Another political plea

So hey, everybody. It’s been two months and you deserve better. I was actually thinking of a putting a post up saying I’m gonna go on hiatus indefinitely, just in case anyone was still checking. But then congress went and starting fucking everything up, so instead, here’s some political boringness.

Basically, here’s an email I just sent to one of my senators, Ben Cardin. I’ll probably just copy-n-paste it to Senator Mikulski and Congressman Cummings, too (though Cummings rocks my health-care world, having signed on to the Conyers-Kucinich HR 676 years ago).

Naturally I urge you all to write or call or email your representatives to let them know how you feel about the health care legislation that’s starting to turn out so awfully. Unless of course you disagree, in which case: do us all a favor and keep it to yourself.

[For those who aren't vigilant about this: the thing that's making me seriously depressed every morning and afternoon--seriously, I'm getting very upset about this--is that from what I'm hearing/reading, the ideas of changing the way our health care system works has gone from not even hearing what single-payer advocates have to say to let's have a public insurance option to keep the private insurers honest, to okay, yeah, so the public thing isn't gonna happen because of these Blue Dog Democrats (and naturally the oh so smart, oh so caring Republicans), so maybe you'll get to form some co-ops or something.]

Dear Senator Cardin,

Please, please, please don’t vote for any legislation being proposed in the Senate that does not include a public/government option. At this rate, it’s the least lawmakers can do to appease those of us who desire real change in the way health care works in our country. For the record, I’d like to see a single-payer system, but have calmed my anger about being denied that option down to a “well, at least we’ve got the public option” attitude.

I’m 29 years old, and have had Type I diabetes for 18 months. I know that for the rest of my life, I’m going to depend in a very intense way on doctors and medicine if I’m to stay alive and healthy. Right now–and especially in this economic climate–I feel like I’m living with no safety net. If I were to lose my job and thus insurance, it would be a matter of months before I’d be both diabetic and broke. And it’s months, rather than weeks, only because of money that could be going toward a house, a new car, any of the things people invest their savings in when they aren’t waiting for that catastrophic combination of medical bills and no insurance.

I’m one of the people that President Obama talks about: I’m happy with my health insurance. However, I’m afraid of the power that such a corporation holds over my life, especially as someone with a “pre-existing condition.” I think that the very reason some people are so furious about the thought of a government option is that it really will force private health insurance companies to undergo the changes necessary to make health care about health, not money.

Speaking of money, in terms of taxes: be they directly on health premiums, or taken out of something else, or on private insurers, I’m okay with it. I don’t mind paying more taxes to help other people who otherwise can’t afford health benefits. Also, as someone putting more than my share of the financial burden on the medical system, I can stand to put more in the pool.

Thank you for already being a supporter of real health care improvement, and especially for being vocal about a public option. Now, frankly, I expect you to hold to those views and vote accordingly.

Thanks,

Greg Storms

It was the best I could do sitting in my hot car at work, sweating my ass off, knowing my phone could ring and I have to stop at any time, ten years after taking Persuasive Argument in college. I feel like every time I’m listening to the news on the radio, or even listening to crazy batshit drive-me-to-punch-a-hole-in-my-windshield WBAL hosts, I have great arguments and points all lined up in my head. Then when it comes time to actually try to convince somebody, I have nothing.

So: it’s all very confusing, it’s all very complex, if it weren’t for the fact that the Republicans are going to use the time to shred the bills to pieces and shore up support against everything good that was going to happen, I’d say it’s actually good that our elected officials would have August to actually read the bills. At any rate, all I know is it now sounds like nothing at all is going to change. Your life is still going to be decided by a corporation that only cares about profit.

Have fun!