Last Friday, Representative Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.) called concerned American citizens to meet with her on the steps of the Capitol in DC Thursday at noon, to protest against the so-called 'public option.'  Before you ask yourself, "What does this have to do with Snohomish County?" I will remind you that our economy is in the dumps and our businesses are suffering quite enough, thank you very much, without adding additional health care costs and fines to their already burdensome regulation. My husband offered me his frequent flyer miles, we hurriedly made arrangements, I called friends in DC and ...here I am!

This is my sixth time to DC (and no I did not grow up on the East Coast, but on a farm in central Illinois) and once again the view of the monuments and Capitol took my breath away. I cannot recall having flown in at night before. Our pilot took us on the most amazing flight path. We flew low into the city, directly over the Lincoln Memorial, with the Washington Monument standing tall and proud in front of us, fully duplicated in the reflecting pool as we passed by and then the Jefferson Memorial came into view. Suddenly it struck me that this visit feels vastly different, far more important, far more serious.  I've been reading the Constitution quite a bit lately, and other works of the Founding Fathers, and it seems America is standing on a precipice. Will we treat the Constitution as a 'living document,' malleable and ever-changing with the times? Or will we treat it as a blueprint for prosperity and freedom, as we did for the first hundred and thirty years of its existence?  

The next few days may give us our answer. Jane Citizen and I will be delivering letters from concerned citizens of Sequim, Silverdale, Snohomish, Everett, Edmonds, Gig Harbor, Kenmore, Redmond, Mukilteo, Whidbey Island, etc. to Senators Murray and Cantwell and our Representatives, urging our elected officials to listen to their constituents and vote against the 'public option.'  Many of the letters request health care reform that would lower costs and increase our choices, without transferring power from the People to the Executive branch. 

I'll keep you posted. I'll be tweeting to my Facebook page throughout the day, and back on the blog as soon as possible.