I made a promise...

Today I promised my state senator that I'd post this.  He is -- in case you're wondering -- a Republican.

So I am.  This is the email that I wrote him today.

The subject line was "Explain why the Medicaid expansion isn't available YET."

That's why I'm writing you.  It should be available.  Plain and simple.

This "let's have everyone in Michigan panic" because they're told they "must apply before 31-March-2014!" and cannot... is total flummery.  People weren't stressed enough, and you in Lansing couldn't be bothered to offer the correct information about when the plan would be available.

You preferred people to panic instead.  

After I got a notice about the Healthy Michigan health care plan... I looked around the Internet to see where the application was -- it wasn't online yet.

Checking today, that application still isn't online.  Now the Michigan Department of Community Health site says the Healthy Michigan application will be there next month.  Inexcusable.  What are you people doing in Lansing?  

I also read how upset many people are.  

I can well imagine.  

I am below the poverty line.  I'm self-employed and have been running a business for six years, most of them here in my home state of Michigan.  My parents have health problems, so I'm the able-bodied person -- not a full-time caregiver, but doing my best to keep them going.

So you should be on my side, since you believe in growth.  I came back because this is my home state and where I want to be.  

And since you are my state senator, you particularly should be on my side.  You should be doing your utmost to make sure Michigan is a good place to live and work.  Getting the roads fixed, the schools funded, the people insured.  

Strange, I'm not seeing any of that happening.  Again, what ARE you people doing in Lansing?  

I pay taxes.  Self-employed, that's pretty much a requirement, even though as a private individual, I'm too poor to pay taxes.  So as a businesswoman I provide monies to my state to get things done.  That's the purpose of taxes.

I realize you probably aren't going to read this, nor is anyone in your staff.  But I'm writing it anyway.

And then I'm going to put it on my blog.  Shame is a powerful motivator.  A pity that the Grand Old Party doesn't seem to understand the purpose of shame.  Shame is to motivate people in a community to do things for the community, to avoid being shunned.  To grow.

Get to work.  Fix this.  Stop playing stupid human tricks on the actual living humans in our state.

And for God's sake, make sure to put out a notice to everyone in Michigan that y'all fell down on the job.  Because you don't actually care about the people of Michigan.  You only care about the donors with deep pockets.  

That's not a Christian attitude at all.  That would make you legislators Pharisees -- not even Samaritans, and definitely not good Christians.  

Anne S. Zanoni

I didn't include my phone number because I don't want a phone call.  I want action.  I doubt you'll do that.  But I know who will provide action... because I know a lot of people here in my home state as well as elsewhere.  Time for a change.



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Note:  Yes, by Pharisees I meant exactly what you thought I did, dear reader... the greedy ones that Jesus threw out of the temple.  One hopes the message got through.  Links were not included in the original email btw.