Celebrating U.S. Citizenship
I have good news to share with you. This morning, after 23 years as a permanent resident, I naturalized alongside 616 people from 58 countries. I am now a U.S. Citizen.
I am celebrating by writing letters to my representatives encouraging them to pass health care reform. I invite Americans reading this to celebrate with me by doing the same. Below are the letters I sent to my congressional representatives.
U.S. House
Dear Representative Nunes,
This morning, after 23 years as a permanent resident, I naturalized alongside 616 people from 58 countries. I am now a U.S. Citizen. I am writing to you, my United States Congressman, on this important day in my life to express my opinion on the current health care debate. I am deeply concerned by your current stance on health care issues.
Although I understand that there are significant challenges ahead I would encourage you to ensure that every person in this great country has the ability to seek medical assistance in their time of need without the added challenge of worrying about bankrupting themselves or their loved ones. Our health care system should ensure that people are able to move, to change their jobs or even leave their spouse (if necessary due to reasons such as abuse or cheating) without jeopardizing their or their loved ones’ medical security.
A national health care system is more than insurance options or an individual’s ability to choose which doctor to go to. The free market has failed in this industry and it is the role of the government to ensure that its citizens are provided for when an industry is unable to or unwilling to meet the needs of its people. Our national health care system needs to provide everyone with preventative care, public health education and fiscal security in their time of medical need. I believe that a public option (or a single payer system) is both pragmatic and necessary to ensure these goals. At a minimum, the insurance industry needs significantly more regulation than you are proposing. I want my government to stand between my insurance company and me to ensure that they treat me, and everybody else in this country, fairly. Drastic and significant changes are needed now.
Matthew
U.S. Senate
My senators received the same letter except for the salutation. I have supplied that letter only once here.
Dear Senator Boxer/Feinstein,
This morning, after 23 years as a permanent resident, I naturalized alongside 616 people from 58 countries. I am now a U.S. Citizen. I am writing to you, my representative in the United States Senate, on this important day in my life to express my opinion on the current health care debate. I appreciate the work on health care that you have done in the past and encourage you to keep fighting for change.
Although I understand that there are significant challenges ahead I would encourage you to ensure that every person in this great country has the ability to seek medical assistance in their time of need without the added challenge of worrying about bankrupting themselves or their loved ones. Our health care system should ensure that people are able to move, to change their jobs or even leave their spouse (if necessary) without jeopardizing their or their loved ones’ medical security.
A national health care system is more than insurance options, doctors and shareholder profits. Our national health care system needs to provide everyone with medical security, preventative care and public health education. I believe that a public option (or a single payer system) is necessary to ensure these goals. It is both the moral and pragmatic choice.
Matthew