From: "Lisa Holcombe" <lisa@mindstormcreative.com>
To: <senator@feinstein.senate.gov>
Cc: <dick@durbin.senate.gov>; <senator@schumer.senate.gov>
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 1:13 PM
Subject: SB722
Dear Senator Feinstein:
Please stop your sponsorship of SB722! Removing the public's
access to affordable alternatives to prescription medicines is shortsighted,
illogical and down right mean! If I have a cold and need medication - I
have to pay $20 to 50 to see my doctor, take myself off the earning clock
to go to my appointment, pay for my prescription and take time out to get
that too. Access to vitamins, amino acids, herbs and other supplements a)
provides us with a system for being responsible for our own health, and
b) reduces inconsequential, day to day health concern's impact on the medical
system. Both of these are more far reaching in their impact on society than
a legislative attempt (yet again!!) to protect us from ourselves.
If the thought behind such a bill is to protect the general
public from health risks -- then there are far more urgent areas of risk
that should be made less accessible. Alcohol. Tobacco. Broken Glass. Cellphones.
Nails and Hammers. Uneven sidewalks. The WB Network. Cars. To name a few.
I think all of these pose a far greater health risk to people than vitamins,
herbs, and other supplements, don't you?
I'm sure the AMA grows more worried every day since so the
numbers of people seeking alternative or complementary health care is growing.
People are taking their money outside the system everyday. The medical field
needed to pay attention to that "problem" long ago. Instead we
accepted managed health care and insurance that does very little to help
a person keep themselves healthy. We need both types of health care opportunities
available to us. As with everything in life, freedom of choice allows us
to make some mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes can have dire consequences
-- like, say..... drinking and
driving. Sadly, we cannot legislate people into smart decisions or pass
laws against being stupid. But truly SB722 is just a stupid bill. I would
encourage you to consider a far more restrictive legal approach to drinking
and driving than to supplements and vitamins. The death toll is much higher
for the former than the later.
I know that I will receive one of your lovely form emails
as response to mine. Thank you to the eloquent writer of said form response.
But truly, I'd rather you put a team of college kids to work with personal
responses -- especially given how hard it is to find a job these days. It
would be nice to know that my investment in you (via my tax dollars that
contribute to your salary) actually have some kind of tangible value. It
would also be nice to know that when I do express my opinion to my representatives
that someone ACTUALLY cares, that some sort of living, breathing, HUMAN
BEING actually listens. Taxation....representation......some silly notion
I have. Oh well.
Again, as a constituent -- please stop your support of SB722.
Please encourage the sponsors of the bill to kill it now. Please encourage
Senator Clinton and Senator Schumer to rescind their support of such an
illogical and mean spirited --- and potentially costly assault upon the
health of the common man and woman. Let the AMA and the pharmaceutical companies
make their money elsewhere. Use their large campaign contributions as a
donation to education -- that's how we teach people not to misuse the tools
they have at hand.....not by taking them away!
Lisa Holcombe
PS - You may want to consider a ban on free access to pencils
in the near future. I hear the deadly potential of them in our schools is
mounting. Crayola probably has some good lobbying money available. Non-lethal
crayons would certainly make our world more colorful....albeit somewhat
more difficult to decipher. The lumber industry might get a little testy...
but hey, they're pretty well falling apart already! Or.... we could teach
kids not to stab others with pencils or other types of pointed objects.
------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lisa Holcombe" <lisa_holcombe@hotmail.com>
To: <Editor>
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 2:38 PM
Subject: Hey there Ken
Hey Ken.
Thanks for the update on your site about SB722. I copied you on the email
I wrote to the Feinstein office....and as predicted received the classic
email form letter in response. Senator Schumer's office also sent me an
auto reply that directed me to a web site/email form that it non-existent.
Now that's First Class representation, eh?!
Anyways.....let's hope this bill can be killed! The only kind of killing
(along with parasites and mosquitos) that we should condone.
All information posted on this web site is
the opinion of the author and is provided for educational purposes only.
It is not to be construed as medical advice. Only a licensed medical doctor
can legally offer medical advice in the United States. Consult the healer
of your choice for medical care and advice.