Representative Young,

Unless I miss my guess, this email is likely to be screened through one of your aides and would not be likely to impact your decision to vote against the Health Care Reform bill that should be introduced in the House today. This makes me sad, but unlike Don Quixote I have no interest in tilting against windmills by trying to convince you to change your mind.

I did want you to know, however, that by making this decision that you have lost the vote of a lifelong Democrat who has voted for you in every major election in Florida since I was old enough to vote. Despite the fact that our political views often do not meet eye-to-eye, I have always believed that you worked hard for your constituents and that you were a man of integrity and honor who was able and willing to put party politics aside to do the right thing when it was necessary.

With your vote against Health Care Reform you have convinced me that, in our current political climate, I can no longer count on you to do so.

When Health Care Reform passes today (as I believe it will), my son will never have to worry about being denied medical coverage because he has diabetes, and I will be able to make sure he stays on my insurance plan all through his college career and perhaps for a few years beyond that as he sets out on his own in the world. When he is ready to do so, the other benefits of the bill will have kicked in and he will have better access to choosing a medical plan if he does not work for a company that offers it. On top of all of that, the CBO confirmed that this bill is not only deficit neutral but that it will actually reduce the deficit! Yet, despite all of that, Republican opposition to the bill is firmly entrenched and you have all decided that come hell or high water you are voting against it.

So be it.

At this very moment there are thousands of people outside of the Capitol building screaming for you to do what you’ve already decided you were going to do. Here is one letter telling you that the writer is disheartened that you are doing so. I am not an angry, bitter American who is “clinging to my gun” and screaming for a revolution. I am a parent who is trying to raise a child without any financial support from the other parent and who is struggling to pay the bills. A parent who is afraid that his son may have to give up his dreams of becoming a chef in his own restaurant simply because he must work for a major corporation to be able to afford health insurance. No, I am not angry. This whole ordeal makes me sad and tired.

I want to thank you for all of your years of service to the people of Florida. As a longtime supporter of yours from “across the aisle” it will be strange for me to vote against you when and if I ever see your name on a ballot again. However, unless you take a stand against the rest of your party and vote for Health Care Reform today there is no way I will be able to select the oval next to your name.

Respectfully Yours,

Michael C. McGreevy