A mop is not always a M.O.P.

Dear President Obama,

Yesterday, as I went about my day as a M.O.P., I wanted to send you a mop*. (I still might, don't fret! In this time when our economy is doing so well and is "back from the brink," I just need to find the spare change for purchasing and shipping.) As our Nation approaches your 9th month in Office, I can only suppose that your mop is thread-bare. After all, as you have explained, you have been SOOOO busy cleaning up "other people's messes." Wow! I feel the same way, too! I have been so busy over the past 9 months as a M.O.P., trying to make sure that order, understanding, and truth are restored after messes from the outside seem to come into my home.

I will say, I was relieved to hear that you got Nancy on board to help. PHEW! I mean, I know how hard it is to clean up "other people's messes." To have some help, must really be a relief. I have tried to find help as well. It is amazing, however, that as I find others who are busy M.O.P.ping, I am told that they are "status quo" M.O.P.s, or that they are stupid M.O.P.s, or trying to M.O.P. when there was a reform vote for real mopping.

In light of all this mopping, I thought I would share some insights I have gained while M.O.P.ping. I thought it might provide help to you. As I have scrubbed - sometimes with strength and sometimes with tender care- I have found treasures below the surface of the grime that have taught me. It is when I have paused from my M.O.P.ping, to reflect upon the treasures that have stood for sometime -- treasures that have given other M.O.P.pers strength through generations -- I find resolve and the strength to M.O.P. on. I don't always want to M.O.P. faster, but with more diligence and more vigilance. I don't always want to remind others of my M.O.P.ping so I can receive accolades, but I want to M.O.P. on so other generations have a chance to M.O.P. as well. Oh, and one more bit of advice, remember that those nasty pieces of grime don't always come knocking on the door, you know! Sometimes, you have to look at the grime that is trying to be covered up, or snuck through the back door.

Mr. President, here is to M.O.P.ping! If you are in need of a new mop, you can let me know. Or, you can use this as a time to pause and think about the mess you are staring at: Is it truly "someone else's" and are you confident you are doing the correct mopping? Maybe other people are trying to help. I believe there are a lot of folks who have grabbed their M.O.P.s.

Remember, a mop is not always a M.O.P.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Jones
A M.O.P.
(Mother Of Patriots)

(Editor's Note: Here is the quotation to which this article refers: "Another way of putting it is when, you know, I’m busy and Nancy busy with our mop cleaning up somebody else’s mess –- we don’t want somebody sitting back saying, you’re not holding the mop the right way. Why don’t you grab a mop, why don’t you help clean up. You’re not mopping fast enough. That’s a socialist mop.Grab a mop –- let’s get to work." President Barrack Obama, October15, 2009)

The Effect of "Do-Gooders"

"Most of the major ills of the world have been caused by well-meaning people who ignored the principle of individual freedom except as applied to themselves, and who were obsessed with fanatical zeal to improve the lot of mankind-in-mass through some pet formula of their own...The harm done by ordinary criminals, murderers, gangsters, and thieves is negligible in comparison with the agony inflicted upon human beings by the professional 'do-gooders,' who attempt to set themselves up as gods on earth and who would ruthlessly force their views on all others - with the abiding assurance that the end justifies the means."

- Henry Grady Weaver, The Mainspring of Human Progress, pp. 40-41

Economy and Liberty

"To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must take our choice between economy and libery, or profusion and servitude." - Thomas Jefferson

Go PATRIOT Day!

“Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward. Freedom will be defended!”
- President George W. Bush, September 11, 2001.

Today is about freedom, liberty, self-sacrifice for our Country and overcoming Evil. It is a day about liberty above fear, Country above self, and patriotism above vitriol.

Fly your flags. Wear your patriotic colors. Observe a moment of silence. Pray. Pray for our Country the way we prayed 8 years ago today. Pray for the families who are still hurting with loss. Pray for our Country - who still faces Evil, in similar and different forms. Pray for our values as laid out in the Constitution -- the values that Patriots stand up and defend.

Don't change the meaning of the day. Don't forget the history that defines us as a stronger country and people. Live it with your rights and with all that is truly American.

Mrs. Jones

P.S. I know this makes the Post long, but here is a worthwhile read. It is the text of the Joint Resolution of Congress, designating and conforming September 11 as Patriot Day:

Joint Resolution Amending title 36, United States Code, to designate September 11 as Patriot Day. <>

Whereas on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four civilian aircraft, crashing two of them into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and a third into the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C.; Whereas the fourth hijacked aircraft crashed in southwestern Pennsylvania after passengers tried to take control of the aircraft in order to prevent the hijackers from crashing the aircraft into an important symbol of democracy and freedom; Whereas these attacks were by far the deadliest terrorist attacks ever launched against the United States, killing thousands of innocent people; and Whereas in the aftermath of the attacks the people of the United States stood united in providing support for those in need:

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF SEPTEMBER 11 AS PATRIOT DAY. Chapter 1 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``Sec. 144. Patriot Day

``(a) Designation.--September 11 is Patriot Day.

``(b) Proclamation.--The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation calling on--
``(1) State and local governments and the people of the United States to observe Patriot Day with appropriate programs and activities;

``(2) all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States and interested organizations and individuals to display the flag of the United States at halfstaff on Patriot Day in honor of the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001; and

``(3) the people of the United States to observe a moment of silence on Patriot Day in honor of the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001.''. [[Page 115 STAT. 877]] SEC. 2.

CONFORMING AMENDMENT. The table of contents for chapter 1 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``144. Patriot Day.''.

Approved December 18, 2001.

[Note on September 11, 2009: President Obama issued the required Proclamation yesterday, September 10, 2009. I am grateful that he asked us to fly our flags and observe a moment of silence. While I agree with him that service is important and that many choose to remember moments or loved ones through acts of service, I am sadden that his proclamation attempts to rewrite history and change the meaning of this poignant day in our Country's history. I will continue to serve others and donate to charities, much like I did prior to September 11, 2001. Additionally, I will use this day to remember something greater - what a Patriot is and what is America. ]

Because you can't even utter the words "Tort Reform"...

Dear President Obama,

I am sure you are not looking to me to give you accolades for your speech tonight. After much reflection, some of it gut-wrenching, I have condensed my emotions, thoughts, and feelings into a proposal. And, since you did promise to listen to "legitimate concerns," I figure I - as a citizen and not a formal "special interest group" - might have a shot. You said:

"...many in this chamber ... have long insisted that reforming our medical malpractice laws can help bring down the cost of health care. I don't believe malpractice reform is a silver bullet, but I have talked to enough doctors to know that defensive medicine may be contributing to unnecessary costs. So I am proposing that we move forward on a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first and let doctors focus on practicing medicine. I know that the Bush Administration considered authorizing demonstration projects in individual states to test these issues. It's a good idea, and I am directing my Secretary of Health and Human Services to move forward on this initiative today."

Here is my proposal:

I believe a reformation of health care is a multifaceted act, with no "silver bullet." I have talked to many doctors and small business owners to know that many things are contributing to unnecessary costs. So, I am proposing that we move forward on a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first and let doctors focus on practicing medicine. Please authorize demonstration projects on ANY facet of your proposed Health Care Reform in individual states to test these issues. I would recommend you direct your Secretary of Health and Human Services to more forward on such initiatives immediately. Once the demonstration projects have shown your three criteria (security/stability, insurance for the uninsured (who have proven to be legal citizens), and slow the growth of cost for all), and proven themselves to be self-sufficient and not cost taxpayers any additional money, then the projects may be put to individual bills for vote by the representatives of the American People (a.k.a. Congress).

I believe my proposal is legitimate. I believe this will help you, Congress, and the American people take responsibility. I believe you can gain some good stories, decrease scare tactics, and not be concentrating on your own short term political points.

Constant vigilance, that's my motto!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Jones

Gut Reaction to the Historical Joint Session Speech

HOW?!?

Even in your explicitly stated section on "How," you failed to mention "How."

So, thanks for letting us know the games are done. Thanks for providing the overview. Thanks for stating that it will not increase spending. Thanks for taking a stand and being the last President of our country EVER to have to deal with Health Care. Thanks for the oration. Thanks for speaking through the clapping. Oh, and one more thing, I look forward to thanking you when you explain...

HOW?!?

I planned on writing about your speech to America's school children, but...

Dear President Obama,

I was doing the unpaid work of living (translation: the dishes) and overheard your comments today on the radio to the AFL-CIO in Ohio. I was so taken aback by what I heard, I quickly checked on-line for your exact quotation. I had hope that the water flowing in my sink must have muddled my hearing. I know it has been a long day for you as well, but this is what you said (about Health Care):

"We've never been this close. We've never had such broad agreement on what needs to be done. And because we're so close to real reform, the special interests are doing what they always do-trying to scare the American people and preserve the status quo. But I've got a question for them: What's your answer? What's your solution? The truth is, they don't have one. It's do nothing. "

Mr. President, pardon my blunt nature, but WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN FOR THE PAST MONTH?!?

Have you listened to any town hall meeting? I have heard great solutions shared at many of them.

Have you read any letters sent to the White House, or just the ones that make for good stories for your Wednesday night speech or that reinforce your ego? I've been priviledged to read at least three and they had GREAT solutions and REAL concerns.

Read the Wall Street Journal Op-Ed page? I have and I think some of the ideas laid out (John Mackey, Whole Foods) are innovative, simple changes.

I consider these SOLUTIONS, not "do nothing."

You want me to tell you about "do nothing?" Where are you when it comes to standing up to the trial lawyer special interests? That's a "do nothing." Where are you when it comes to listening to and acknowledging those who might have a different opinion than you? That's a "do nothing" for you and your Press Secretary.

I have never been more engaged and less willing to "do nothing" than now. I want health reform that incorporates personal responsibility, free market principles, and innnovation. To me, that is what happened over 200 years ago on our very soil. That is American. I want to make things better for this country. I want solutions, too. But what I do not want is solutions dripping with backroom deals by elitists who think they know better because they have a "mandate for change."

You want to have change? Stand up for real Americans, not the special interest group you happen to be speaking to at any given moment. Stop flip-flopping on a "public option." Make the choice and accept the consequences. Consider actually listening to some of the other alternatives instead of belittling, isolating, and imagining those voices don't exist.

Sir, if today's comments were a preview of your comments on Wednesday to a Joint Session of Congress, I am disappointed. You said it yourself, in your speech today. And I quote "That's the reform we need. That's the reform we're fighting for. To put aside the partisanship. To come together as a nation. To pass health insurance reform now-this year." If I don't see a change in the mocking tone, the belittling word choice, and the partisanship on Wednesday, you will again reveal your true color - a yellow coward.

Best wishes in your next two days of speech-giving. Oh, and as frustrated as I may be, I will be there for BOTH events!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Jones

A Quotation Leading to Two Thoughts

"Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interest of his constituents, as the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate in their burdens. "

George Mason, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 14, 1778

Thought #1: To my representatives of BOTH houses of Congress - who have REFUSED to hold town hall meetings or meet with their constituents: I remind you -- there are still four days remaining until you must return to Washington D.C.

Thought #2: Term limits -- to remind those representatives of their interests, duties, and that they are not exempt from the results of their votes.

I Agree with Nancy and Hillary!?!

“I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration somehow you're not patriotic. We should stand up and say we are Americans and we have a right to debate and disagree with any administration." - Hillary Clinton

"Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American." – Nancy Pelosi

It is just too bad that they only scream first amendment rights when they feel threatened, not when an average citizen of this Nation chooses to express themselves.

An American Response to an "Un-American" Charge

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer,

Thank you for practicing your First Amendment rights and placing your viewpoint in an Opinion piece in the USA Today, August 10, 2009. I found your argument interesting. You provided nearly a century of history in a paragraph. You provided 3 "facts" in favor of health care reform/health insurance reform (both terms are interchanged in your piece). You put forth a plea for "civil dialogue." In response to your plea, I am writing to you this morning.

I find your account of history interesting. Understandably, your "history" is heavily shaded by your desire for a specific kind of health reform now. I will not argue with your dramatics as such. I merely want to qualify your article's first sentence. You wrote, "Americans have been waiting for nearly a century for quality, affordable health care. " I would counter that the absence of a government-controlled health care distribution system has powerfully enabled the astonishing technological advances that American health care has generated for itself and the world. A century ago, it is arguable whether recipients of the then available "health care" were more helped or hurt by it. That our physicians and nurses and other providers have so many effective tools and so much useful knowledge is largely due to enterprising Americans who might have been stifled by a top-down controlled system. Could it be more affordable? ABSOLUTELY! Could it have more quality? SURE! Yet, your dramatics ignore facts and their appropriate sources.

You presented three "facts" (I would call them "goals") for this debate. To recap, they are:

Goal 1: More Patient Choice
Goal 2: Cost cutting measures
Goal 3: Promoting Preventative Care, without paying a dime out-of-pocket

These goals are not ill-directed. In fact, I find them excellent goals. My challenges, and perhaps the challenges of many Americans, are the details you left out of your opinion piece. I believe that if you allow the market to work, you would find "innovation" and "more patient choice." Have you visited a maternity ward in a hospital lately? Many are better than fancy hotels! They are providing patients with choice while experiencing innovation.

As for the doctors you claim make decisions in order to benefit the insurance companies, I think you need to find a new doctor! Every profession has bad apples, but I have never heard of a doctor making decisions for an insurance company's benefit! I have been associated with the medical field for over a decade. I have met few doctors who are interested in their own gain. The majority of doctors I have met are interested in what is best for their patients. I have yet to meet one interested in the insurance company's gain. Your opinions may derive from the capitated health care providers that abound in California. It is funny how uncomfortable people get when they feel some monolithic controlling power is calling the shots for their healthcare. It sounds almost like governmental bureaucracy!

I think lowering cost is a fabulous goal. Lowering costs by restricting the freedom of choice is not a fabulous method. Additionally, a major cost in medical expenses relates to physicians making decisions to assure they will not be sued or will have gold-plated defenses if they are. Oddly, there is not one page of your proposal that addresses tort reform. This only demonstrates your lack of sincerity in lowering cost. Or, perhaps, it reflects your awareness of the rising costs of campaigns and the willingness of the Trial Lawyers Association to cover some of yours.

Finally, preventative care is a great goal. The reality is that nothing is free. The cost of not "paying a dime out-of-pocket" is merely accomplished by shifting funds from one government entity to another. In reality, we are still paying -- just from a different pocket, at a different time. Additionally, where is the responsibility clause? If patients are not given responsibility, and they do not accept it, your preventive care measure is dead on arrival.

Speaker Pelosi and Representative Hoyer, we could debate, even civilly, your facts all day. My concern is not the facts you laid out, but what you failed to address - the ramifications of the how. I am also concerned that as you find yourself in the "defender" category, you are quick to label, judge, and accuse. You are claiming ugliness now; yet, you have NEVER spoken against such tactics in the past. You have NO track record to allow me to believe your claims. Let me lay out some "facts:"

Fact: The current debate on Health Care Reform Legislation was first introduced on July 14, 2009.* We are less than one month into the debate. You wrote in your article that this fall you will achieve your reform goal. You also write, “...it is well worth the time it takes to get it right.” Your statements demonstrate your politics, not a genuine resolve.

Fact: You wrote "...it is now evident that an ugly campaign is underway not merely to misrepresent ...but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue. These tactics have included hanging in effigy one Democratic member of Congress in Maryland and protesters holding a sign displaying a tombstone with the name of another congressman in Texas, where protesters also shouted "Just say no!" drowning out those who wanted to hold a substantive discussion." Additionally, the Speaker also made accusations of "swastikas" at town hall meetings last week. These are many charges. Some have yet to be proven by your offices.

I recall many protests in which effigies of a former US President were displayed. Did I miss your outcry? I recall "shouting" and "drowning out" presentations by some bloodied pink ladies while a desire for "substantive discussion" by members of a former president's cabinet was occurring on Capitol Hill. I recall a senior member of the Senate "misrepresenting facts" and claiming "The war is lost." I remember a movie depicting the assassination of a sitting President of the United States. In reaction to each of these events, I do not recall your stating "...it is now evident that an ugly campaign is underway not merely to misrepresent...but to disrupt public meetings and prevent [the] conducting [of] a civil dialogue." Clearly, your credibility has no foundation for your currently fierce protection of civil dialogue.

When you decide to have credibility (consistently supporting or criticizing the first amendment rights of all sides, all the time), to lay out facts in their entirety (including cause and effect, the how, and consequences - good and bad), and be non-partisan in your laying of blame for the problem (not just doctors, not just insurance companies, but trial lawyers, special interests, politicians, and a desire to claim political victory) I am sure more Americans will be open to a civil dialogue.

I am anxious to watch your actions unfold during the August recess and in the fall. I am anxious for genuine desire and credibility.

Sincerely,
A Watching American

*Note: July 14, 2009 is the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. This date reminds us of the uprising of the oppressed over the ruling class. Beware of the dates you choose when planning "monumental legislation," because lately, you and other members of government have been looking increasingly like a privileged ruling class than like representatives of the oppressed.

The President vs. The Speaker

“I don’t want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking. I want them just to get out of the way…”
- Barack Obama, August 5, 2009

VS.

"Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American."
- Nancy Pelosi, August 10, 2009

Whom to believe? Mrs. Jones says "Neither!"

To: flag@whitehouse.gov

Dear Ms. Douglass,

I watched your web report and wanted to report some "disinformation." In the conversation I heard and watched, the question was asked "Do you think there is a legitimate grassroots efforts going on?" The response, from the Speaker of the House no less, was "They're carrying swastikas and symbols like that to a town meeting on health care."

To me, this conversation was "fishy." Since you have asked citizens to report when they "see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy," I thought you might want to follow-up with that comment. It is comparing a group of individuals to the evils of the Nazis. Additionally, there is no proof - anywhere - of its validity.

I hope this will be helpful to you as you "can't keep track of all of them here at the White House."

Best of luck in your "disinformation" quest, Ms. Douglass!

Editor's Note: The following email was also lovingly CC'd to the Speaker of the House. It was sent as a follow-up to a Voicemail left earlier in the day.

Quotation for the Week

"Men, to act with vigour and effect, must have time to mature measures, and judgment and experience, as to the best method of applying them. They must not be hurried on to their conclusions by the passions, or the fears of the multitude. They must deliberate, as well as resolve. "
-- Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, 1833

Courage and Honesty

Dear Senator Hatch,

As parents of young children, my husband and I are continually reminding our children of the importance of standing up for what one believes in. We try to teach our children that being honest to yourself and to God is more important than going through motions. In our house, we say "Stand up for what is right and run away." The running away part is not cowardly; it is to remove yourself from the bad situation and not become "tainted" by it.

I have appreciated your stance on the health care reform debate. Yesterday, I also was grateful for your standing up for what you believed in. I find that quality rare in political circles today.
Thank you for your example of courage and honesty.

Sincerely,

An appreciative citizen

Give an example, get an analogy!

Thank you, Mr. President, for giving a fabricated example tonight that will really help to build the trust and the all important relationship (the one you are "upholding" in your bill) between doctors and their patients.

President Obama: “And part of what we want to do is to make sure that those decisions are being made by doctors and medical experts based on evidence, based on what works. Because that's not how it's working right now. That's not -- that's not how it's working right now.Right now, doctors, a lot of times, are forced to make decisions based on the fee payment schedule that's out there. So if they're looking and -- and you come in and you've got a bad sore throat, or your child has a bad sore throat, or has repeated sore throats, the doctor may look at the reimbursement system and say to himself, "You know what? I make a lot more money if I take this kid's tonsils out." Now, that may be the right thing to do. But I'd rather have that doctor making those decisions just based on whether you really need your kid's tonsils out or whether it might make more sense just to change -- maybe they have allergies. Maybe they have something else that would make a difference.”

In return for your kindness, I have this analogy to help other Americans understand the all important relationship between citizens and their representatives.

Mrs. Jones: “And part of what we want to do is to make sure that those decisions are being made by politicians and experts based on evidence, based on what works. Because that's not how it's working right now. That's not -- that's not how it's working right now.Right now, politicians, a lot of times, are forced to make decisions based on the fee payment schedule that's out there. So if they're looking and -- and you come in and you've got a successful small business, or you have a good job, or you have repeatedly worked hard, lived within your means, and kept a good job, the politician may look at the tax system and say to himself, "You know what? I can do a lot more with their money if I take these earnings in taxes." Now, that may be the right thing to do. But I'd rather have that politician making those decisions just based on whether you really need your taxes raised or whether it might make more sense just to change -- maybe you are working so hard because they are redistributing your money. Maybe they have something else that would make a difference.”

On a medical note:
If I am taking my child to the doctor for a sore throat, I am probably seeing a pediatrician or family medicine doctor. Neither type of physician make a lot of money (they don't even meet your standard for rich). More important to your analogy, neither would be performing the surgery or reaping the monetary benefit. Finally, doesn't the bill include funding to encourage more medical school graduates to go into family practice or pediatrics? Good job leaving a bad taste in the mouths of those you are supposedly supporting.

On a personal note:
In my years interacting with doctors, personally and professionally, I have never known one to make a decision allowing their personal profit to override what they put forth, based on evidence, as the right step to take. I am sorry you have had such an experience and that this is your view of medical professionals.

Ultimately, I believe people are good. Ultimately, I believe doctors choose their profession to help others -- to serve. From your example, Sir, your true colors have shown and your mirrored reflection as a politician shines through loud and clear. Thank you. Thank you very much for this insight.

Press Conference: July 22, 2009

Dear President Obama,

Thank you for your press conference this evening. It was, as always, very insightful to hear you speak; because when you do speak, I hear the real you. After both watching the full press conference and rereading the transcript of the event, I do have a few thoughts to share:

1. While you might be shocked, I am still against the current state of HR 3200. This does NOT mean I am against Health Care Reform. I am against THIS reform, as a package. Some elements are a great starting point. I am sure the dialogue which you have organized has been enlightening. I am sure that great advances in the debate have been made. I still believe, however, that advances being made does not translate into, how did you put it, “stars aligning?”

2. Like many Americans, apparently, I, too, have written prior letters to you about Health Care. In case my previous letters have been lost in the shuffle of your Oval Office Desk, I wanted to clarify that “this debate is not a game” for me, either. And for this purpose, I “can't afford” for you not “to wait any -- any longer for reform.” I, too, am “counting on [you] to get this done.” I, too, am “looking to [you] for leadership.” So, why not stop the Washington game that you play so well and look at all the players in Health Care Reform. (You don’t even have to look at the stars, just see #3 for a hint!)

3. I am so glad you have organized so many meetings in Washington and have published the logs identifying White House meeting guests. I have found one group missing from those logs: the trial lawyers and their associations. I am sure it is not a coincidence that there is nothing related to Tort Reform or Medical Malpractice expenses in HR 3200. I am sure it was just those “stars aligning” again!

Until the next presser,

One who doesn’t wait for the stars when making choices

P.S. As you fly to the Cleveland Clinic tomorrow, a few things to remember: 1) Airline flights are great times for reading. Perhaps you would like to read and learn more about what exactly is in HR 3200. 2) The Cleveland Clinic has an office in downtown Toronto where they recruit patients from the Canadian Health Care System to come to Cleveland for procedures. Maybe you could ask them why they find that a profitable venture. 3) Remember: "Go Green!" and "We are in the worst recession in the past 50 years" -- Spend that money! Fly those planes!

"This isn't about politics" - Part II

Dear President Obama,

With all due respect, for the past 17 hours I have found myself a bit confused. I just wanted to clarify a few things:

1. “This isn’t about me. This isn’t about politics.” means that you needed to travel all the way to a Washington D.C. hospital (with all the Secret Service detail, all those cars, and use all those lights/cameras/microphones) not to gather information, but to have the right “stage” in which to tout HR 3200.

2. “This isn’t about me. This isn’t about politics.” means that you are still unwilling to confront the unions and especially the trial lawyers about the huge cost their “agenda” leaves on the medical system in the United States.

3. “This isn’t about me. This isn’t about politics.” means that you still want to ram this bill through without allowing the American people or their representatives in Congress to really read it, understand it, and discuss it.

4. “This isn’t about me. This isn’t about politics.” means that you are still not willing to use this same health care you are proposing for the American people for your own family and your Washington colleagues.

5. “This isn’t about me. This isn’t about politics.” means that you insist on ignoring the Constitution you swore to uphold just 6 months ago (please see the 10th Amendment).

If it isn’t about you and this isn’t about politics, what is it that you are afraid of?

Sincerely,

One who believes it is

"This isn't about politics" - Part I

To my Representative in the House,

From the news repots I am reading this morning, it appears that President Obama is arranging to meet with some, if not all, of the Blue Dog Democrats today, July 21, 2009. As you potentially meet with him, and as you definitely discuss the results of that meeting with your colleagues, please remember that just yesterday President Obama said, “This isn’t about me. This isn’t about politics.” I would encourage you to not cave on what you have stood for in this debate. Please hold your ground and remind President Obama, his White House pressure team led by Rahm Emmanuel, Speaker Pelosi, and even your Blue Dog colleagues, that this is NOT about politics.

I look forward to following your stance on this debate and am hopeful that the debate will linger long enough to allow you to come back to your district and have a town hall meeting on the subject. I am waiting anxiously to attend such a meeting with you.

Sincerely,

A voting constituent in your District

Quotation for the Week

"When I look down and see the prodigious fleet they have collected, the preparations they have made, and consider the vast expensed incurred, I can not help being astonished that [the British] should come 3,000 miles at such risk, trouble and expense to rob, plunder and destroy another people because they will not lay their lives and fortunes at their feet."

Joseph Reed, Chief Aid to General Washington, New York, Summer 1776

Dear President Obama...

I am growing increasingly unnerved at the attitude and sound bites coming from your administration and those who have been given the duty, by election, to represent us. My comments today are addressed to you and your White House sound bite team. I saw your press conference yesterday with the nurses. Please do not intonate that Americans support YOUR health care proposal and we all need to "buck up." We bucked up for you with the stimulus, with the omnibus spending bill, and with your budget. Please stop asking us to "buck up" because it fits your agenda, and not necessarily because it is what is best.

Do I believe our current Health Care system could and should be improved? Yes. I also see in the plans put forth that you are not serious about improving the quality and truly lowering the cost -- otherwise I would see tort reform included and unions paying their fair share. Please do not throw away what we have, even if it is not perfect in your eyes, so that you can place another jewel in your crown and tout it in 2012. Please buck up yourself - and take some heat from the trial lawyers and unions in order to do what is right for our nation. When you buck up, then you can ask me to do so, too. I will watch for your lead.

Sincerely,
A concerned mother and citizen