Letter: Health care reform hampered

Friday, July 25, 2003 | 5:02 a.m.

I invite a public response to this from each of our federally elected officials: Please reassure me that you or your family are not benefiting or being influenced by the big bucks being spent to prevent any meaningful national health care reform, prescription drug benefits for seniors or environmental protection.

According to information from the watchdog group, www.politicalmoneyline.com, special interests spent $154 million a month during the last six months of 2002. That's a total of $925 million for six months, more than the $859 million they spent in the first six months of the same year. This math boggles my mind! Pharmaceutical companies were especially big spenders.

Now granted, not all special interests are health related -- but how much of this money is preventing congressional action to help the people in this country overall, or to protect the fragile environment?

Do we, the common citizens, have any chance at all of being represented? All we can do is vote. And many are, understandably, cynical about that. Does anyone have us, the public, as the No. 1 priority?

PATRICIA VAN BETTEN