Every economy and government in Western Europe has had single payer health care for the last 50 years.

And I encourage each and every elected representative in Washington to take their job seriously as a representative of the people. And to stop perpetuating the anachronistic behavior of our government and it’s entrenched representation of corporate interests.

I’m writing to you specifically today because this week the Senate Finance Committee acted as if it were a joke that activists came to protest the absence of even one spokesperson for single payer health care at the hearing table.

Not only is this type of voter action not a joke, but the complete absence of recognition they received by the committee is a fine example of the contempt most elected officials in Washington hold for the people that elect them.

Senator Chuck Grassley of my home state of Iowa was a perfect example of this contemptuous attitude when he asked jokingly if there was somewhere that the peaceful protesters could “watch it [the hearing] on television” as they were being forcefully removed.

I support these protesters 100 percent. And millions of other Americans either support them, or are in complete agreement with what they stood up for.

I resent the system of government that we have that allows corporations to have so much control over our elected representatives that these representatives are required to work for the corporations that pay for their reelection campaigns, or run the risk of not having enough money to run their next campaign.

What happened this week in the Senate Finance Committee was a disgrace to a country that claims to have a government elected by and for the people.

And I wish every Congressman in Washington not named Kucinich or Wexler would pack their bags up and leave town. Or be straight with their constituents about what they’re actually standing up for when they’re in Washington.

You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

Eli Pedelty

St. Ansgar, Iowa