Two years ago people from numerous organizations tried to visit Congressman Vern Buchanan's Sarasota office to express to him why many Americans wanted us out of Iraq. Only one office staffer would listen. I can't post the video due to format, but it's worth checking out:
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/news/watch/v996586xDEFZkra
I sent the following letter to my congressman. Next stop, the Huff. Ha.
"As this debate has raged on, I have kept an eye on what you have had to say, Mr. Buchanan. I attended your town hall meeting in North Port this past summer, and I have been dismayed at your use of fear and sound bytes to exploit the anger and distrust your constituency already feels.
Understand, I despise the legislation being considered, at least in its current form. But I am fully aware that the bill as it emerged from the Senate Finance committee has been shaped by the misinformation financed by the likes of Cigna and peddled by people like you. This entire debate has sickened me, and the insurance companies and their stockholders, those who have long profited from the pain, suffering, and deaths of their fellow Americans, have watched and rubbed their long, cold, corporate fingers together in gleeful anticipation of exactly the type of bill that seems to be forthcoming. I almost expect such behavior from the corporate system, but the "I've got mine, so screw you," attitude I hear from the conservative public is the hardest to handle. They don't see that they are one bad illness or accident from being on the other side of this argument.
What bothers people like me, Vern, is that you folks in your comfy seats in D.C. (as well as those in the upper ranks of state government) enjoy the best health insurance coverage in this country. You do not have to pay a major portion of your income to purchase it, and yet your income is so high that you don't really need the insurance except in the most dire of circumstances. Meanwhile, kids like my 18-year-old son are unable to afford college, kids like my 19-year-old can not get health insurance because they have no jobs, and you are perfectly willing to encourage your constituents to financially support sending them both off to fight two wars that we should not be fighting.
In short, you and your boys support facilitating the deaths of scores of kids from America, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and you support putting even more money into the pockets of the shareholders of insurance companies. You do not support making health care for all Americans possible, and I, therefore, do not support you.
I have many, much less "nice" things to say about your positions on this matter. But I realize that the likelihood of anyone of any importance reading this letter is slim to none, and I feel that I should exhibit more class than that shown by many of your supporters at that town hall meeting. Suffice it to say that I am sorry that I voted for you, and it is a mistake I will not make twice."
Some interesting (relevant) links:
A decidely biased but enjoyable viewpoint
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Comments
Like you say though, some staffer will can it after reading the first paragraph. It's a sad country we live in nowadays. The special interests are so entrenched in Washington that I don't see how to get rid of them.
I read where their are six lobbyists for every Congress person in D.C. and they are spending $1.5 million a day just to defeat healthcare reform. I just have a hard time with all of it.
Rated~~