Dear President Bush

Dear President Bush,



How are you?

Actually, I am not quite sure if I should address you as above or Former President Bush, or if there is a more proper title for you. Alas, I guess that is simply another indication that this letter should have been authored long ago.

I have been thinking about the various issues I want to discuss, ever since I heard about your decision regarding vetoing the Congress' bill to rescind a pay cut for physicians. Why was there even discussion of a pay cut for physicians? And why would you block maintaining the current pay scale? MediCare already pays physicians very little and to make another 10% cut?! Who would be left to care for the elderly and the chronically ill? When I visited my very ill grandmother in the hospital a few years ago, his neurologist told my mom that he was essentially 'volunteering' in his care for elderly patients. That after taking time away from seeing other privately insured patients, making the drive to the hospital, that in the end, he probably would collect about $60 for at least 1.5 hours of his time. While not truly volunteering, do you see that MediCare's poor reimbursement does indeed make it totally not worthwhile for providers? Alternatively, I suppose physicians could make money via volume, which would still equate to substandard care. I could not understand your rationale at all!

Moreover, while we voted for you to be elected, I often felt you were SO VERY stubborn. Only time will tell if your laser beam focus served our country or not, but certainly, it must had been quite lonely. What was it like to be in your shoes, I wonder? Did you read about all the negative press? How unpopular your actions were?

Finally, according to the authors of Good Night Bush, you had said that The Very Hungry Catapillar had been your favorite book as a child, however, this book wasn't published until your adulthood?! Were you making stuff up? If you were, what else did you make up? I hope you can understand my concerns.

Well, I hope you're doing well, although I cannot imagine that you would be collecting speaking engagement fees in the millions, like President Clinton. No offense, but I can't think of any non-religious organizations that might pay you...

Therefore, I wish you a restful and quiet retirement. Please, do send my hellos to your lovely wife and daughters.

God bless,
A&Z's Mom