The President of the United States Replies to My Letter on Health Care!

The President of the United States Replies to My Letter on Health Care!

On August 10, 2009 I wrote a letter to the White House’s new Reality Check Web Site regarding the Health Care Bill(s) and posted a thread on Above Top Secret here.

This was my original letter to the White House:

I would like to point out in reality that there is no finalized version of a Health Care Bill to get the facts on.

As a critically minded non-partisan citizen I feel it is disingenuous to claim that this site presents facts when in reality there are no facts to present, since there is no finalized Bill.

While partisan politics allows for emotionally charged public relations efforts that claim to be factual, critical thinkers would actually like facts.

Without a finalized Bill ready to be voted on by Congress and the Senate there is absolutely no credible way to portray these efforts on the behalf of either the left of the partisan political divide to claim anything is factual at this point, or the right of the political divide to claim anything is factual.

I would dare to say that what has caused such rancor that middle of the road Americans and critical thinkers find so distasteful is for either the right or the left of the partisan divide to claim anything based on fact when there is no Bill in finalized form to view, dissect and comment upon.

Both parties are basically just waging a public relations campaign to be either for or against something that doesn’t exist.

It’s just plain foolish and it really does make the claim of ‘change you can believe in’ absolutely nonsensical.

This is not transparency in government as there is no Bill that is up for vote on to present the facts of.

This is a transparent attempt at public relations simply aimed at saying you can trust the Administration to do the right thing.

The people of the United States of America should get to decide what is the right thing based on real facts on a real Bill and the Government really ought to get serious about producing a real Bill first and then presenting it to America instead of simply gauging through public relations if they can simply garner enough support to vote any Bill through, without letting it be dissected by the American public first.

It’s politics as usual in Washington D.C. and in the White House and it really is not change or transparency except in the level of effort being put into public relations and pretending there are some facts involved which are in fact not involved since there is no Bill.

It’s shameful.

Today September 17, 2009 a little over 6 weeks later I got this form letter from the President in reply:

Dear Friend:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I have heard
from countless Americans struggling to afford health insurance and
health professionals striving to provide care. I appreciate your
perspective.

There is broad consensus among the American people on
the need for affordable, high-quality health care. The rising cost of
health care is the most pressing financial challenge for families and
for our Nation, and controlling this cost is essential to bringing
down the Federal deficits we inherited. We must end unfair
insurance practices that leave millions of Americans without
coverage, denying them access to care, and exposing them to
extraordinary burdens. And we should ensure that all small
business employees have access to affordable, high-quality health
plans so that we can make our economy--and our small businesses-
-more competitive. Now is the time to move forward, and I am
working to get health insurance reform done this year.

Since I took office, we have done more to improve health
care than we have in the previous decade. In February, I signed
H.R. 2 to provide coverage for millions of children through the
Children's Health Insurance Program, and I signed the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act to make key investments in
computerized medical records and preventive services.

Still, more must be done to lower costs, expand coverage,
and improve the quality of health care. My 2010 Budget makes a
major down payment on health insurance reform by implementing
efficiencies in government health care spending while improving
the quality of care. To help fulfill the debt we owe to our service
men and women, it includes the largest proposed single-year
increase in veterans funding in 30 years. It expands health care
coverage to an additional 500,000 veterans by 2013, implements
technology that eases the transition from military care to veterans'
care, and enhances screening and treatment services for those
suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic
Brain Injury.

Looking forward, there are tough choices to be made, and I
will seek to bring employers and workers, health care providers
and patients, and Democrats and Republicans together to create a
system that delivers better care and puts the Nation on a
sustainable, long-term fiscal path. To learn more about my agenda
or to share a personal story, please join me online at:
www.healthreform.gov. For further information on health care and
assistance that may be available to you, you may call 1-800-
FEDINFO or visit: www.usa.gov.

I share the sense of urgency that millions of Americans have
voiced. I watched as my ailing mother struggled with stacks of
insurance forms in the last moments of her life. This is not who
we are as a Nation; together, we will fix it.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama


To be a part of our agenda for change, join us at www.WhiteHouse.gov

Of course it’s a form letter; of course it does not acknowledge, take into consideration or respond to my own concerns written to him.

What I find funniest though and most interesting of all, is what the heck does this guy do for a living as NOTE: He did not sign it as President of the United States!

Just as Barack Obama, anyway I will let my own original letter, and his own reply speak for them selves as I just continue on with my endless journey of floating through a sea of light and darkness.

Its such a nice system. Send a personal message, get a ad for health care back.

I would just like to point out to the Hope and Change crowd, that if your hope was that the occupant of the Oval Office would ever personally consider or acknowledge what the random average American has to say, that this incident, my letter to the White House and the President's response shows once again that our representatives at all levels of Government do not even read, or consider what the average American shares with them, except to use it as a platform to advertise their own ideas, and will and decrees.

My U.S. Senator and Congresswoman one a Republican one a Democrat always answer my letters similiarly by ignoring what I have written because they have never read it, and simply replying to my address with that they want to do and why, and encouraging me and thanking me for agreeing and wanting to do the same, even though my letters are always on the actual opposite side of their agenda and what they want to do.

This is how our government works for we the people. It does what it wants and you can talk at it, but not to it.

Originally posted by Copernicus

Its such a nice system. Send a personal message, get a ad for health care back.

Laugh out loud that's the size of it, and because I invited the response it's not SPAM!

No high crimes and misdomeanors here, just more of the same shoddy government!

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


Proto, of course you will!

The thing I admire about you, aside from your illuminated, knowing perspective, gentile manner, and impeccable good tastes, is your innate ability to be like sand in the crack of your foe's asses.

I wish you well, and many, many chaffings!

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

What I find funniest though and most interesting of all, is what the heck does this guy do for a living as NOTE: He did not sign it as President of the United States!

That's odd.
UHOH

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


Imagine all the people who write letters, hoping theirs would be the one that he reads.

I bet they all are getting this letter in return. Its a brilliant move on their part, because it isn't SPAM if they were invited to reply.

SPAM thats not technically SPAM..............genius.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

My U.S. Senator and Congresswoman one a Republican one a Democrat

I too wrote to Obama, to Bush, to state Senators, I made phone calls,

I actually don't know what these people do.

Originally posted by dooper
reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

 

Proto, of course you will!

The thing I admire about you, aside from your illuminated, knowing perspective, gentile manner, and impeccable good tastes, is your innate ability to be like sand in the crack of your foe's asses.

I wish you well, and many, many chaffings!

Ah thank you for your kind and gracious words my good friend Dooper. Isn't it funny that these tyrants don't understand or appreciate that if you don't answer for things in one way, you will ultimately be made to answer for them in another?

That's just what I do, and it's letters and responses like this that display and demonstrate if you just give people enough rope they will hang themselves!

Thanks buddy, you are the best!

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler
at least you get and answer. My Senator, Blanche Lincoln, and my representative, Marion Berry, don't bother answering any correspondence.
At least Mark Pryor sees that I get some sort of answer, even if it is a form letter. (Surprisingly, the letters often answer my questions, so at least someone is paying a little bit of attention.)

[edit on 9/17/09 by niteboy82]

reply to post by Stormdancer777


I know what they do, the day starts out with a sensible but well prepared and presented breakfast usually at a fine dining establishment, club or on a deluxe five star hotel room balcony.

Then it's an endless non-stop parade of phone calls while pouring over the days news, accounts and ledgers. People to be bribed, bribes to bank, fees to collect and pay, tavel plans and appointments to be made and juggled.

Then it's on to the Golf Course or Racquet Ball Court for some exercise!

Then it's time to pretend they aren't lingering in the showers and locker rooms for some sexually deviant purpose.

Then it's on to the office to grope and oggle some interns take a few more calls, give a few marching orders and then it's time for LUNCH!

This of course is another long drawn out sit down affair in some upper crust place where once again consideration is given to blood pressure and colesterhol levels but emphasis is placed on presentation, quality and ambiance as well as exclusivity!

After a good mid day heavy meal it's time for a massage, a rub down, and a rendezvous with your mistress or lover!

Some shopping might be in order before or after, depending on whether you are treating them, yourself, or both!

Then it's back to the office to grope some more interns and oggle them, take a few more phone calls, arrange to recieve a few more bribes and then off to the Club for some afternoon cocktails, watercrest sandwiches and cribbage or backgammon or billiards.

This is a particuarlly stressful time of the day because you don't want to over eat and ruin your appetite for your dinner out at a 4 or 5 star restaurant before taking in a first run show or art exhibit.

As you can see it's a day frought with a lot of hard work, tedious stress and deprevation that starts early and ends late.

Thank goodness we have the best government money can buy!

I think the President should have some weekly radio show where people can phone up and speak with him about any issue, whatever they want.

I'll be honest i don't understand the whole thing going on over there about health care, but it's nice to see you taking the time to do a letter and standing up for your principles and speaking out.

Again it's a shame you just get some half assed "reply."

But i suppose it would be difficult for the president to respond personally to every citizen's concern.

On second thoughts give him his own reality show. Anyone seems to be able to get a reality show over there these days, so why not the President?

At Home with the Obama's!

Should be a laugh! I am sure they get up to all sorts of crazy antics!



[edit on 17/9/09 by Kram09]

This just confirms that the days of writing and emailing our 'leaders' are over.

It's time to step thing up a notch.

My .02

reply to post by niteboy82


Thank you for asking as I do appreciate that.

I would like a cushy work at home job as a Czar, the Czar of Working at Home! My job would be to officially encourage people to work at home to…??? Save gas!

Of course with sharp answers like that I would be worth every penny of my high six figure salary, government car and driver and unlimited expense account and Government American Express Card!

I of course would also need to be reimbursed for all wardrobe and dining expenses because working at home should never mean not dressing to impress the walls!

Of course I would like to be granted the highest top secret clearance so I could impress all my friends here on Above Top Secret with all the secrets I had been given access to!

I would also like a Government Jet because as a smoker I can’t fly commercial since they don’t allow smoking and even if they did I wouldn’t want to subject myself to that dehumanizing and humiliating homeland security at the airports.

A front row seat to all speeches that involve joint sessions of Congress would be nice too.

Oh and an unlimited supply of Snow Caps, I love Snow Caps, the sugar from the beads on top really mix well with the bitter sweet dark chocolate.

Of course I would appreciate my own teenage interns to ogle and grope and a couple of Secret Service Body Guards that could ensure I always get quick and priority seating at all restaurants.

Other than those few trivial things there is really not much I would like for the President to do for me!

Hey feel free to pass this along ok?

Thanks friend.

Originally posted by jd140
reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

 

Imagine all the people who write letters, hoping theirs would be the one that he reads.

I bet they all are getting this letter in return. Its a brilliant move on their part, because it isn't SPAM if they were invited to reply.

SPAM thats not technically SPAM..............genius.

In reality that was all it was, is a means to cull even more email addresses from the public to send out their advertisements to, and this letter is nothing short of an advertisement.

reply to post by kettlebellysmith


If you are getting any kind of a consistent response that at least half addresses what you wrote you have a better representative than most.

What I don't get if you can frame a sales pitch in a form letter for those who were already in favor...

It stands a reason you can anticipate or know the objections on any given issue from a sampling of letters objecting and at least create a form letter for those who are objecting, by listing the objections and why you feel your official position is wiser...they don't even bother to do that, which would be better than just pretending everyone who writes is in agreement and of like mind.

Thanks for the post.

reply to post by Kram09


Years ago I used to be in the Travel Business and handled the accounts of several Congress People, Senators, White House Personnel and other top ranking Officials.

All of these people are well staffed, and people of minor importance would actually get a personal response from a staff member, people of importance would get a response from the Cheif of Staff of that Office, and people with true importance would either have their call taken directly by the representative or recieve a call back promptly from the Representative.

They actually break their constiguents down in categories and respond to them based on their value in the electoral and patronage departments,

Originally posted by lucentenigma
This just confirms that the days of writing and emailing our 'leaders' are over.

It's time to step thing up a notch.

My .02

Emerill steps it up a notch, we probably need to step it up a few friend...

Maybe even a half dozen!

reply to post by niteboy82


Nobody said or expects him to answer every letter from the American people.

If true, I am happy with the 10 a night that he says he reads and answers.

What is funny is that his administration is spamming those who write to him.

Would you rather get a piece of spam mail that doesn't begin to address your letter, which in turn shows that you were ignored or would you rather not getting an answer at all?

I rather them save the paper. Its a good thing they don't pay postage, imagine the tax dollars that might be spent sending out spam mail.