Nelson fails 'gut check'

Editor's note: The following letter was written to Florida Sen. Bill Nelson and is reprinted here at the author's request.

I wanted to express to you and your staff that I am opposed to the current health care legislation being fast-tracked by Congress.

Instead of working for the people and the small businesses buckling under current economic pressures, you are proposing that we all enroll in a broken system of monopolies and kickbacks.

As a former pharmaceutical rep, this does nothing to close the doughnut hole as you mention in your post-vote statement. These are insurance company and Big Pharma talking points; I know because I had rehearsed them as well.

As a small business owner, former Marine Officer and Republican who does not allow my party to dictate how I vote and side on issues facing my family, employees and country, I am deeply disappointed that you are unable to do the same. As a military veteran yourself, you and I would call this a "gut check."

Lastly, any complaining about having to work on Christmas by your colleagues sickens me considering there were several holidays, birthdays and anniversaries I missed while taking part in the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Memo: We still have troops deployed and military families on welfare, even on Christmas Day.

We the people demand leadership for America, not partisan pressure and corporate greed. I fear this will be our demise as a nation, perpetuate the loss of trust in our political leadership, enrage millions of Americans who soon enough will have "nothing to lose," and collectively, this is not a good recipe for proper civil discourse.

This will be reflected in the upcoming congressional elections, not that this impacts you at all.

Lastly, I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas despite my inability to respect your recent vote.

Michael Bilello

Weeki Wachee