April 27, 2009

Congress is getting ready to vote on the annual budget which includes a critical provision that will determine the direction of our nation for years to come:  whether we will head down the path of socialism (via mandatory health insurance and national medical-records database) or freedom.  It’s critical that you call your members of Congress (both Senators and Representative) today (4/27) or tomorrow (4/28) and share your opinions about the following issue:

Included in this year’s budget deal is an agreement to use a process called “budget reconciliation” to push health reform.  Using this process, Congress could pass a national health reform bill this year (including a health-insurance mandate and national medical-records database) with just a simple majority of 51 votes in the Senate, instead of the 60 votes needed to pass major legislation.  Since Democrats currently control only 58 seats in the Senate, using the budget reconciliation option would allow them to do what they otherwise could not if they followed regular governing procedures for major legislation.    

What's Wrong With Using the "Budget Reconciliation" Process for Major Health-Reform Legislation? Senator Byrd (Dem.-WV) recently wrote in a letter to the Washington Post: “...I was one of the authors of the legislation that created the budget ‘reconciliation’ process in 1974, and I am certain that putting health-care reform…legislation on a freight train through Congress is an outrage that must be resisted.  Using the reconciliation process to enact major legislation prevents an open debate about critical issues in full view of the public…The misuse of the arcane process of reconciliation—a process intended for deficit reduction—to enact substantive policy changes is an undemocratic disservice to our people and to the Senate's institutional role. Reconciliation, with its tight time limits, excludes debate and shuts down amendments. Essentially it says ‘take it or leave it’ to the citizens who sent us here to solve problems, and it prevents members from representing their constituents' interests. Everyone likes to win, and the Obama administration, of course, wants victories. But tactics that ignore the means in pursuit of the ends are wrong when the outcome affects Americans' health and economic security...” [Emphasis added.]

Given that the full House and Senate will be voting during the next few days on the budget, it’s vital that citizens call their members today or tomorrow to voice their opinions about using the “budget reconciliation” procedure for national health reform. 

Following is Congress’s phone number and sample language to use during your phone calls:

Congressional Switchboard (202) 225-3121:

“My name is XX and I live in XX town.  Please tell Senator/Congressman XX that I am calling to voice my opposition to Congress using the budget reconciliation procedure for national health reform.  I strongly urge Senator/Congressman XX to vote against the budget if it includes the budget reconciliation procedure for national health reform.  Health care is too important of an issue to be voted on without fair debate and normal voting procedures.  Thank you for respecting the democratic process for national health reform.”

Please forward this alert to 5 others and feel free to cite/circulate it widely (post at blogs, comment at news sources, etc.).

Thank you for your dedication to health freedom and liberty for all!

Sources:

• “The End of Bipartisanship for Obama's Big Initiatives?” Washington Post, March 22, 2009.
• “Budget Deal Includes Fast-Track for Health Reform," The Hill, April 24, 2009.

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