the perfect is the enemy of the, well, not really "good," but better than a sharp stick in the eye

Like Ari, I'm not exactly thrilled to be writing this, but I'm doing it anyway. Call your Representative at (202) 224-3121 and ask him or her to just vote for the Senate version of the health care bill.

I don't like the bill any better than you do, but it's something. It'll make lifetime caps on coverage illegal. It'll prevent insurance companies from denying coverage based on "preexisting conditions." Yes, I agree that everything else in the bill is only "okay" at best, and that there's a lot--a LOT--that the bill doesn't even begin to deal with. But those two things alone--forcing insurers to take everyone, preventing them from yanking your coverage once you get sick--are huge.

Don't decide to tolerate the status quo out of pique, disappointment and anger. Because while the proposed changes are nowhere near good enough, they *will* save lives (and lower costs, and set a precedent for possible further changes someday maybe I hope). Please tell your representative that you want the to pass this bill, now, and keep on fighting to pass others in years to come.