Email I received from Sen Michael Bennet

[donheld]

The health care reform debate is raging intensely in Washington.

Unfortunately, the debate has shed more heat than light on the matter as talking heads fill the discussion with false facts and false choices. Those who favor the status quo would like us to believe that health care reform comes down to a choice between reform and economic prosperity, or a choice between compassion and cost-effectiveness.

Nothing could be further from the truth. As progressive Paul Krugman eloquently put it in his column last week, "when it comes to reforming health care, compassion and cost-effectiveness go hand in hand." Conservative David Brooks also wrote a column last week about the negative impact health care costs have on our economy. Brooks and Krugman rarely agree on anything, yet they both agree that the status quo is completely untenable and there is an urgent need for health care reform that controls costs.

Nevertheless, there are still people fighting for a system that produces higher costs, less coverage and is strangling our families and our small businesses. It isn't that we lack recognition that the system is broken, Brooks and Krugman showed that people across the ideological spectrum agree that it is. It isn't that the idea of change is a bad idea -- very few people would dare argue that keeping our current system intact is a long term solution to the problem. The problem is that it is much easier to avoid making difficult decisions and leave the work of solving this enormous problem for the next generation.

Like you, I thought we were done with politics as usual, and I am committed to tackling the issues we need to fix our system. The only way we are going to ensure that everyone has affordable access to medical care is if we put the rhetoric aside and talk seriously about increasing competition, changing the fee-for-service system, and stopping the practice of using our emergency rooms as doctor's offices.

For this to happen, the posturing needs to stop -- now is the time to commit to real leadership to deliver real health care reform. Every option, including a public insurance option, absolutely must be on the table as we tackle this crisis. And it's high time we stopped letting insurance companies deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions.

Thanks to the many of you, like Coloradans across the state, who have shared their thoughts on this with me. The examples of your struggles with the current system have been enormously helpful as we make the case for real health care reform.

We must continue, together, making the case for change.

Sincerely,

[Thickasabrick]

1. Awesome letter!! I like your Senator!!

[otohara]

2. Here's The One I Got re: 3 Cent Tax Increase on Beverages w/ F. Corn Syrup

We're talking 3 cents...Benett won't be supporting this, nor will many I suspect. I suspect the Coke, Pepsi lobbyists are throwing campaign dollars their way. Must keep people hooked on this crap to save jobs.


Dear I don't give a shit what you think,

Thank you for contacting me regarding a proposal to tax sugar-sweetened beverages. I appreciate hearing from you.

As you may know, the Senate is currently crafting legislation to reform and improve our nation’s health care system. As part of this process, Congressional leaders are considering a number of proposals to minimize the effect of such reforms on our federal debt. One such proposal would create a three cent excise tax per twelve ounces of a sweetened beverage. This proposal would raise almost $52 billion over ten years to fund health care reform.

Today, American children aged 2 to 5 are twice as likely to be overweight as they were in 1970, and those aged 6 to 19 are three times as likely to be overweight. In total, more than 9 million children and adolescents are now considered overweight. Obesity contributes to morbidity and premature death. Such trends are having a devastating impact on our health care system. If we can reduce our consumption of high-sugar soft drinks, we can make some progress in fighting obesity and reigning in health care costs.

I nonetheless understand your concerns that this proposal may be regressive and fall disproportionately on lower-income families. We also need to ensure that we protect jobs within the beverage industry.

In the weeks ahead, I will keep your concerns in mind as I continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to address the health care crisis.

I value the input of fellow Coloradans in considering the wide variety of important issues and legislative initiatives that come before the Senate. I hope you will continue to inform me of your thoughts and concerns. Not really.....




Sincerely,

Michael Bennet
United States Senator

[donheld]

3. So you want to tax the poor to pay for it?

How republican of you.

[optimal-tomato]

4. DU proves once again that liberals cannot present a united front on anything.

This is why we can't get anything done, even with 60 senators...

[donheld]

6. are liberals suppose to embrace any old idea that comes along

even when it's a bad idea?

[otohara]

5. I Want The Poor

to stop spending ANY money on that toxic shit, stop giving it to their kids, stop helping them feed their addiction to sugar, which makes them sick and fat. Drink water, it's free, thus they will save money, and so will the health care system. Just by breaking the soda and fast food addiction, people actually lose weight and feel better.

How liberal of me.

I want my Senator to care about the health of kids more than I do.