The Senate Finance Committee recently held a meeting to discuss health care reform in America. However, this meeting wasn't about representing the deep desires of the majority of Americans who overwhelming support a single payer system.

This was more of a slap in the face to single payer supporters and a high five to the medical industry.

Not one representative of single payers was at the table during the meeting, which is upsetting when you considered the majority of doctors support a single payer system.

And what's more is that at the meeting, Sen. Max Baucus laughed off the audience members - well respected doctors and lawyers - that stood up one at a time to express their support for a single payer system.

The silencing of single payer supporters seen at this meeting is reflected by inaction of many congressmen in regards to this urgent issue - including our very own Congressman Michael Arcuri.

Over that last month, I have written letters, e-mails and called him over 20 times asking him to explain his views about health care and strongly encouraged him to support HR 676, which is a bill for a single payer health care system. Yet, I have been marginalized and side-stepped.

And, never once has he directly answered the question.

Well, this leaves me with a few angry questions: How many times can you silence the American people?

How can you ignore an issue that so many fervently support - shouldn't a majority win this debate?

I guess the medical industry might just have its greedy hands on our very own 24th district.

Nate Hughes

Weedsport