Janet Rudd
To the United States Congress and the US Senate Representatives.
I come from Pekin IL the home town of Everett Dirksen a long time Senator from IL. I’m a registered republican and have been employed as a membership director for the United States Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
My job was to cold call every small business in my territory touting the mission of the these organizations using “Red Meat ” scare tactics of more taxation and regulation if they did not give me a check today so this organization could speak on their behalf. Those that were reluctant were given a second chance to change their mind with some more probing using hot buttons, issues; unionization, IRS, EPA, or any worse case scenario using the Government as the enemy and the association I represented as their only true friend and advocate.
Some business owners were pretty savvy. They knew the bill and had a different take on it. Sadly for me I had not read the bill; just look what I had been given to go sell. After all: “Who can read the bills 1,999 pages they are so complicated and you’re focused on your business let us focus on protecting it. Health care was the number 1 issue facing these small businesses.
Then one day I got an email from a member I had just renewed. She expressed her dismay of how the organization I was working for and she was a member of was working AGAINST a small business owner and her healthcare struggle for an implant after going DEAF. The insurance would not pay. Shocked at the email, I began to ask more questions. The IL State director issued a statement “Although tragic: the fact was if the insurance company was mandated to pay for the hearing device everyone would have to pay more in premiums and they always opposed mandates on ins companies“. But the truth was; This organization and all other associations sold insurance to their membership and made money selling insurance product and services. In-fact the lobby group worked for the insurance companies themselves therefore had no interest in the membership is was to service except to sell them products. It is self interest only. The Lewin Group is a subsidiary of United Healthcare.
Today I am a small business owner, and need your support for H.R. 3962. There are 29 million of us and another 45 million without help. We must have the choice of a public option. I need your support in congress to pass this legislation.
Thank-You
