This health care debacle has shown us all that a 10% lunatic fringe can hijack policy, common sense, and reason in this country. With word that the White House is considering dropping the public option, in lieu of the three-quarters of this country that actually wants it, we all need to start calling and writing the White House every day.
If we don't fight for this harder than we have ever fought for anything, we're going to lose our chance. And we may lose that chance forever.
My letter is below the fold:
I had considered myself an Obama-supporting republican at the beginning of the election cycle. The dog whistling, terrorist-evoking, racist and ethnocentric politicking of the republicans made me swear off the Republican party for good, though, and register myself as a Democrat. I donated to and volunteered fervently for the Obama campaign. I was excited about change, and about the conversation of this nation finally growing up.
Unfortunately, this health care debacle has the very real possibility of permanently losing not only my vote, but the votes of millions.
When someone (even if its a congressperson) goes on television, or gives a speech, where they outright lie, no one is coming out from the white house and saying, FLAT OUT AND EARNESTLY, that they are lying. For some reason, you don't feel the need to call a liar what it is. You skirt the issue. You calling it misrepresentations, call it sensationalism, call it baseless. But you don't call it a lie.
Start calling liars liars, Mr. President. Unfortunately, the media is not going to do this job for you. Over the last several decades they have stopped doing any legwork and now just report what politicians say. If you don't come out over the top on this and call it what it is (or have Mr. Biden do it), they are just going to continue to report the protests, and continue to flood the airwaves with talks of death panels and euthanasia. They are commentators, Mr. President, not reporters. Do not give them the respect they are not due. Take the action into your own hands and stop wondering when the media is going to do their job-- they are not. (Moreso, although this has nothing to do with health care specifically-- please stop treating foxnews as a news organization. It doesn't deserve it. It is a propaganda and lie machine.)
What's more, instead of pushing through the mandate the American people elected you with, a mandate of having a strong public option, you are GIVING IN TO THE LIARS. I had enough lies over the last 25+ years of my life. I've had enough progress in this country stunted by charlatans, special interest cronies, demagogues, and liars. Your presidency is the time to fight back. Or you just might find that generation you thought you cemented is running far away from you.
Bill Maher pointed out that, even with a minority, Bush pushed through almost every major policy he wanted. I understand you are going against the party of obstructionism- the party of no-- but it is time you actually FIGHT for the American people who put their money, time, energy, and blood on the line for you, Mr. President. It is time you buck up, and push something through that almost three-quarters of this country want. The 10% lunatic fringe isn't your constituency. The people who still think Dick Cheney was an outstanding vice president aren't your target market. It's the 50 million people (almost 20%) that don't have any health care. It's the additional 30 million people who lose their insurance for several months a year. It's the additional millions who don't have health care that can cover their families. It's the untold people who have insurance, but still don't go to a doctor because it's still too expensive. It's the crowds of people who get removed from their insurance policy for the simple act of getting sick. It's those people and their family and their friends who you need to fight for, Mr. President.
The Public Option is not negotiable. If you attempt to drop it to assuage people who think you are a Kenyan born terrorist who would never vote for you anyway you are doing yourself, your party, and, most importantly, this country a grave disservice.
Fight, Mr. President! Fight like your life was on the line!
I would love to fight for you. I was a national champion debater two years in a row. I was a very successful debate coach, as well. I would be more than happy to go on foxnews on your behalf and call things what they are. I would be more than happy to push back on talking points for you. Because, quite frankly, someone needs to. And it can't happen in 4 years. Now is the time for change, Mr. President.
I'd quickly like to thank one of the readers from Talking Points Memo on his tirade on the media, for giving me the idea to talk about the media as commentators.
Now is the time Kossacks! Let's get this done for our country and for our children.