Bipartisanship

Dear President Obama,

As a concerned citizen, I am looking forward to efforts made on health care and other areas that need attention within our country.  I was pleased when you decided to have a discussion with the republicans on health care, seeing that not much bipartisan progress was being made, but was disappointed with the outcome.  I feel that both sides of the debate have very valid concerns and those concerns should be heard and addressed.  Unfortunately, it seems that since the democrats seem to have so many seats in congress right now, that not much attention is being given to the republicans.  I was hoping that you might try to be the go-between for the two parties, but rather it seems you were just there for a public debate where no concessions were made.

I've heard you say that you may just have to push the bill through without support from the republicans, and that when elections come in the fall, it will show who was right or wrong.  Let me just say, that regardless of what the voters say in the elections, trying to pass a bill this big without any bipartisan support is wrong.  You are essentially saying that the republicans, and the citizens they represent, and their concerns do not matter.  Nothing could be more offensive to the republican party and the independents than to see the democrats discard those concerns now.

Now, I understand the importance of making progress, and getting this issue fixed, but it seems that you are taking the wrong approach.  Instead of trying to pass just one bill that is too large for much of the congress to swallow, I believe you should split it up into many smaller bills that address individual issues one at a time.  Doing so would allow you to make progress starting with the items that both parties agree on.  And as you move on towards the more controversial aspects, maybe better compromises could be found when dealing with smaller bills than when trying to deal with the whole thing at one time.  And even if some parts of the bill never get passed, you will likely be able to address the most significant problems quickly in this manner, and it would show the American public that you are a man who is concerned with their opinions, and you know how to give and take. 

God bless you in your noble office.

BJ

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Dear Senator/Representative,

As a representative of Utah, I do not doubt you are fully aware of the conservative values of the state you represent.  However, it is imperative at this time, for things to be able to progress, that you work with the democrats in finding solutions to our nations problems.  I do not doubt your sincere efforts, but I would like to make mention of the health care policy.  While I do not feel inclined to mention individual aspects of the policy, I am interested in something happening on this issue.  I am aware that recently the republicans met with President Obama about this policy, and it seems that no concessions were made on either side.  It would be my hope that he would make the first concession considering he has the upper hand (in numbers at least) in this battle.  The concession I hope he makes is to split his bill into many smaller bills, so the more popular parts can be passed, and the less popular parts to be removed or changed until they too are agreed upon.  Since you are a member of the republican party, I suggest that you make efforts for the republican party to unify their voice in this one thing, that the president makes the bill into smaller bills so that they can be more easily debated and voted upon.  If the party is successful in making their wishes extremely clear to the president, the congress and the public, I believe the president would concede this request.

God bless you in your noble office.

BJ