Not Looking For A Handout

My sister, a full-time student and teacher's aide for special needs students, summing up our feelings on the Shutdown and certain policies.

An Open Letter to My Government Representatives:

I am writing to you because at this moment even though I should be doing homework for my college classes, I am not able to. The reason I am not able to is because most of my research involves government websites that have given me different variations of the following messages: "Due to a lapse of appropriations and the partial shutdown of the Federal Government, the systems that host [insert website name here] have been shut down. Services will be restored as soon as a continuing resolution to provide funding has been enacted."

This is extremely frustrating to me as I am trying to get ahead of my homework. I am having gastric sleeve surgery next week and don't know how much energy I will have to do homework for a while.

While on the subject of this I will mention that my surgery will be entirely SELF PAY because I have not had medical insurance for six years since I was 26 when I was booted of my parent's insurance, despite having full time employment for most of that time. I have a pre-existing condition, depression, one which is well maintained when on medication but will be with me for life. I have also struggled with my weight for most of my life and no diet or exercise regimen has ever proven useful in the loss of weight needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I will be signing up for insurance through the medical exchange because for once I will not have to worry about being turned down for my pre-existing condition. For the first time I will be shown medical plans that can actually fit into my budget and aren't overinflated because of market monopoly.

Because of the stance that you and others have taken on a law THAT HAS ALREADY PASSED I have also been instructed by my employer that should I exceed 29 hours of work in a week that I will be dismissed. The reason given was because if I exceed 29 hours they will be required to provide insurance.

PLEASE JUST STOP IT. I beg of you to consider the possibility that you may be wrong. Please consider that you have constituents who are not looking for bigger government or for a free handout but do in fact rely on outside help to survive daily life because current policies from BOTH parties have made finding and maintaining work that pays enough to cover bills a near impossibility for many people.

Stop taking the ridiculous stance that compromise is not an option. You had your chance when the AFFORDABLE Care Act was still in the bill stage. The bill has already passed and is now law, if needed I can show you a very informative Schoolhouse Rock that can explain how a bill becomes a law.