I had been avoiding actually writing them since I live in pretty conservative country, but I figured I should go ahead and do it even if it wouldn't do any good. Below the fold is the letter I sent to Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R), Sen. Mel Martinez (R), and Sen. Bill Nelson (D).
I tried to frame the topic in a little bit more of a conservative friendly way... playing up how a real free-marketer would not be afraid of a little competition. I know they probably won't care, but at least I did my part.
I guess I'm just posting this to try and get anyone else who hasn't bothered to write or call their representatives to go ahead and do it. We need to make some noise.
The topic was one from a list.
Americans should pay more for universal health care
Ok, that topic is a bit of a canard, because anyone with half a working brain could look at the rest of the civilized world and realize that a single-payer system is actually cheaper, and thus Americans would pay less if we had real universal health care.
However, since that doesn't seem to be an option this time around, I am writing to voice my strong support for a full, robust public option.
I am a strong believer in the free market, and think that it's a very powerful tool. And if a private system is truly superior, it should have no problem competing with a full public system and winning. I always hear how the private companies will be run more efficiently and effectively, and I think it's high time we test their mettle and make them prove it.
See, I never trust a company that tells me it just isn't fair if they have to actually compete. That just means they're scamming you.
I want a robust public option for an honest test of which method is superior. I don't want us to trigger that option based on rigged criteria that will never be met. I don't want to hamstring the public option by weakening or removing it's competitive advantages. That's nothing but a bunch of bullshit trying to protect the private companies from real competition.
So I'm writing you as one of your constituents that lost his employer-based insurance in April (and was never particularly satisfied with it anyway) to let you know that I hope you will support a full public option in health care reform. It's time that Congress started working for the people instead of the lobbyists.
Sincerely,