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Emails to and from Rep. Greg Walden’s Office Nov. 16

From: Ed Lee [mailto:edwinlee@znet.com]
Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 8:35 AM
To: Strader, Nick
Subject: Visit to Greg Walden’s office in Bend last friday

 Nick Strader:
Thanks for taking time to discuss the Health Care Reform issue last Friday. You mentioned that there was an analysis of the negative impact of the House bill on jobs, using the same formula used by the President about the stimulus money. You also offered to connect me to that analysis. Thanks. I hope you’ll be able to link me to it in the very near future, as I will study it and post the results on my blog.  

 As you might remember, I’m a supporter of Health Care Reform and submitted a letter to Congressman Walden asking him to explain why he voted against what appears to be the best interests of his constituents. When I receive a reply to that letter I will also post it on my blog.

I’m a retired entrepreneur and CEO. I was a registered and voting Republican all my adult life until last year… although I did vote against George Bush in 2004 for reasons I outlined in an essay “Why I won’t Vote for George Bush” at http://www.elew.com/Wont%20vote%20for%20Bush.pdf  . Should you take the time to review what I have written, you’ll find that I’m serious and methodical about analyzing situations. I’m not out to score points, I’m out to uncover and influence the better choices among an array of imperfect and messy alternatives.

 Sincerely,   Ed Lee

 Reply also on November 16

 Ed,
It was a pleasure meeting you last Friday and discussing health care reform with you.  Attached are a few documents that might be helpful:

1. Document outlining the potential of losing up to 5 million jobs. The figure was obtained using the formulas devised by Continued…

Posted in Health Care Reform, Politics.

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By Edwin Lee – November 18, 2009

Feet on the street for Health Care Reform

Have you ever driven by or walked by a group of sign-waving, slogan-chanting people standing at a downtown street corner or marching up a sidewalk? I have; always feeling a bit above that sort of thing, whether or not I agreed with the cause. Well, so much for aloofness and superiority, on Friday I was part of such a group for the first time in my life. Don’t get me wrong, I was too self-conscious to carry a sign, but I did find myself chanting “Health Care reform now” ―albeit in a volume that was barely audible at first― as I stood in 30 degree weather with about 50 other people on the corner of Bond and Greenwood in downtown Bend.

The gathering was part of a demonstration that included a scheduled visit by four of us to the nearby office of Congressman Greg Walden―the only Republican left in the Oregon delegation. During the visit, I delivered a copy of my letter.

The process turned out to be a bit more interesting than it sounds because local tea baggers and other conservatives had learned about our rally and showed up in equal numbers waving signs and shouting slogans that at best supported Greg Walden’s vote against the House Bill, and at worst stated that Nancy Pelosi and the President were (#$@@) conspiring to take away all our freedoms.  We had to walk through this crowd to get to the Congressman’s office, which stimulated an uncreative slur from one of its members, but nothing more. When we arrived, we found a dozen or so of the opposition were already in the offices and pretty much packing the place. Things stayed civilized, and we exchanged views with two members of the Congressman’s staff.

I have to confess that my earlier involvement in the streets was not totally passive. I had to walk through the opposition group on the way to our rally. Instead of hurrying across the street I milled around and listened to what people were saying and chanting. Then I heard a man in his 40s, who was trying to persuade a woman about to cross the street and carrying a pro-reform sign that “I pay for my healthcare, and I expect everyone else to do the same. Anything the government does gets screwed up.” Something about his words and demeanor said he was one of the more educated and rational people in that group, and as the woman crossed the street, I took up the battle. This turned into a lively 10 minute discussion with Ron and his friend Bob.

I found our debate productive because Continued…

Posted in Health Care Reform, Politics.

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By Edwin Lee – November 15, 2009

Congressman Greg Walden: what induced you to vote against your fellow Oregonians?

Earlier this week the Affordable Health Care for America Act was passed by the House of Representatives. My congressman, Greg Walden of Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District voted against that act. He has yet to explain his vote, and tomorrow I will deliver the following letter to his office in Oregon as part of a Health Care Reform rally. Thought it might be of general interest. The Committee on Energy and Commerce has developed a district by district analysis which you too might find of value.

Dear Congressman Walden:

I’m a constituent of Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District who supports meaningful Health Care Reform.

I’ve lived in Bend for the last 3 years, was a registered Republican for 48 years, and founded and was CEO for 16 years of a successful microcomputer company.  I have a pretty good idea of what small business owners and individuals face regarding insurance costs and coverage.

The attached report from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, a committee of which you are a member, suggests that you voted against the better interests of 23,200 small businesses, and at least 665,000 people in your Congressional District: 417,000 people who receive employer-based coverage, 142,000 Medicare beneficiaries and another 106,000 who are uninsured.  I know there is no simple solution to the present situation, but voting against meaningful reform seems to me to be a dereliction of duty to those you represent.

I would like to understand the primary reasons you voted against Health Reform legislation that will benefit over 23 thousand small businesses and over 665 thousand of your constituents. I’ve looked on your web page and found nothing. I can see that you have invested considerable time and energy on improving flexibility for rural hospitals to provide emergency care, and I applaud you for that.  However, that alone is like using a garden hose to fight a forest fire.

At the very least we, the constituents you appear to have voted against, deserve a substantive, timely and honest explanation.

Sincerely,

 Edwin S. Lee
Bend, Oregon

Posted in Health Care Reform, Politics.

3 comments

By Edwin Lee – November 12, 2009

Herbert Meyer delivers Sophomoric lecture on National Security

On November 4, Jo-Ellen and I spent $40 to hear a lecture on National Security by Herbert Meyer, who once managed production of the U.S. National Intelligence estimates for President Reagan. We heard, at best, $2.00 worth of useful demographic information mixed with fear mongering and right wing propaganda, including cherry picked facts from history and the threat of Islam. The talk was skillfully coated with appeals to patriotism and to shoulder “the white man’s burden” of bringing the backward societies of Islam into the modern world before they drag us into theirs. He substituted the politically correct “Western Civilization” for  “white man.”

He repeatedly asserted that he “was just a messenger bringing data and not offering personal opinions; we would have to come to our own conclusions.” He usually made this assertion just after making one of his more opinionated remarks such as “we won the war in Iraq.”

Meyer started out by praising the accomplishments and benefits of Western Civilization, among them the Rule of Law― rather than the rule of Kings or Priests or mobs― which he credited with unleashing and supporting the innovations that brought us out of ignorance and poverty. However, during the Q&A session he was asked what he thought of water-boarding terrorists and of confining them in Guantanamo without due process. He passionately supported water-boarding (suspected) terrorists and, he added with authority, we wouldn’t want them moved to prisons in Oregon.  About 30% of the audience of 300 or so cheered and applauded.  I was embarrassed. So much for the rule of law! 

In all fairness, I must say that he emphasized the roles of contract law and intellectual property laws in unleashing innovation; perhaps he simply has no use for criminal law, the IV through VII Amendments of our Constitution or the Geneva Conventions, when they are inconvenient.

After many of his misstatements, I fidgeted in my seat and Jo-Ellen repeatedly glanced in my direction with a worried look. Her fears were finally confirmed during the Q&A session when Continued…

Posted in Politics.

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By Edwin Lee – November 5, 2009

Health Net insists February 2009 had 30 days!

This is a health insurance story that involves my adult son Tim― a PhD in biology and a self-employed standup comic  living in Los Angeles ―and his former health insurance company Health Net―perhaps more appropriately referred to as Health-threat―one of the largest health insurers in the country. Tim had been insured by them for several years; his premiums automatically paid with his credit card.

In January of this year his credit card was stolen, he cancelled it and was issued a new account.  This caused a missed payment to Health Net, for which he was mailed a notice “of continuing coverage” in February that said he would have to catch up on payments within 45 days after February 1 in order to continue his coverage. Continued…

Posted in Business Health, Health Care Reform, Politics.

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By Edwin Lee – November 1, 2009

Mr. President: Make the hard decisions now!

Mr. President, perhaps I’m vainly clinging to my belief that you will make the tough choices on a timely basis. I know from experience as a CEO how difficult and discouraging it is to handle several crises simultaneously when any one of them is a full time job; and you’re under much more pressure than I ever endured. However, I’m beginning to worry that your vision is being muddied and resolve is being sapped, perhaps by overload, perhaps by unhelpful and conflicting advice or perhaps by a human desire to avoid obvious failure on any key issue. What keeps me going is a feeling that you might be holding back on some key decisions in the mistaken belief that delay will avoid antagonizing critical votes for Health Care reform; which appears to be your number one issue. If that’s the case, I think you’re mistaken. It is fairly obvious from the outside looking in than none of those who oppose you personally or those who oppose your policies will change their votes on health care reform (I include Joe Lieberman in that group) and they are not prepared to negotiate in good faith.  So screw em― and get on with your agenda!

The following are the four tough decisions, besides Health Care reform, that must be made and implemented soon in the interests of national survival.  Further delay baptizes the existing, destructive policies.

  1. Pull out of Afghanistan and Iraq with all due speed; Continued…

Posted in Business Health, Politics.

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By Edwin Lee – October 27, 2009