Engage the public about the public insurance

Dear Mr. President,
Good morning! Are you a coffee drinker? My husband and I have started a small coffee business, www.TwinValleyCoffee.com. A couple of years ago my husband, Lynn, began roasting. We were entertaining some missionary friends who brought with them a hostess gift of their home roasted coffee beans. We had no grinder and ended up trying our blender. This was the beginning of the good smells in my kitchen.

Lynn is an entrepreneur and I thought this was another rabbit trail that often takes more money than makes more money. Not so. We have discovered that he is an exceptional roaster, who would have thought? He has since created quite the local following in our area. We sell to the grocery store in town and to a couple of local farm stores.

All this to say I am drinking my one cup a day surrounded by the smell of a coffee shop in my own kitchen. I wish I could give you a try of our coffee. I can imagine the furor if I would try to send you a package in the mail. If you like coffee, you'd love his roast. Maybe someday if I have the privilege of meeting you face to face I will be able to give you one or two bags (or however many you want within reason).

Though I do not understand all that the Health Care Reform entails, means, hints at, etc. etc. I do know one thing, I can identify with your frustration of not feeling heard. I marvel at how things can be jumbled in the listeners mind even when you know you are making yourself perfectly clear. And the question is what to do, how can we pull the listener onto the same page? This is the trick and for the sake of America I pray that your points to be communicated will be communicated well. We need to know exactly what you have in mind.

Having six children has given me some help in trying to pull people onto the same page as well as showing me how difficult it is. All six of my children have six different and unique personalities and six different ways of hearing. Some of them readily agree with me and I know instantly they are not listening. Some of them argue the entire time ,totally engaged and are easier to pull onto the page than the readily agreed ones. And what it ofttimes boils down to is not giving up, but rather having the persistence in relaying the message in a variety of ways.

Why don't you pose some questions and ask the American people to do a bit of research on their own. Ask them what does it mean when one says the following; single-payer, public option, nationalization, socialization etc. etc. What do you like about your health care at present? What don't you like about your health care at present? What keeps you up at night in regards to your health care?

When you ask people questions in a transitional period, a crossroad moment, you are engaging them to be part of the solution. You are asking them to invest their thoughts along with yours to this mammoth issue. People appreciate the recognition that their input is valid. When their approval is required without giving them the dignity of involvement, you are setting yourself up for a mountain climb in winning them over to your side.

Mr. President, I am here to help. I am not here to agree but I am here to help. I cannot put you in a box and cynically view you as trying to lead our nation into a straight jacket government where you say jump and we say how high? You deserve more credit than that. We don't know you, you need time.

It all boils down to communication and if you keep in mind the need to respect the American's need to be engaged in this issue I do believe you'll make some progress. Start by asking the Americans the questions that hound you on this Health Care Issue, the questions that are before the congress. Ask the right questions, engage the public.

“He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20

You are a good man, Mr. President. Have a good day.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Burkholder