I happen to live in Stephen Lynch's district (MA 9). So, I took the time today to write him an email concerning his position regarding the healthcare bill. I'm also posting it here.
To The Honorable Stephen Lynch:
I'm writing to you today as a constituent to urge you to vote for the Healthcare Reform bill. There are problems with the bill, but there are problems with any bill.
Your main point is that you can't support the self-executing rule. It's true that Congressional procedures need to be revised, but that needs to start with the filibuster in the Senate. The self-executing rule is a valid parliamentary procedure, and one that has been used dozens of times. I understand that the reason to use the rule now is dubious (that some members don't want to vote for the bill, but want it to pass). However, the self-executing rule is part of the parliamentary procedure and to claim that "it would call into question the credibility of the House" is misleading and wrong.
Is that the main reason you don't want to vote for the bill: that you don't want to be seen as FOR the bill? Because of Scott Brown's election? I would argue that Scott Brown is wrong to call his election a referendum on healthcare reform, and if that's what you believe, then you're wrong too. Brown won for a number of reasons, and yes, healthcare was one reason. But it's not the idea of healthcare in general, it's the lawmaking process and media spin that's at issue.
The idea that members of Congress will lose re-election in November because they voted for the healthcare bill is not a certainty. It's a possibility, but I doubt it. By November, this debate will be over. If the bill passes, millions of Americans will have access to healthcare who didn't previously. That outweighs the political maneuvering right now. At least this constituent thinks so.
In addition to opposing the self-executing rule, you also oppose the bill on principle. Your argument is that your constituents will be hurt by the luxurious health insurance plans of unions being used to pay for the tax. Something has to pay for the tax, and this is far from the worst way to do so. If the bill passes, you can work to amend it with a future bill, one that places the burden of paying for the bill on someone else. If it dies, though, this ends the chance to cover millions of Americans for the next generation.
In the end, it's not a great bill. I appreciate you standing up for your constituents, but I would rather you vote for the bill and then rally the Democrats into coming up with a better way to fund it that's fair to all the states. Because this bill needs to pass. Extending healthcare coverage needs to happen. It's not a great bill, but it's the bill. It's the only healthcare bill you'll have a chance to vote on if it dies. If it becomes law, though... then you have a chance to continue reform and improve.
I'm asking you to be practical. Your current stance is a good way to call into question those parts of the bill at issue, so that you can lead the way to revising them. But I'd argue that actually voting against the bill is foolish, not courageous as the Herald says. The more practical method would be to pass the bill and cover everyone (with a public statement that it's not perfect), and then lead the charge in more healthcare reforms. If the bill passes, you can do that. If it fails, you don't get a shot at making a better bill.
My question is: do you want to kill healthcare reform for this generation, or do you want to work on it some more? Voting against the bill kills it. Voting for it gives you the opportunity to work on it more.
It's still your decision, though. I'm not in DC, and I'm not privy to everything that's happening. You have a better idea as to whether this will pass without your vote. I'm writing to you, though, to let you know that some of your constituents are all for healthcare reform.
Thank you and your staff for reading through this letter.
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P.S. Full disclosure: I am also a political blogger and will be posting this letter to my blog Lovers Muggers and Thieves. If you respond and would like your response kept private, please let me know in your response. Thank you again.
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