Dear Friend:
Some things may have changed in light of the Massachusetts special election last week, but what hasn’t changed is the health insurance crisis in America and the need to address it. We are going to continue the fight to fix this problem that if left alone, will cost our nation dearly.
Massachusetts residents’ election of a Republican to the Senate should not be interpreted as a reflection of the national feeling towards health care reform. About 97 percent of people in Massachusetts already have health insurance, a statistic that does not represent the millions of uninsured Americans across the country. What this election did reflect is the fear and frustration Americans feel as the impact continues from the worst recession in decades. When President Obama took office he warned us that the worst was yet to come and our economic woes could not be fixed overnight. Yet knowing this didn’t make it easier for the families struggling to make ends meet through loss of employment and loss of savings.
But despite Republicans’ relentless and undemocratic opposition, this Congress has managed to make strides towards recovery. Economists agree that without the critical Recovery Act passed last year, our economy would currently be in much worse condition than it is. The House passed a second jobs bill in December to help save the jobs of teachers, firefighters, law enforcement and to put people back to work. Addressing the problems that have caused Americans this fear and frustration is difficult work, it takes valuable time and there are those just sitting on the sidelines trying to create roadblocks every step of the way. We'll keep at it though because no matter how anyone spins it, tough times are the most crucial times to stay focused on the goals you elected us to accomplish and try to create a better reality for all Americans.
Health care reform is a huge part of this reality. It is directly related to the economy, and we can and must focus on both at the same time. Reforming health insurance is key to whether employers will hire or not. Reports show that reforming health insurance will create millions of jobs over the next decade. What is more, it will help us reduce the deficit by billions of dollars.
