Dear Ron....

After a flurry of prodding e-mail messages on the subject of health care reform (or the threatened lack of it), I responded today.

Better late than never (and "never" is fast approaching).

What put me over the top? News that among the five senators holding out against the public option is our very own Ron Wyden.

Sheeeesh!

The letter I sent was similar to the one you see below.

In case you are interested (hint, hint), Wyden’s e-mail form can be accessed here:

Senator:

I am writing to urge you to vote for the public option, which is essential to any health care reform package. We need the option because it is NOT out to maximize profits to the detriment of the public's well being.

To the contrary, the public option’s objective is pure and simple — the public’s health.

The savings under a public system are clear:

• No profit motive.

• No exorbitant executive salaries.

• No money for lobbying (and lying) and campaign contributions.

• No inefficient paperwork after the public system converts to computerized record-keeping.

• No astronomical drug prices as the government can negotiate them down through system-wide contracts. (Be sure you pass this provision in the reform package.)

• No marketing abuses by drug companies, including favors and junkets to doctors for using particular drugs.

• No bureaucratic billing and paperwork distractions for doctors. Put doctors on salary so they can focus on practicing medicine.

• No more “illness-centered” medicine. “Wellness-Centered” medicine alone will save billions.

I urge you, as a senate leader on this issue, to step up, speak out and vote for the public option.