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Dear Mr. President and the administration:
I have been a steadfast defender of you and your policies with everyone, even my girlfriend. We most recently got into a debate about the Health Care Reform process.
I defended the president and said that he is going around the country to build support for his plan for Health Care Reform. The members of Congress are the lawmakers now, I told her, so they have to be convinced by their constituents (us) to build the right plan. I told her that President Obama is trying to build support for just that.
HOWEVER...
At this point, you stand on the edge of losing progressive and liberal supporters like me when it comes to Health Care Reform.
First, I heard of a deal with the drug companies to reduce price increases by 2% over the next 10 years. That is something, but my question to that is...Aren't we trying to keep them in check in the first place? Why would we even allow them to raise prices in the near future anyway?
Second...This is MOST CRUCIAL...
Now I have heard that the White House is backing away from the public option, which would force the private insurers to seek honest practices if they wished to remain in the black ink zone.
President Obama, you and members of your administration (cabinet) are saying that the public option is not a crucial part of or is not the only part of Health Care Reform legislation.
My question to all of you in response to that notion is: What are you offering us as a means to stop the gross profiteering of the private insurance and drug companies?
How will you keep the private corporations in check and make them realize that they are in the Health CARE industry, not the Health for PROFIT industry?
How can you let Health Care Reform legislation be continually watered down to the point where, ultimately, the corporations and their profits win and the American people who are struggling and need this (myself included) don't.
I worked very hard to elect you, Mr. President. I know of so many people who did just the same. We believed in you and your ability to bring change to DC. You called on us to believe in our ability to bring change, as well.
So, as a progressive, liberal, uninsured American who believed in you, I call on you to help us believe in you again!
Please bring back the public option and stand strong for those who cannot stand against the giants without hearts!
Hoping for a principled response,
Asa Abraham Gregory
