Dear Senator xxxxxxx

[scubadude]

Dear Senator _______,

I have several existing conditions and am looking for work. I am on my wife's insurance now but may be off of it soon. I am __ years old, a long way off from Medicare and Medicaid.

Here are my questions. Without cost control the existing conditions I have will make my insurance costs very high. What prevents the insurance companies from charging rates that I simply cannot pay? If I can't afford private insurance how will fining me for not having it help the situation?

A public insurance program is a necessity. Without strict cost controls no other system will work, period. I figure you are going to say, "This bill has strict cost controls", but the insurance companies are going to get around them. They will create worthless high deductible policies that end up being no insurance at all.

By passing this bill you have turned the average low income person into a slave to private insurance companies. My best option may be to accept the fines and go without insurance any way. How does this help me?

I have supported you in the past and want to continue, but you must provide a public option, it is the only way.

Sincerely, _________________

[Skidmore]

1. Now this is way more constructive than

holding your breath and playing footsie with people who would destroy everything. I can do this.

[still_one]

3. I second your point /nt

[Deep13]

2. Well, I wrote to Sherrod Brown and thanked him for his effort...

...despite the disappointing result. I told him as inadequate as the Senate bill is, it is still an improvement over the status quo and that I hope he votes for it.

I told Voinovich (R-OH) that his whole Senate career has been a sell-out to the insurance industry and that for once he out to do something for the public and support reform. I said no one wants to see him cry and say how much we need reform and then vote against it anyway like he did on the Iraq war.