Letter On Healthcare 'Bill'

Following is the text of a letter I sent to Senator Feingold and Senator Kohl. For reference, see There Is No Baucus Bill, The Real Cost of the Baucus Bill, and Quinnipiac poll.

I cannot state in strong enough terms how disgusted I am that the Senate is planning on voting on the Baucus health plan as early as Tuesday.

This is not a piece of 'transparent' legislation, like we were promised by the current administration. This is not even actual legislation - it's a set of concepts. How can you vote in favor of this as early as Tuesday?

The latest Quinnipiac poll shows that 47% of Americans oppose the current health plan, while 40% are in favor of it. By a 57-37 margin, Americans do not want a bill that only Democrats support.

The Baucus proposal (again, not even actual legislation) will have a severe, negative financial impact on most of your constituents. As the CATO Institute points out, "The CBO scoring makes it clear that the Baucus bill's reduction in future budget deficits comes not from controlling government spending or reducing health care costs, but because of a rapid escalation in tax revenues."

It is hard enough to make ends meet. Your constituents do not need a "rapid escalation" in taxation. We will not forget who voted for these tax increases. (And yes, even if they're called something else, they are still taxes.)

How can anyone in good conscience vote for something that 1) the American people (and, indeed, the legislators themselves) have not been able to read ahead of time, and 2)will have such a massive, negative impact on so many?

Do NOT underestimate your constituents. We are angry that the federal government has already saddled future generations with insurmountable debt. We are tired of our viewpoints being marginalized by legislators who are supposed to be our servants. We are sick of stale platitudes used to justify dreadful legislation. We are fervently motivated to oust anyone who opts to put politics ahead of the interests of his constituents.