Dear President Obama,

[Stinky The Clown]

I am so proud of you. Congratulations.

No doubt there will be millions of us yelling out suggestions to you. Making demands. Each of us our own little special interest group.

So, without apology, I am Stinky The Universal Health Care Clown.

I am watching news of GM as the once mighty titan of all things automotive gasping in what may be the initial death throes. And that's horrible. For them and for the entire country. Sure, there's lots of blame to go around. But we simply can't afford not to have them survive.

The thing that comes up for me as I watch them suffer and writhe is their own hope that after 2010 they will be on better financial footing because their healthcare obligations to the UAW will be less.

Isn't that striking. A line item in their labor budget is killing them.

So how how will it help them? They won't be paying as much for their worker's health care. But that has to mean their workers will simply get less healthcare.

No one wins in that equation, Mr. President.

No one.

The needs won't be reduced. The cost to render the care won't be reduced. The heart transplant won't cost less.

Mr. President, you and I both know one thing. We are in this together. All three hundred and six million of us. One for all and all for one.

Healthcare can no longer be the province of the privileged. Or even of the employed. It is an unfunded right of every citizen. If I were able to pool my money with the money of GM and its employees, then we'd all be just a bit better off by spreading the costs and the benefits a bit further. And if we could then pool that with the employees of Ford, and Exxon, and the federal government, and the City of Wasilla, Alaska, and the employees of the dry cleaners down the street ..... you get the idea.

We would all pay less.

And GM would be in a better position to to do what they do - build cars.

Maybe I'm not a special interest group, Mr. President.

Maybe I'm just Stinky the Citizen Clown.

You've heard all these arguments before, I am sure.

Your first hundred days would be the perfect time to start a program so bold as this.

Tell Sasha and Malia a rescue dog will be the best one in the world. Look for one with big, brown eyes and a waggly tail. That's what we did. Twice. They're both bundles of love, even when they track mud in the house and knock things over with over-exuberant tails.

I wish you the best, Mr. President.

With warmth and hope.

Your *fellow* citizen,
Stinky

[Cerridwen]

1. Great letter, Stinky!

K & R from over here.

:kick:

:hi:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. Here you go --

Washington, DC Office
713 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
[phone]
[phone] fax
(202 228-1404 TDD
http://obama.senate.gov/contact /

Chicago Office
John C. Kluczynski Federal Office Building
230 South Dearborn St.
Suite 3900 (39th floor)
Chicago, Illinois 60604
[phone]
[phone] fax

[But....]

3. It be a great first step...

towards fixing some many problems:bounce: