An Open Letter to "the gang of six"

I have long believed that even in the most corrupt among us an ember of real concern for what is right sill burns. I believe this also of each of you who are now in talks to write a bill for health care reform.

I do not intend to play dress up and disguise the truth: those of you who do not support a robust government option oppose it for one reason and one alone. Quite frankly you oppose the public option because you have been given large sums of money by the private health insurance industry and are beholden to your corporate masters.

You know the facts. You know very well how private insurance companies destroy people’s lives. They deny care to make their investors and CEOs and those like you who take their lobbying money very rich. Because of this, millions of people die and millions more go bankrupt or become buried in debt.

You also know very well that only a strong public option can stop the destruction and abuse heaped on people by private insurance. Cooperatives will do nothing. Of course you already know this, which is why you proposed them instead of a public option.

I am not writing to give you the facts. You know the facts. You know why the American People need a robust public option. I am writing to ask you to remember that you are not only politicians but human beings. Does the money you receive from your corporate masters really matter more to you than the lives and prosperity of millions of your fellow citizens?

Our lives upon this earth are very brief and in that brief span of time we all know pain, sorrow, grief, loss, and despair. It has long seemed to me that is the part of every man and woman to alleviate as much of the pain and loss and grief of others as we can. To actually do what is right for our fellow human beings, to help rather than hurt them ... this alone makes life truly rewarding and worthwhile.

As elected officials with the power of shaping a Health care bill you are each in a unique position to either help or harm your fellow human beings; your fellow Americans.

I urge you in the name of all that is decent, of all that is sacred; in the name of what is right and good and beneficial to your fellows ... PLEASE when forming this bill do what in your heart and soul you know is right. Do not do what will make you and your corporate masters even more wealthy.

Include a robust public option in your bill. You owe it to the people you were elected to serve, you owe to your own humanity.

Sincerely,

Matthew D. Wion

Note: here is a little video poscript for some factual background on the Public Option -