Postcards From Myself

I was sent this email by someone who I bow to but will not name. It is excellent do I am printing it and it recommendations in full…

Most of you probably received an email from President Obama asking you to sign on in support of the President’s three principles of health care reform: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/healthcarestories

As we recall from the presidential campaign, a key element of candidate Obama’s health care plan was a public plan option* that would allow individuals and small businesses an option to buy affordable health coverage through a government plan. I believe that a public plan option is crucial to any substantive health care reform, but there is much opposition to including such a plan. President Obama does not explicitly include a public plan option in the three principles that he is asking us to sign. If you support a public plan option, I urge you to make this known.

There are a couple of ways to do this
1) Sign the petitions at http://standwithdrdean.com/ and message to legislators

2) If you sign on in support of the President’s three principles, use the comment box to say something like “I believe that a public plan option must be included in health reform legislation.” [The link gives you two chances to make comments, first in the "personal story" box and later in a "comments" box]

(3) Send a message to President Obama telling him that you support a public plan option using the form at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ *Public plan option: If you want more information about what is meant by a public plan option, there is concise information at http://standwithdrdean.com/faq Sometimes the public plan option is referred to as a Medicare like option or Medicare open to all.

Of course, if you are an advocate of single payer health care and you sign on in support of President Obama’s health care principles, you might also wish to communicate your support for single payer in the comment box or you may wish to sign a single payer petition such as the one at http://www.democrats.com/single-payer-petition

There is more information about single payer at http://www.pnhp.org/facts/single_payer_resources.php

There is a great opportunity to learn more by watching Bill Moyers Journal on PBS, Channel 16, this Friday, May 22 at 9 PM. Several guests will discuss health care policy and single payer health care. The show will repeat Sunday morning at 11 AM.

And finally, you might find interesting the recent words of progressive Rabbi Michael Lerner on the role of the public in forming current policy:

The pressures on a President to stay with the status quo and the forces of the economic and political elites of the country are enormous, so that even when a President wishes to move in a different direction, he needs to be able to point to forces from the progressive world that are equally vociferous and pushing him in the direction he wished to go.

So, those who say, “Don’t criticize Obama, because he is such a decent person, so smart, and obviously wants the right things” are missing the point: OBAMA NEEDS TO BE PUSHED FROM THE PROGRESSIVE WORLD IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BE WHO HE WANTS TO BE. He needs our support in this way.

Take care,
xxxxxx@gmail.com

PS Below I have copied the text from President Obama’s request for support

President Obama’s email links to http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/healthcarestories which contains the following:

The Principles

President Obama has announced three bedrock requirements for real health care reform. It must:

• Reduce Costs — Rising health care costs are crushing the budgets of governments, businesses, individuals and families and they must be brought under control
• Guarantee Choice — Americans must have the freedom to keep whatever doctor and health care plan they have, or to select a new doctor or health care plan if they choose
• Ensure Quality Care for All — All Americans must have quality and affordable health care

Now we have to show Congress where the American people stand.

It has come to my attention due to some comments of various caring people I know that much like economics in general, there are two major theories of philanthropy at work in our society. Neither of these two styles is wrong, they just approach our societies problems from a different angle. And, much like any other cause with differing methodologies, they are often pitted against each other.

The first method that many of us are familiar with is the direct approach. With this we go out and help build a home for Habitat For Humanity, we donate blood to the Red Cross, or we send canned food to the local food bank. With each of these there is a relatively short road from the donor to recipient. Even in situations like the Red Cross or Goodwill where there may be an administrative level of isolation, there is still a direct connection between the organization we are giving to and the recipients of that donation. Maybe we should call this “Main Street Philanthropy”.

In the second method, there is a more indirect approach. Here we have practices as varied as educating people about problems in other areas of the world to holding benefits to raise money for charities. There isn’t anything at all wrong with this methodology, but there is a bit of distance put between the donor and the recipient. In addition, due to that distance and often infrastructure overhead, there is a certain signal loss before the end is achieved. We can call this “Trickle Down Philanthropy.”

An example of what I am talking about is this. If I have $100 to give, I could go to the grocery, buy $100 worth of food and give that out at the food bank. In this instance, 100% of my donation reaches the end recipients. Conversely, if I took that $100 and sent it to any number of well known charities, part of it would go to processing fees. Part of the donation would also go to pay for office staff, rent perhaps, and maybe even transportation. In the end, it is possible that only $50 of my donation would actually reach the recipient at the end.

And if instead I spent that $100 to give a few lecture or classes on the plight of the impoverished and starving, then it is also conceivable that absolutely none of my money would reach those in need. It is possible that all that money I had to offer was simply washed away.

This would seem like a clear choice to make until we realize that when the Trickle Down Philanthropy method works, it can actually amplify our donation. If that class I spent a $100 to teach was paying attention, didn’t fall asleep, and heeded my message, it is possible that each of the 25 people in attendance reached into their purse or wallet and made a $100 donation to the food bank. And they may also take what they have learned, spread the lesson, and triggered more donations. That amplification of effort is the magic of the Trickle Down theory.

So, here we have two methods of donation – one direct and one indirect. As I said before, neither is write or wrong. Certain people feel drawn to the direct satisfaction of the Main Street method and others have the vision and planning for the Trickle Down method. The truth is, each one needs the other to survive. Without feet on the street doing the work, the Trickle Down method is just so much posturing and conjecture. And without individuals doing the background education, fundraising, and paper work, those people doing the work on the street would have no funds, supporters, or growth. The key is finding where you fit in the picture and applying yourself there. And realizing that just because someone uses a different method, that doesn’t mean they are doing it wrong.

The Hole in Our Gospel: What does God expect of Us? The Answer that Changed my Life and Might Just Change the World is not so much about a hole in the gospel or the Bible as it is about a hole in the way people live their lives. People today are caught up in the trappings and appearances of being good. They worry about what other people are doing and what modern entertainment might be doing to the morality of our youth. But what these people aren’t doing is letting their lives serve as their example.

Richard Stearns was a man who seemingly had it all. He was a successful businessman, community leader and family man. He had the big house, the Jaguar, and the country club membership. But just at the time he was at the peak of his career, he was called upon to do something more. Something much harder. He had to face the real evil in the world – he had to face the hunger, need, and want of the forgotten.

Too many of us would rather concentrate on our lives, write the occasional check to charity, and forget about the real calling of all moral people – Christian or otherwise. What Stearns calls our attention to in this book is that we are all called upon to lift up each other. We do not succeed in making the world a better place by memorizing verses, patting ourselves on the backs, or isolating ourselves from problems. It is only by putting our lives, not just our money, where our mouths are that we can perform the duties that we were put on this earth to perform.

To fill the hole in the gospel, we must fill the hole in our hearts and in our world. We must go out and make the world a better place. This is the message that has often been missing and the message that Stearns delivers powerfully through this book. Whether you are a Christian, member of another religion, or a member of no religion, this book is important and moving. The hole exists for us all, no matter what gospel we follow, and it is our duty and privilege to work on filling in that hole.