NationStates Jolt Archive

So I was bored today, and so I decided to write my congressmen, Rep. John Shimkus, Sen. Dick Durbin, and Sen, Barrack Obama. Anyway i sent them an idea about creating a bill to help out the weakest americans(children, elderly and disabled) by giving them all free health care, minus dental and eye work.

here is my message to them:Dear Honorable Sen/Rep
Every election year I hear politicians speak about affordable health care, or prescription drugs. However, every year it seems like nothing is being done about the rising cost of health care, medicine, and other medical needs. I propose that you talk to your fellow congressmen about writing a bill that would protect the weakest of Americans from the money hungry pharmaceutical and insurance companies. This bill would include providing, at the minimum, free health care for all children(ages 17 and younger, elderly peoples(presumably retired), and also the disabled. This free health care would provide for free hospital and doctors visits, but not for visits dentist/orthodontist, optometrist, or to a clinic which deals with plastic surgery or other unnecessary medical operation. Now, I know that such a bill is a little difficult to fund. With that being said I propose the following to help pay for the health care:

-raise taxes proportionatly amongst the income levels. Ie, people making $500,000 a year would have to pay in more than those that make only 15,000 a year.
-cut some unnecessary funding and projects out of the budget, and use those monies to help fund this.
-start a national lottery, which would work much like state lotteries in that a certain ammount of money made of the lottery would be given to this program.
-have congress take a paycut. Lets face it, politicians make a lot of money, and they live very comfortably, while over half of the nation is without healthcare, or live in poverty. Why should the constituents, those that elect you folks, be made to suffer, while congressmen get a hefty paycheck from them? It doesn't quite add up. Anyway, the money saved from the congressional paycuts would also help fund this program.

Now, those are only several ways to make money, and I am sure there a lot more out there, but I am not that well educated on where to look for it. I honestly hope you look at this electronic message, and give an honest consideration to this idea. Thanks a lot for your time and service. If you have any questions about this idea, or wish to discuss it further, feel free to call or write back to me.

Sincerly,
Thomas Pigg

How much you wanna bet i don't get a response back? especially for the bolded part. Anywho, do i have at least a decent idea here? I mean, if we can't even provide free healthcare for the weakest among us, then what kind of nation is America?

Excellent work. If you get no answer, try sending more. Every week.

Excellent work. If you get no answer, try sending more. Every week.

I plan on it :D..If that doesn't work, then I will call. See how much they like me then :)

So I was bored today, and so I decided to write my congressmen, Rep. John Shimkus, Sen. Dick Durbin, and Sen, Barrack Obama. Anyway i sent them an idea about creating a bill to help out the weakest americans(children, elderly and disabled) by giving them all free health care, minus dental and eye work.

here is my message to them:

How much you wanna bet i don't get a response back? especially for the bolded part. Anywho, do i have at least a decent idea here? I mean, if we can't even provide free healthcare for the weakest among us, then what kind of nation is America?
You'll get a standard photocopied response.

I plan on it :D..If that doesn't work, then I will call. See how much they like me then :)
It worked in the Shawshank Redemption.

'free healthcare'

You're funny.

'free healthcare'

You're funny.


Yeah, i know, a natural born comedian here ;)

Yeah, i know, a natural born comedian here ;)
While I do agree with your last three points about cutting down on inefficiencies in the government, much of the rest I find quite unappealing, or couched in logical fallacy.

For example, the healthcare would most certainly not be free, but instead would be founded on the basis that other people are being coerced to pay for others healthcare.

Also, the rising cost of prescription drugs is also a fallacy. New drugs are expensive, of course, the firms who designed the drugs pumped millions upon millions of dollars into R&D, and they would rather like to get their investment back. These drugs would not exist without the tremendous investment that the pharmaceutical companies dump into the development of new drugs. That doesn't seem even remotely predatory to me. At the same time, the price of already existent drugs is falling. Older drugs like Penecillin are cheaper that they have been at any time in the past.

Don't those people already get free health care (minus dental and eyes)?

Anyway the two tier system is exactly what's wrong with the US. Why not propose actual health care for everyone, you know, like the working poor who don't fit into one of your catagories etc.

Don't those people already get free health care (minus dental and eyes)?

Anyway the two tier system is exactly what's wrong with the US. Why not propose actual health care for everyone, you know, like the working poor who don't fit into one of your catagories etc.


Well, if it was offered as health care for all, then it wouldn't get passed, but you get something like this passed, it sets the precedent for future change in the health care system

*lets Smunkee reply for Ruffy*

Well, if it was offered as health care for all, then it wouldn't get passed, but you get something like this passed, it sets the precedent for future change in the health care system

Actually, it's exactly the opposite. Nobody wants to disturb the benefits they already have. The insured don't want to give anything up. Nor do the elderly (on medicare), or the poor (on medicaid).

Besides which, we already pretty much have what you describe in place, and have so since the mid 1960s more or less. I don't see universal healthcare because of it.

*lets Smunkee reply for Ruffy*
Laziest post evar.

Actually, it's exactly the opposite. Nobody wants to disturb the benefits they already have. The insured don't want to give anything up. Nor do the elderly (on medicare), or the poor (on medicaid).

Besides which, we already pretty much have what you describe in place, and have so since the mid 1960s more or less. I don't see universal healthcare because of it.


I suppose I just want America to be more...Europeanesque... in this sense.

Don't those people already get free health care (minus dental and eyes)?

Anyway the two tier system is exactly what's wrong with the US. Why not propose actual health care for everyone, you know, like the working poor who don't fit into one of your catagories etc.
Because Americans don't like other Americans that much?

Laziest post evar.
Lies!

I plan on it :D..If that doesn't work, then I will call. See how much they like me then :)
What you should do, is send a script to the server their email is stored on, that would duplicate an email over and over...

On a more serious note:
my state already has that, maybe you should work to get it done in your state first then worry about a national level.........that's just my 2 cents though.

Lies!Most obvious sarcasm ever.

my state already has that, maybe you should work to get it done in your state first then worry about a national level.........that's just my 2 cents though.

You'll never get a response back, you wanna know why? Becasue even though they are democrats, they're not pro socialism. and thats exactly what you just asked for. Socialism. You seriously just sent the world's most capitalistic congress a message requesting that they overhaul the entire economic system and revert to the next step before communism. HAHAHA.

How much you wanna bet i don't get a response back? especially for the bolded part. Anywho, do i have at least a decent idea here? I mean, if we can't even provide free healthcare for the weakest among us, then what kind of nation is America?


If you're okay with getting a stock response, go ahead. If you call, you'll just talk to an intern from college, and chances are he or she will be too preoccupied with the upcoming exam to care.

WHO HERE CAN SAY


SOCIALISM????

WHO HERE CAN SAY


SOCIALISM????
I don't think we have any Cuban's on this board.

So I was bored today, and so I decided to write my congressmen, Rep. John Shimkus, Sen. Dick Durbin, and Sen, Barrack Obama. Anyway i sent them an idea about creating a bill to help out the weakest americans(children, elderly and disabled) by giving them all free health care, minus dental and eye work.

here is my message to them:

How much you wanna bet i don't get a response back? especially for the bolded part. Anywho, do i have at least a decent idea here? I mean, if we can't even provide free healthcare for the weakest among us, then what kind of nation is America?
You'll get an answer. How they answer is a big clue to who should get your vote in the next election. I wrote a letter to my two Senators and Representative. I got the most lucid answer and a follow up phone call from the Rep's office, a semi-personal response from the Republican Senator and a form letter from the Democratic Senator. I didn't vote for Mr. Cleland in the next election, nor did many others.

You'll get an answer. How they answer is a big clue to who should get your vote in the next election. I wrote a letter to my two Senators and Representative. I got the most lucid answer and a follow up phone call from the Rep's office, a semi-personal response from the Republican Senator and a form letter from the Democratic Senator. I didn't vote for Mr. Cleland in the next election, nor did many others.

I take it you voted for Saxby Chambliss?

I don't think we have any Cuban's on this board.


but im sure there are some french, and they are all happy about being europe's last socialitic country.

I take it you voted for Saxby Chambliss?
Actually, I voted for the Libertarian party candidate. I can't remember his name, but I don't typically vote Republican, except for John Linder.

Why exclude dental? Does anyone realize how many health problems, from heart disease to brain abcesses, are caused by untreated dental problems?

"Free" health care is a laudable idea, but, until you can persuade your fellow Americans that it should be funded by everyone, not just the already overburdened middle-class, it won't happen.

Also, the quality of "free" health care questionable. Would the elderly, disabled, children and working poor really have access to everything they needed, or only to "basic" health care. We already have a situation where only the wealthy have access to everything. Those of us covered by insurance have our options severely limited by the bottom-line mentality of the insurance corporations, I suspect that something like that would happen with free health care - the mind-set would be "they don't pay for it, so they should be happy they get anything" instead of "whatever it takes to insure a healthy population."

Actually, I voted for the Libertarian party candidate. I can't remember his name, but I don't typically vote Republican, except for John Linder.

Oh. I was too young to vote by the 2002 elections, and I don't remember how people felt about Cleland then, other than the Republicans were on a roll.

"Free" health care is a laudable idea, but, until you can persuade your fellow Americans that it should be funded by everyone, not just the already overburdened middle-class, it won't happen.

Rahm, the guy who's working on the Democrats current equivalent to the R's 'Contract with America' from 1994, has basically said that the political will does not exist anywhere in the US to even consider the issue of universal health care.

Why exclude dental? Does anyone realize how many health problems, from heart disease to brain abcesses, are caused by untreated dental problems?


Because we are american. Don't you read our popular press? Everyone in this country is genetically blessed with perfectly pearly whites. Only green toothed 'yuropeens' need dental care.

but im sure there are some french, and they are all happy about being europe's last socialitic country.
In'ts socialistic. The private citizens control the means to production. Besides, if any European country is going to be falsely labled "Socialist," Sweden would be a much better candidate.

Oh. I was too young to vote by the 2002 elections, and I don't remember how people felt about Cleland then, other than the Republicans were on a roll.
I think Max was the victim of his own bad decisions, rather than anything that the Republicans could have done. His steadfast support for unionization of the TSA was a part of his undoing. Cleland chose to be a Democrat first and a Georgian second. Miller, on the other hand, represented the state very well. The one guy I really miss in Georgia politics is Sam Nunn. He was someone that could be counted on to do the right thing, no matter what the party politics were.

Because Americans don't like other Americans that much?

Well there is more than a grain of truth in that.

I'm to lazy to look up which district you're in, but I'm from Illinois to. I've never gotten a response from Obama. I've gotten several from Durbin. Most of the time, it's a standard template response that isn't even associated w/ what I wrote about.

The one time I got an actual response w/o multiple harpings was about tax breaks for purchasing emergency supplies after the Katrina fiasco. Since that would decrease reliance on the Gov't, he obviously was opposed to it.

Actually, I'm amazed that people even write to congressmen. I would have thought that feng shui had a more realistic chance of sucess.

Actually, I'm amazed that people even write to congressmen. I would have thought that feng shui had a more realistic chance of sucess.


Well, even if it means nothing,( like a non-Daleycrat vote in Illinois), I can still make my opinion heard and knwo that I'm doing my part.

Well, even if it means nothing,( like a non-Daleycrat vote in Illinois), I can still make my opinion heard and knwo that I'm doing my part.

I make my opinion known by not participating. When eventually enough people stop participating, the asshats in government can no longer claim to be the legitimate representatives of the people.

I don't see any other option to defeat the current two party kleptocracy.

Actually, I'm amazed that people even write to congressmen. I would have thought that feng shui had a more realistic chance of sucess.
It actually does have success on a regular basis. It's just that no one ever writes their congressman because they so cynical about the process. I've had one or two good correspondences with my Representative, Ralph Regula, and he's not exactly a small fish.

It actually does have success on a regular basis. It's just that no one ever writes their congressman because they so cynical about the process. I've had one or two good correspondences with my Representative, Ralph Regula, and he's not exactly a small fish.

You got him to change his vote on something?

You got him to change his vote on something?
I was able to get my viewpoint across to him, and if other people would do the same more often it would help greatly. One time I actually wrote to him in support of CAFTA, although I was probably supporting the same position as he was prior to my letter...so no change was affected.

I was able to get my viewpoint across to him, and if other people would do the same more often it would help greatly. One time I actually wrote to him in support of CAFTA, although I was probably supporting the same position as he was prior to my letter...so no change was affected.

See, that's how it seems to me. If you support the position they have already adopted, all well and good. If not, so sad too bad. It's not that they won't correspond. I've had some very nice letters back from state and federal politicos about cablevision (I wasn't the only one either) but cablevision > voters, so nothing happened.

(Of course satellite TV came along, and now cablevision is screaming like a stuck pig about having no customers.)

Plus, at the end of the day, these guys owe a lot of allegience to their parties too. And the party policy on either side doesn't reflect anything like common sense. So fuck 'em all I say.

I make my opinion known by not participating. When eventually enough people stop participating, the asshats in government can no longer claim to be the legitimate representatives of the people.

I don't see any other option to defeat the current two party kleptocracy.

I make my opinion known by participating. When enough people participate, the politicians get the clear idea that we care and are watching them. When people don't participate, the government, understandably, feels that they can get away with murder because no one gives a damn. Vote, damn you! Vote early, vote often. Protest, yell, scream, make sure that representative government does not go down without a fight.

I make my opinion known by not participating. When eventually enough people stop participating, the asshats in government can no longer claim to be the legitimate representatives of the people.

I don't see any other option to defeat the current two party kleptocracy.

I make my opinion known by participating. When enough people participate, the politicians get the clear idea that we care and are watching them. When people don't participate, the government, understandably, feels that they can get away with murder because no one gives a damn. Vote, damn you! Vote early, vote often. Protest, yell, scream, make sure that representative government does not go down without a fight.

I make my opinion known by participating. When enough people participate, the politicians get the clear idea that we care and are watching them. When people don't participate, the government, understandably, feels that they can get away with murder because no one gives a damn. Vote, damn you! Vote early, vote often. Protest, yell, scream, make sure that representative government does not go down without a fight.

That assumes the system works. It doesn't, so, no thank you.

That assumes the system works. It doesn't, so, no thank you.

If the system doesn't work, it's because apathetic people refuse to make the effort to make it work.

That assumes the system works. It doesn't, so, no thank you.
If you participated, it would work a little bit more. But why am I wasting my breath? You did not vote, you do not get to bitch about the current regime.

If the system doesn't work, it's because apathetic people refuse to make the effort to make it work.
People seem to think that our government improves as we decrease the effort we put into it.

I'm to lazy to look up which district you're in, but I'm from Illinois to. I've never gotten a response from Obama. I've gotten several from Durbin. Most of the time, it's a standard template response that isn't even associated w/ what I wrote about.

The one time I got an actual response w/o multiple harpings was about tax breaks for purchasing emergency supplies after the Katrina fiasco. Since that would decrease reliance on the Gov't, he obviously was opposed to it.


Im in district 19, Representative John Shimkus' of Collinsville is my Rep. And My father and I have worked closely with Durbin before, hopefully a little name recognition will allow him to honestly answer me.

If you participated, it would work a little bit more. But why am I wasting my breath? You did not vote, you do not get to bitch about the current regime.


Assuming that your vote is even counted, or matters. *cough* Florida 2000.

People seem to think that our government improves as we decrease the effort we put into it.

It also doesn't help that this congress has spent the least ammount of time in session than any other congress in all of US history, and, when they are in session, they're voting and debating on issues that don't matter, and never any of importance.

It also doesn't help that this congress has spent the least ammount of time in session than any other congress in all of US history, and, when they are in session, they're voting and debating on issues that don't matter, and never any of importance.


Well our gov't probably is one of the worst in the world, in terms of being efficient and getting crap done.

Well our gov't probably is one of the worst in the world, in terms of being efficient and getting crap done.

True, I mean, even the Nazis got things accomplished with efficancy, unlike the current administration, or practically the whole executive, and legislative brach.

Well our gov't probably is one of the worst in the world, in terms of being efficient and getting crap done.
North Korea? Wait, it gets the things it wants done at least.


Somolia?

North Korea? Wait, it gets the things it wants done at least.


Somolia?

they DO get things done, though they are evil, no-dought, but they get them done. they have work ethic.

If you participated, it would work a little bit more. But why am I wasting my breath? You did not vote, you do not get to bitch about the current regime.

I'm not bitching about the current regime. I'm bitching about the system. There is a difference. (To which my non-participation is directly related).

If there is actual consitutional debate, I'll be the first one there. In fact, if there is even a slight chance of there being actual constitutional debate, I'll get involved.

Otherwise, no. I'm not giving those assclowns my tacit approval.

So I was bored today, and so I decided to write my congressmen, Rep. John Shimkus, Sen. Dick Durbin, and Sen, Barrack Obama. Anyway i sent them an idea about creating a bill to help out the weakest americans(children, elderly and disabled) by giving them all free health care, minus dental and eye work.

here is my message to them:

How much you wanna bet i don't get a response back? especially for the bolded part. Anywho, do i have at least a decent idea here? I mean, if we can't even provide free healthcare for the weakest among us, then what kind of nation is America?
You probably lose their attention as soon as you attacked their paycheck. Nice try though.

You'll never get a response back, you wanna know why? Becasue even though they are democrats, they're not pro socialism. and thats exactly what you just asked for. Socialism. You seriously just sent the world's most capitalistic congress a message requesting that they overhaul the entire economic system and revert to the next step before communism. HAHAHA.
Canada has universal healthcare and I wouldn't exactly call us a communist country. :p

If the system doesn't work, it's because apathetic people refuse to make the effort to make it work.

No the system doesn't work because: Voter turn out is largely irrelevant, its a fixed two party state, the number of representatives for the size of the population is far too small, the barriers to entry for independant candidates are far too high.......

You think swapping republicans for democrats is change. That is your right. I don't however.

my state already has that, maybe you should work to get it done in your state first then worry about a national level.........that's just my 2 cents though.

I don't see any reason to have any laws like this at the national level. It bugs me to no end when people go running to Washington with their newest idea for some new social program when they could just do it in their states. I'm quite in favor of social programs at the state level, but Uncle Sam has no business in such things. Partially because I don't like the "one size fits all" approach, and partially because Uncle Sam has what I call a "reverse Midas touch" in that everything he touches turns to shit.

'free healthcare'

You're funny.


Why not? Other countries have it. In Ireland if you are below a certain wage you will get health care for free, now you might be waiting a while to get it, but its better than nothing.

So I was bored today, and so I decided to write my congressmen, Rep. John Shimkus, Sen. Dick Durbin, and Sen, Barrack Obama. Anyway i sent them an idea about creating a bill to help out the weakest americans(children, elderly and disabled) by giving them all free health care, minus dental and eye work.

here is my message to them:

How much you wanna bet i don't get a response back? especially for the bolded part. Anywho, do i have at least a decent idea here? I mean, if we can't even provide free healthcare for the weakest among us, then what kind of nation is America?

Not the European kind. Certainly not the Cuban kind.

I don't see any reason to have any laws like this at the national level. It bugs me to no end when people go running to Washington with their newest idea for some new social program when they could just do it in their states. I'm quite in favor of social programs at the state level, but Uncle Sam has no business in such things. Partially because I don't like the "one size fits all" approach, and partially because Uncle Sam has what I call a "reverse Midas touch" in that everything he touches turns to shit.


Well what if a really poor state like...West Virginia, can't find effective and affordable ways to brin forth sucha program?

Why not? Other countries have it. In Ireland if you are below a certain wage you will get health care for free, now you might be waiting a while to get it, but its better than nothing.
I'm making fun of the comment that it's free, it isn't. You're just pointing a gun at someone else and making them pay for you.

See, that's how it seems to me. If you support the position they have already adopted, all well and good. If not, so sad too bad. It's not that they won't correspond. I've had some very nice letters back from state and federal politicos about cablevision (I wasn't the only one either) but cablevision > voters, so nothing happened.

(Of course satellite TV came along, and now cablevision is screaming like a stuck pig about having no customers.)

Plus, at the end of the day, these guys owe a lot of allegience to their parties too. And the party policy on either side doesn't reflect anything like common sense. So fuck 'em all I say.
I know that both of my Senators have bucked the party line in very visible arenas. Both Voinovich and DeWine have come to signify major pains to the R's on several things.

Well what if a really poor state like...West Virginia, can't find effective and affordable ways to brin forth sucha program?
raise your state taxes, move money from other areas, fund raise, get government funding for you state program........all of these are options.

If I remember correctly our state health insurance (that's for children under 19, adults over 19 who have family planning needs, disabled people, and retired people who aren't eligible for medicaid) is run under medicare/medicaid money, that's federal money for a state program, it just takes some budgeting.

So I was bored today, and so I decided to write my congressmen, Rep. John Shimkus, Sen. Dick Durbin, and Sen, Barrack Obama. Anyway i sent them an idea about creating a bill to help out the weakest americans(children, elderly and disabled) by giving them all free health care, minus dental and eye work.

here is my message to them:

How much you wanna bet i don't get a response back? especially for the bolded part. Anywho, do i have at least a decent idea here? I mean, if we can't even provide free healthcare for the weakest among us, then what kind of nation is America?
You'll get a form letter that might even be somewhat distantly related to the topic you were concerned about. That's about all I ever get back.

So I was bored today, and so I decided to write my congressmen, Rep. John Shimkus, Sen. Dick Durbin, and Sen, Barrack Obama. Anyway i sent them an idea about creating a bill to help out the weakest americans(children, elderly and disabled) by giving them all free health care, minus dental and eye work.

here is my message to them...

How much you wanna bet i don't get a response back? especially for the bolded part. Anywho, do i have at least a decent idea here? I mean, if we can't even provide free healthcare for the weakest among us, then what kind of nation is America?


I say good on you. I doubt you'll see an immediate response, but keep trying. Nothing tried, Nothing gained.