The Honorable
Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.
2241 Rayburn Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Congressman Bliley,

I trust this letter finds you and your family enjoying the holiday season. I am in receipt of your correspondence of the 22nd of November.

First, please allow me to express my thanks for the kind invitation you extended to me. I am always interested in voicing my views about matters of import to my community.

I wish to offer my regrets that I was unable to attend the meeting at Mills E. Godwin High School on December 4. That pesky job of mine gets in the way of my extra-curricular activities. However, having been unable to attend and personally voice my concerns, I wish to take advantage of this opportunity to do so. I trust that my words will be given consideration and that if you have any questions of me you will contact me.

As regards the role of our government in healthcare, be it local, state, or federal, my objection is quite simple and based on philosophical grounds. IT IS NOT A PROPER ROLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO BE INVOLVED IN PROVIDING HEALTHCARE FOR ANYONE, PERIOD! I have found no mention of it in either the Constitution of the United states of America or the Constitution of Virginia. The real reason for this proposed healthcare, 14% of the GNP, is so apparent one would have to be blind not to see it.

Mr. Clinton is simply trying to continue his push for a more socialized government as the rest of the world moves away from same. His proposals have failed miserably everywhere they have been tried in the world. He knows, in his heart, that it will fail here as well. However, he and his cronies in congress will have their greedy little hands on 14% of the GNP. They can and will do with this money what they wish, to hell with real healthcare.

If anyone wishes to see government run healthcare they have but to go to their local VA hospital. I have talked to several veterans who have been treated in these hospitals and I have yet to hear of a positive experience. My God, these are the same people who run the post office, welfare, HUD, ad infinitim. How in the name of all that is holy can we believe that they will be able to run healthcare properly?

It is my contention that the problems facing healthcare today are a direct result of governmental intervention in the first place. To try to convince me that the government can now fix the problem they created is to stretch the bounds of common-sense. I believe that the free market place is the answer to the problem. NOT SOME REVAMPED OR REWORDED VERSION OF MR. CLINTON’S ORIGINAL PROPOSAL! Take government out of the way altogether and let the people decide which companies provide the best care at the lowest cost. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT NATION TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS FOR OURSELVES!

I know that there are those who will bring forth all sorts of numbers and money figures to prove their case. I have not the access to or the time to search for such numbers. However, I know how much numbers can be slanted to suit any argument you care to make, for or against. Again, my opposition is philosophical and based on the premise that individual citizens and the market place ought to decide such matters, NOT A GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY!

I am tired of my individual liberties being taken away from me little by little, Perhaps there are those among us who do not see this trend from their own government, but I do and I deeply resent it. I am one man who will not take it sitting down. I will place my trust in you, as my elected representative, to take my argument to your fellows in congress. I will hope and pray that common-sense will prevail.

Thanking you for your time and consideration I will close now, reminding you that I am, Sir,

yours for liberty,

Floyd C. Bayne