Why I Love My Wife

Not only is she a great wife and the best mother of all time, but she has a mind like a steel trap and can state a case better than anyone I know.

Here is the text of an email she sent to Congressman Jim Cooper's office regarding the health care debate:

Good morning! Thank you for your email. I appreciate the follow up to my call in January regarding the healthcare legislation and debate. I am gratified to learn of the conference next week and hope it signifies the start of a more collaborative and transparent process.

I'm writing because I'm extremely disheartened by something I read in the The New York Times this morning. This paper is reporting that the White House is crafting health care legislation, which it plans to present to the public before the conference next week. Furthermore, this is legislation that will be attached to the budget bill and passed through Congress on a reconciliation vote. I'm confused. I thought the point of the conference was to open the debate to Republicans and invite the public to be more aware of the issues discussed. Why then is the White House busy drafting legislation now? Why is it insisting on ramming legislation through Congress?? It delegitimizes the entire process, especially the conference.

Furthermore, while the WH drafting legislation is not without precedent, it shows a blatant disregard and disrespect for the Constitution and Congress. Congress is the legislative arm of our government, not the White House. The president does not represent every constituent in this country, but Congress does. That's why Congress, and only Congress, has the responsibility and privilege to draft legislation. It's no excuse that the president says the legislation will combine provisions already in the House and Senate bills. This is a new piece of legislation. And, not only is the president now writing the health care legislation himself, but he's doing so without the assistance of anyone in Congress. The New York Times reported that only Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have been informed of what might be in this bill. I'm appalled! And so should be every single member of Congress, Democrat and Republican alike. Where's the democracy in this?? Where's the legitimacy in this?? Where's the "for the people, of the people, by the people" in this??

Here's what shocks me: America (myself included) has made is clear that we are dissatisfied and even anxious about sweeping healthcare legislation and the process it's gone through for the past year. We voted for a Republican in MA. Democrat Senators are choosing to not run for reelection in the Fall for fear of voter retribution. Formerly "safe" Congressional seats are now close races. 78 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing and fewer than half approve of the job the president is doing. There have been angry editorials, town hall meetings, and protests across this country. It couldn't be any clearer where America stands on this issue. And yet, the president decides it's a good idea to embark upon an even less transparent, more closed-door, less collaborative process to ram through legislation fewer than 1 in 10 Americans even care about and support?

I hope Congressman Cooper will speak out against this outrage. I hope he'll state his disappointment in this new turn of events. I hope he won't support any healthcare legislation that hasn't been a product of Congress with the approval of Americans that is passed through Congress in the only legitimate manner (not a reconciliation vote). If Congress doesn't get this message now, they will come November.

I would be grateful if you would pass my outrage and hopes along to the Congressman. Thank you.