Sorry, My Appointments Calendar Is Full

I received a letter from President Obama's political arm today, exhorting me to travel to Little Rock, Arkansas, to be part of some "important" rally for health care. Of course, this has been the only real role that ordinary folks have had in the crafting of the legislation we're all supposed to be dutifully rallying for - going to wherever they hold a rally. We certainly have had no role in the continuing back and forth the White House has been having with itself about what is important for a health insurance reform bill. Let's just say I wouldn't be there, even if they were holding this rally in Seattle.

So I wrote back. Not that it will do any good, mind you. OFA is only one less step removed from the decision-making process than I am, which is to say that they can't even see it from where they are, much less affect it. Still, it was a chance to vent:

Don't you mean the "Health Insurance Reform Now: Whatever the Heck It Is, Get It Done" events?

If Obama ever clearly and forcefully stated what needs to be in a bill for him to sign, and that included either an option to buy into Medicare, some equivalent public option, or single payer health care (AKA Medicare for everone), then he might be worth going to rallies for.

Unfortunately, his abject lack of leadership on this issue, and the dishonest way in which the White House has consistently scuttled any real reform measures in order to get some bill, any bill, through, has left us with nothing but an obligation to buy lousy insurance at inflated prices. Under the circumstances, I see no reason to travel to some useless event to worship at the altar of Obama, hoping he will deliver us health care.

Please take your cult of personality elsewhere.

And by "elsewhere", I don't mean Seattle.