While I may not fully understand the health care bill that will be voted on today, I do understand that right now there are 30,000,000 Americans who do not have health insurance. It is a critical issue that needs to be solved. The Republicans had 6 – if not 8 – years to pass their own version of the bill, but they put it on the back-burner. Health care reform has been on the back-burner for too long now, and it’s time for change. Everyone in Washington agrees that something needs to be done. To those 32 Democrats who are planning on voting “No” on the health reform bill going to the House today I send a simple message: You have failed. The American people sent you and President Obama to Washington for change, yet you want to continue the old ways for the simple reason that your personal wants were not included in this bill. You could possibly be derailing the most important piece of social legislation since Medicare because you didn’t get what you want.

To those Democrats who are voting “Yes,” but are still not satisfied with the bill I say that there is always room for change. Amendments can happen. What can’t happen is this bill be pushed aside for personal disagreements with the Senate, who wrote the bill. You understand that this is what the people want, and for than, I say thank you.

Today I discovered that my local Congressman, Michael Arcuri (D-N.Y.), is voting “No” on health care. Apparently he believes that the system we have now is better than what the bill proposes. This bill is not flawless, it doesn’t include all the provisions that it should, but it is an important step in the right direction. If this bill doesn’t pass, Congressman Arcuri will be getting more than a few phone calls and letters from me.

I cannot begin to describe my anticipation for today’s upcoming vote. This could be the most important day in American politics since socialized medicare – or it could be the biggest loss in American politics, behind the health reform bill of the 1990′s. But one thing is for sure: This vote will determine the November elections, and possibly the Presidential Election of 2012.

Nick Butler