I wrote to my Virginia elected officials on Monday, deploring the lack of leadership on health care reform and pleading that they not waver on the three fundamental goals that President Obama has set out.

Yesterday, I received my first response from the office of Senator Webb. Not only is it a detailed and articulate response to my letter, though still standardized, it contains relevant messages for us as citizens. I quote it in its entirety;

Dear Mr. Betancor:

To follow-up on your earlier correspondence regarding health care reform, I wanted to update you on where this issue stands.

            As you may know, Congress has adjourned for the month of August without enacting health care reform.  During the coming weeks, I will be carefully examining the reform proposals currently on the table. The fact that the legislation is now on hold will give Congress the opportunity to study these proposals carefully and to hear from interested citizens.  It is important for us to be very deliberate on an issue of such importance to the lives of our people.

            I have stated on several occasions my concerns that the Obama administration should have begun the process with a clear proposal that could have been the starting point for the work of the five separate congressional committees charged with responsibility for this issue.  Without such a specific format, Congress has had difficulty crafting a bill of such challenging scope and complexity.  I am hopeful that the President will remedy this problem in the coming weeks.

            Currently in the Senate, two committees have jurisdiction over health care – the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the Finance Committee.  The HELP Committee has completed work on a health reform bill, the Affordable Health Choices Act.  This bill aspires to significant reforms in the health insurance market, including provisions to prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.  In the Finance Committee, negotiations continue on a reform package that might win support from both Democratic and Republican members of the Senate.  The success of these ongoing negotiations will be critical in determining whether a bill can be achieved this year.

            While most people are understandably satisfied with their health care, the system is not working for millions of American families.  Spiraling costs for health care have placed our biggest industries at a severe competitive disadvantage, as employers struggle to provide insurance for their workers.  By the same token, families are increasingly unable to depend on their health plans when they need them the most.  This has contributed to the mortgage foreclosure crisis and the rise in personal bankruptcies.  In short, our nation’s continued economic recovery would be advanced by meaningful health care reform, although such reform must emphatically be reasonable in scope, cost, and impact.

            In the coming weeks and months, I encourage you to visit my website at www.webb.senate.gov for updated information about the healthcare reform debate.  Additionally, the Senate Finance www.finance.senate.gov  and HELP Committees www.help.senate.gov/index.html  have posted on their websites useful information about their respective proposals.

            Again, I thank you for your past correspondence on this issue.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with me and my staff.

                                                                        Sincerely,

Jim Webb

United States Senator

There are a number of key elements to this message, which I have marked in bold face type.

1. Our elected representatives want and need to hear from us. They are not going to lead us to the promised land unless we make them do it. We must make sure that our voices are heard above the raucous cries of our opponents;

2. The White House has not played the leadership role that we expect and desire. Whether true or not, that is the perception, among the public as well as in Congress. We need to make it clear to the President that the time for framing the discussion and letting things proceed on their own has passed. It is time to impose order and discipline on the debate and to move it forward, or the measure will fail;

3. Our senators continue to believe in the necessity of a negotiated, bipartisan solution. This is inherent in the nature of the Senate, which is more of an "Old Boy's Club" than the House. Nevertheless, it means we must redouble our efforts, as citizens, to convince both moderate Republican and conservative Democratic senators to push forward with the necessary reforms and not compromise on the essentials. This is less of a challenge in the House;

4. This fight is going to drag out. We must prepare ourselves mentally for at least 3 more months of citizen action and unremitting pressure in order to achieve success. It is critical that we not flag or falter at the end, simply because we have not achieved a quick victory. Burn-out, despair, frustration will sap our strength and play into the hands of reaction. This message has to be transmitted to the grassroots so that we are all mentally prepared to fight on through the fall, winter and spring, if necessary.

I hope ths proves helpful to DA groups focusing on member participation. A single letter writing campaign won't be enough. We're going to need consistent and targeted pressure on our representatives, especially in the Senate and White House.

Good luck to all.

Regards,

Fernando Betancor

DA Spain (Madrid)