Some of our elected officials will at least take the trouble to send back an automated response. One such is Senator Jim Webb. Thus when I sent him my last email (see here), I got the following in reply.
Senator Jim Webb’s Response to Your Message.
November 25, 2009
Dear Citizen Tom:
Thank you for contacting my office regarding health care reform. I appreciate your taking the time to share your views.
As you may know, the Senate voted in favor of a motion to begin debate on the merged health care bill, and will begin to consider this legislation on the Senate floor after the Thanksgiving recess. I supported this motion because I believe it is important that the full Senate have the opportunity to debate this bill and offer changes through the amendment process. I will not, however, vote in favor of final passage of this legislation unless I am satisfied that it is in the best interest of our nation and its people.
Last month, I called on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to post the text and complete budget scores of the health care bill on a public website for Congress and the American people to review at least 72 hours prior to both the first vote and final passage. I am pleased to inform you that the bill was posted online 72 hours before the cloture vote occurred, and remains available for public viewing. The bill is also available on my website (http://webb.senate.gov/issuesandlegislation/healthcare_debate.cfm).
As the Senate continues to debate health care reform, please be assured that your views will be very helpful to me and my staff. I hope that you will continue to share your views with us in the years ahead.
Thank you once again for contacting my office.
Sincerely,
Jim Webb
United States Senator
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Will Senator Webb vote for this rabidly dangerous, socialist health care bill? There is no way of knowing. Undoubtedly, President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Reid are happy to have Congress considering this gift of soft, smelly, polluting coal to the nation during the Christmas Season — when we are not inclined to pay attention. If socialized medicine — poor quality, costly, rationed medical care — is what you want to pass on to your children, then you do not need to pay attention. However, if you want something better for your children, you must get involved and stay involved. Just as our soldiers must fight for us regardless of the season, we must work for our children’s future whenever that work is required.
If you oppose socialist medicine, taxpayer-funded abortions, and reams of Federal Government red tape, then please ask your congress men or woman to oppose this legislation. See www.house.gov.
In particular, please contact your senators at www.senate.gov. When the Senate voted to initiate debate, the vote of one more senator would have stopped the bill in its tracks. Fortunately, there will be one more opportunity to kill the bill. That vote will be to end debate. This vote will again require a majority of 60 votes. If we can rally sufficient complaints from the citizenry, then it is almost inevitable that at least 41 senators will vote against ending debate.
Do not be fooled. We must kill the bill now! Even if the Senate votes to take out the most onerous provisions prior to the vote to end debate, the Senate-House conference committee can put them back in during the reconciliation process. After that, only 51 votes will be needed in the Senate to pass the bill.
Here is the contact information for Virginia’s senators.
| Warner, Mark R. – (D – VA) | Class II |
| 459A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-2023 | |
| Web Form: warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact | |
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| Webb, Jim – (D – VA) | Class I |
| 248 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-4024 | |
| Web Form: webb.senate.gov/contact.cfm | |
