Kirk's survey misleads district

An Open Letter to Congressman Mark Kirk of the 10th Congressional District:

As your constituent, I am appalled by the inflammatory language pertaining to health care reform on your Web site. Your "survey" is worded as follows: "Do you support Nancy Pelosi's $1.3 trillion government takeover of health care?"

Referring to legislation as if it somehow belonged to one particular and often-demonized person, leading with the scary price tag and equating a public insurance option with a "government takeover" quite strongly suggests the "right" answer. Your thinly disguised "survey" is typical of the manipulative, polarizing rhetoric that has obstructed health care reform for the last three decades.

Like many of your constituents, I am certain that our current system is unsustainable, and I believe that health care is not merely a commodity but a critical human service. Determining how best to extend access to basic health care and how to reduce costs without compromising quality are deeply serious, complex matters. It is imperative that we approach them without prejudice and remain open to constructive debate about the most effective and equitable ways to achieve agreed-upon goals.

But your language does not invite respectful debate. It insults the intelligence of thoughtful people, exploits those who fear change and smacks of partisan politics. I can only conclude that you are more interested in garnering the short-term support of the extreme right wing of the Republican Party than in tackling the much harder work of protecting the long-term health and economic stability of the American people.

Anna M. McKinley

Mount Prospect