A letter from my senator


I received a letter back from my Senator - Bob Corker - on the Tobacco Tax issue

Thanks to Nathaniel and Van, I recently sent my senators and other government officials a letter (very easy - please do it yourself) stating my opposition to a rather disgusting tax on tobacco in the name of providing healthcare to those who cannot afford it (fine print - this group is defined by the bill up to as families who make high as $80k a year). The tax itself is almost ridiculous enough to be parody - $10 per cigar in some cases, for instance. Anyway, Senator Bob Corker wrote me back and explained his position - rather unsatisfactorily to my mind. So I decided to write him a reply, and I thought I'd post it here for all of you to join in the fun. His letter in blue, and my response in black below it:
Dear Mr. DeBow,
Thank you for taking the time to contact my office about the use of a cigarette excise tax to fund the State Children's Health Program (SCHIP).  Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.
On August 2, I voted to reauthorize and fund SCHIP because I believe it has been an important and successful program and because I made a commitment to Tennesseans to do all that I can to expand access to affordable health insurance.  While this reauthorization bill is far from perfect, it does ensure that more low-income children in Tennessee and across America will have health insurance.  I believe this is our moral obligation.
As you know, the Senate SCHIP reauthorization bill is funded by an increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco.  I agree with you that this is an imperfect way to expand SCHIP.  During the debate on this issue, I supported an amendment that would sunset this funding source after 5 years.  Unfortunately, this amendment was voted down.
The SCHIP reauthorization is only a short-term and partial solution to a much larger crisis facing our country: the 45 million Americans, including 800,000 Tennesseans, who lack adequate health insurance.  Beyond the chaos for our healthcare system and the economy, the health and emotional toll is enormous. 
As a first step towards comprehensively addressing this crisis, I, along with Senator Burr (R-NC) and others introduced the Every American Insured Health Act, S.1886, a proposal that ensures all Americans have access to affordable healthcare coverage without contributing to our ballooning national debt. This proposal is meant to be a starting point of a larger debate aimed at addressing a healthcare crisis facing Americas across our country and I look forward to pursuing this important issue.
Thank you again for your letter.  I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me over the next six years.
Sincerely,

Bob Corker
United States Senator


Sen. Corker,
I'm sorry to see that we have such a fundamental disagreement on the nature and scope of the federal government.  I'd like to say that your views are not representative of the Republican party, but sadly it seems that Republicans - who long stood for responsible, constitutional government - have become infatuated with increasing the size and scope of the Federal government.  I have no idea where in the constitution you think it authorizes you, let alone instructs you, to ensure that Americans have health insurance and I'm especially perturbed that you only see such a punitive and targeted tax as an "imperfect" funding mechanism.

I have never voted anything other than Republican in national elections , yet it is for decisions like this that I no longer consider myself a Republican.  It is because of these issues that you will see your ever shrinking minority status continue in the Senate - because your base hasn't lost its ideals of small government and the people looking for handouts know the Democrats will always give it out faster.  On issue after issue, Republicans have sided with larger taxes, more government, and less opportunity for the not already rich.  And every time they argue, as you did in this letter, that they've somehow fought the good fight because the Democrats would be worse.  I understand that politics is the battle of the possible, not the ideal.  I'm a patient man who believes in compromising on certain positions, while staying never compromising principles.  But I'm tired of second-worst.  I'm sick of Republicans who's only idea of vision consists of doing bad things mildly slower than the opposition.  

I recently moved to Tennessee from California and I have to say - when I see the same response from Bob Corker as I would have expected from Diane Feinstein, I think we can safely assume the Republican party is in big trouble.

Thank you,
Brant E. DeBow

UPDATE: I just received an email saying my reply to Sen. Corker bounced. How awesome is that? "Thank you again for your letter.  I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me over the next six years." - and yet he doesn't have a valid reply-to on his email? Nice touch.

Posted: Thu - August 23, 2007 at 12:29 PM | | | | | | |

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