This letter was written on September 23, 1993.

The Honorable
Charles S. Robb
493 Russell Senate
Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Robb,

I trust all is well with you. I write regarding Mr. Clinton’s proposed healthcare legislation.

In my past letters to you I have tried to maintain a level of moderation regarding my beliefs about legislation before the senate. However, given your voting record I cannot help but surmise that the opinions and strongly held beliefs of your constituents has little meaning to you. Therefore I feel the need to be a bit more frank with you in this and future letters. Perhaps it will have the reverse effect of further alienating you from those of us who are registered to vote. But your record thusfar is proof that we have already been relegated to the ash-heap.

To say that Mr. & Mrs. Clinton’s healthcare plan is a socialist panacea is a gross understatement. As a retired Marine and one who is supposed to have put his life on the line for the liberties guaranteed in our Constitution, I would think that anything that smacks of socialism would be abhorrent to you. I am not heartened by your recent voting record on other matters that lead me to believe that you pay little heed to the Constitution. Chesty Puller must be spinning in his grave.

Needless to say I am opposed to the government having anything at all to do with a healthcare plan for the United States of America. I believe very strongly that a free market system is much more capable of providing quality healthcare at reasonable prices. The key to the success of the private sector is to get government out of it altogether. I have heard the numbers that the Clinton’s and their cronies love to bandy about, but rest assured that I am intelligent enough not to believe anything that comes out of the current administration. I would have hoped that my representatives in Washington would be equally as intelligent. I remain disappointed.

As a small business owner in Richmond I have already had conversation with my family (family owned business) about what we will have to do if this legislation is enacted. The one word that keeps coming up is, lay-offs. You explain to me, Sir, how this legislation is supposed to be helpful to everyone if small businesses will have to make layoffs to survive?

I could continue and offer more common-sense reasons why this plan will not work. History has shown that socialist governing fails every time. I would have thought that a Marine would be more in-tuned to this type of foolishness.

I will close now, hoping in my heart and mind that you will see fit to do the right thing and vote against this plan. I will be watching with anticipation.

Sincerely yours,