The letter I just sent to Obama

Dear President Obama,

I am writing to urge you to stand firm on your commitment to create a government-run health plan. Imagine how the American people would react today if you took away Medicare and Medicaid. The “keep government out of my Medicare” protesters at town hall meetings indicate that people don’t want Medicare changed (failing, of course, to recognize the irony). The same political opponents to government-run health-care now were opposed to Medicare then – and they were all wrong then and they are wrong now.

The free market has radically failed health-care. Health insurance companies operate like organized crime syndicates – but instead of the Godfather kissing you as a signal that you must die, the insurance company simply refuses pre-authorization. Insurance companies are the real death panels. One effective way to fix the failed insurance system is to challenge them with a health-care plan which does not have a profit motive (and therefore does not have any motivation to deny care).

I recently lost my job. Fortunately, I was able to be added to my husband’s relatively good insurance plan – technically a government-run plan as my husband is an employee of the State of Arizona. I do not know what I would have done if I had not had that option. While I am relatively healthy, without a job there is no way I could pay for health insurance premiums let alone health care.

The American health-care system as it current exists expensive, over-priced, and inefficient and is a significant barrier to economic growth (anyone who thinks employee health care costs are not added into the costs we pay for goods and services is a fool). Personally I would prefer the elimination of private insurance all together and the adoption of a Canadian or European style universal single payer system. I recognize that is an impossibility but a government-run plan is not. Please stick to your principles on this one – it’s a big part of why I voted for you.

Sincerely,
drmeow

Politicians generally promise whatever they perceive is need to get your vote. You voted and you don't get to unvote. Next time if you will agree to vote for him, or her, the promise will be that this time the previous promises will really, really be kept. The next time it will be different. That's how it goes and why, as Democrats we learn to live with disappointment except when we are occasionally thrown a bone.

that your reply comes across as incredibly patronizing.