved us closer to the original and true heart of the nation in terms of being one that is governed by laws and supervised, as transparently and closely as possible, by representatives who are accountable and who report in a proper way to the people.
You have moved in a variety of ways to bring us as a country into a better set of relationships with the governments of other nations and with science-based policies with respect to issues in which science impacts public policy. Now, with respect ot health care, I would like to urge you to act and to move strongly to achieve the change that we elected you to do, keeping in mind that the American people (including me) voted strongly to change the character and balance of Congress at the same time and for similar reasons.
We cannot let a set of actions by the opposing party interfere with this program of legislation, and we have already given up too much in pursuing what appears to be a fruitless and hopeless mirage of bi-partisan participation in this change. Those of good will in the opposite party are, in my opinion, too much captured by the extremist fringe of that party to let their practical better instincts emerge, and will not cooperate in pursuing and implementing the change that this nation needs.
I strongly urge you and your colleagues and fellow elected officials in the House of Representatives and in the Senate to pursue the change that this nation needs in terms of health care AND health insurance reform -- two topics that are closely related but are not the same -- and to pass and enact legislation of which the late and greatly missed Senator Kennedy would be proud. I do not often express myself on public policy, but believe that this change is important. We cannot let the equivalent of vandals who are now operating in the public forum to slow down or derail the achievement of this change.
With great respect and thanks,
Alan Sill, Ph.D
Lubbock, Texas
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