An Open Letter to Senator Lieberman

Dear Senator Lieberman,

I wrote to you a few weeks ago expressing my concern over your statements regarding current healthcare legislation. This was through your website’s contact form and as such a passive form of communication may not have received the attention I thought it deserved. I received, promptly at least, a standardized response from a staffer that explained to me that because I was unfortunately not one of your constituents you would not be able to respond.

I became complacent, assuring myself that I had done what I could and was heartened when, shortly after, theHill.com reported that a deal had been reached by you and Senator Reid whereby you would not  join a Republican filibuster. However you have now come back out on television stating that you do in fact plan to do just that! Either the sources quoted in The Hill’s article were unreliable or you are grandstanding in order to shine a spotlight on yourself.

It would be irresponsible of me not to take you seriously at your word so I have decided to write you again, hoping for a more substantial response. Brushing me aside because I am not a constituent is being purposely obtuse. True, that while I may not be able to currently cast a vote for or against you, your actions in the senate regarding this bill will directly affect me and millions of other Americans in and out of Connecticut. The fact is, even though I may reside in another state, my opinions on healthcare reform and the public option in particular are in lockstep with the people of Connecticut! So if it helps, consider the following letter as if it came from one of the 68% of your state who want the public option.

Senator, your threats of joining a Republican filibuster in a crusade against the public option are completely unacceptable. As a man who is constantly at odds with himself over what he campaigns for and what he later works towards, it should come to no surprise to me that campaign-Lieberman was in favor of extending government healthcare plans and creating a more universal healthcare program. Now senator, you can’t even bring yourself to vote for the Baucus bill that had no public option and you are now saying that “nothing” would be better than a public option. Even worse, the filibuster you are now hanging over America’s head was something you called “unfair” in 1994.  It seems that you are willing to compromise on almost everything that falls out of your mouth. Even after being a Democrat your whole life, you couldn’t allow something like losing a primary stop you from keeping your job and now the world is blessed with the presence of the Connecticut for Lieberman party. During the same campaign in 2006 you stated your intention to “…elect a Democratic president in 2008.” Fortunately, your infamous reversal on that promise was probably your most spectacular failure.If anything good can be said about the Bush Presidency, it’s that it prevented you from becoming our vice president and possible 2008 incumbent.

Regardless of how you act when the time comes for voting on healthcare reform, I have already learned the important lesson. I will donate to and campaign for any progressive that runs against you. You have already proven yourself to be the very stereotype of the career politician who would rather feel “relevant” than make the right decisions.

Senator, it’s time to think about where you want to fall in history with healthcare reform. Do you really want to be remembered as an enemy of legislation on the level of FDR’s New Deal and LBJ’s Great Society? Or worse yet, the one responsible for yet another failed attempt for America to lose its status as the only industrialized nation without public healthcare? Healthcare reform and the public option are supported heavily by the American public. Healthcare reform and the public option are supported heavily by your fellow Connecticut residents, no matter how “confused” you believe them to be. Public healthcare has been tried and has succeeded in numerous nations. The public option is self-funded and wont contribute to the deficit. It will keep private insurers honest and insure millions who do not currently have insurance.

You have already signed-off on, and were eager to contribute, the deaths of thousands of Americans by voting for the tragedy that is the Iraq War. Do you really want to allow for more by keeping millions from adequate healthcare? So no, while I’m not a constituent of yours, neither is Aetna or any other insurance industry leader. You have a responsibility that doesn’t include collecting lobbyists’ dollars ($2,395,369 in donations from the health sector and $1,033,402 from the insurance industry) and expects more than “just enough” to get reelected. While this criticism may have been harsh, please consider it in your deliberations on this matter. Please do not join a Republican filibuster. Please vote for healthcare reform and for the public option.

Thank you for your time.