Saxby Chambliss E-mail response...

Today I got a detailed (ready made) letter, addressing the questions I had for one of my Senators here in Georgia. I would like to share it with you, it is interesting and more detailed than I expected. So, here it is:

Dear Mr. and Mrs Gregory:

Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns about health care reform. It is good to hear from you.As Congress and the Administration begin the debate on health care reform, all parties must commit to a full and thorough debate. With health care representing 17% of our nation's economy, both the House and Senate must devote the appropriate time and focus on this matter.In the Senate, the two Committees of jurisdiction continue to review possible legislation and committee amendments. I agree that it is important for Congress to address the issues; however, I will urge my colleagues to take our time and debate all of the issues and proposals so that the American people can follow and understand the development and discussion of the legislation.After committee action, the full Senate is expected to begin debate regarding comprehensive health care reform.

While we have yet to see the final language of a bill, there have been many ideas about the direction of heath care in our country that are currently being discussed.I do not believe that a health care overhaul bill should include a government run option to provide health coverage. Such an alternative would be able to charge much lower rates and would reimburse providers at a much lower level than private insurance plans and limit competition rather than fostering it. Overtime, this could well eliminate private insurance companies and drive all individuals to the government run option that would essentially become a single payer system. A health care system that is run by federal bureaucrats would allow the federal government to determine the coverage it feels is appropriate for you, choose the doctors that you see, and dictate the care that you receive.Along with a government option, I am also opposed to a mandate on small business to cover the costs of their employees under a "pay or play" system. During these difficult economic times, I do not believe we should be penalizing businesses who already cannot afford health care for their employees.Questions such as the expansion of a government run program, competition among providers and payers, and cost containment, among others, must be measured against maintaining the highest quality of care for our citizens.

For example, the number of uninsured Americans continues to rise along with the premiums and out-of-pocket expenses incurred by insured consumers. We in Congress need to address this problem by searching for effective ways to expand access to adequate, affordable medical care for all Americans in a fiscally responsible manner.It is my view that the majority in Congress and the Administration are moving too quickly with radical proposals that may or may not achieve the worthy objectives mentioned previously. A rush to legislative passage may limit access, lower quality, while increasing taxes and the nation's debt. Members of Congress have not been allowed the appropriate time to review aspects of a bill that is estimated to cost over $1.7 trillion and by some estimates could go even higher.

I do agree that our country is in need of health care reform. I am an original cosponsor of S. 1099, the "Patients' Choice Act," which was introduced on May 20, 2009, and was referred to the Committee on Finance. The legislation would make health care coverage accessible and affordable for all Americans through private insurance coverage, while also promoting prevention and wellness which can improve lives and lower long-term medical costs. S. 1099 would put individuals back in charge of their own health care by giving them a tax rebate, worth $2,300 for individuals and $5,700 for families, to be used for the purchase of health insurance. It also would also allow patients to comparison shop for their health care the same way that they do for all other products and services and allow them to maintain their coverage if they move or change jobs.

Individuals who are most vulnerable of being turned down due to preexisting conditions could not be denied coverage due to age or health.During the health care reform debate, I will monitor the initiatives with the view that health care reform should focus on keeping health decisions between doctors and patients, empowering and entrusting individuals with their health care savings and decisions, and promoting competition in all areas of health care. Americans are right to demand access to affordable health care. We will move closer to this goal as we see more promotion of the same innovation and competition in health care that we see in every other American industry.

I appreciate your comments on this important matter. I will keep your views in mind as my colleagues and I weigh the various legislative proposals before the Senate. As we move forward in the Senate, the state of the economy and the support of legislation that will enable the health care sector to improve are and will remain uppermost in my mind.

Senator Saxby Chambliss

Response to my email to my Senator

I received a response from Saxby Chambliss to emails filled with questions, and he has responded to each of my emails in as much detail as I could have hoped for. I have to give him credit, and his team who reads the emails and responds, as I asked very specific questions and he answered each and everyone of them. I returned his email with; "We The People" will be watching what happens and will respond accordingly. I must give him credit, he has always been an up front kind of Senator with me to date, and as long as he continues, he will continue to "earn" my vote and those of us down here in Georgia who appreciates good honest answers (we understand that there will always be some politics in our communications from him, as any politician, but that is to be expected unfortunately. I remember when he ran, as I supported him, I always reminded him that without our votes, he ain't going to Washington! He has kept his word on everything he has told us so far.

I continue to believe that not every man or woman who is a politician is corrupt. My brother-in-law would argue otherwise. Ron and his wife, are from England (his wife is my wife's, sister). He is all doom and gloom about politics, as I know some are here on the 9/12 Project. I have always been a bit more optimistic and would rather find the good in my fellow man rather than concede that every man or woman in congress are evil or corrupt villains, waiting to destroy everything good about America. I must admit that I do find that more and more in the Democratic Party, and it saddens me and my wife. We live in a culture that requires a lot of strength and faith in our beliefs relative to political bias and those who would see only the destruction rather than the building of our nation and political values. I will not be deterred by those who have their own agendas, and preach the negatives, rather than the positives about our great land and those we entrust to lead us. We vote them in, if they fail us, we vote them out. We have been doing that for a long time and it beats the alternatives, by a long, long way. So, suck it up fellow Americans, and remember what we are all about, for those of us who served our country in uniform, remember the oath we took, and it should not be taken lightly, but with the realization that a price was paid for our rights and for our continued rights, there will be continued prices to be paid. I say to those men and women who defend our way of life, thank you, thank those who paid the ultimate price, and thank all those who will follow in their footsteps to keep America free, and a nation of optimistic, God loving, patriotic, moms and dads, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and so on and so on. My flag hangs in front of my house, and when it is so worn we give it an appropriate ceremony, then replace it with a bright new one. We are a family that loves America, and are saddened by the progressives and socialists that hijacked this wonderful country, holding it's people hostage, as they shred the constitution. As this happens, I feel a growing grassroots movement that will change the complexion of congress, both the house and the senate, along with the White House, and by complexion, I in no way mean the color of one's skin, or their religion, or personal beliefs. I mean that the overwhelming complexion of congress at this time is Democratic (closer to progressives and socialists) and we just want to return it back to our Republic, filled with conservatives and Republicans.

So, in answer to your question back in the depths of your head, yes, the email I was responding to was from Saxby Chambliss. Sorry I got off on a tangent as usual, but I never have been able to not do that when my country's reputation is at stake. I'll repeat what I have repeated for weeks now, come 2010 and 2012, get out and vote, vote, get your relatives, friends, and neighbors to get out and vote, then get their relatives, friends,and neighbors to do the same, and so on and so on!!! To America, I say, do not give up, nor allow anyone, and I mean anyone to guide you away from what America is, a great and wonderful country, made that way by wonderful and great people, protected by outstanding and wonderful soldiers of all uniforms. Keep America great by your actions, not just your words.

God blessed this country and enriched her for reasons known only to him. But, I have faith that God will continue to look down on this nation of Christians and continue to bless her, bringing out the best of her. She is a great nation, a beautiful and powerful nation, one nation, under God. As we all are, one people, under God... What a wonderful nation this is and continues to be. We need to continue to believe in God, have faith in God, and pray that he will bless us once again, in spite of our weakness in values at the moment, we will come back, we will return and America will once again shine as the nation immigrants want to call home.