Here is a slimmed down, perhaps a tad punchier version for any one to use as
they see fit: Almost every paper requires the name and address and the day
phone # .
Please note: many papers (E.G. The New York Times) will not run a "third
party" letter. That is, you cannot get them to run one with anyone's name on
it other than your own. Nor will they run an "open letter" --which I think
means a letter directed to a target group. I.E. one that might start ":Dear
105th Congress". This is 375 words, a successful letter to the editor will
not be much longer.
Please feel free to play with this a bit and make it your own . Better yet,
write one from scratch. Maybe you might find this letter useful as an
outline.
The least useful thing we do is to squawk among ourselves. We already know
that we are "mad as hell", etc. etc. When we squawk to our legislators that
is a single squawk. When we get others to call and ask for an explanation,
that is real power.
Regards,
WHH 54/18
Your Name
xxx Your Street
Your Hometown
IL 62xxx-xxxx
Day phone (xxx) xxx-xxxx
My name is xxxxxxxx Your Name xxxxxxand I have Parkinson's Disease (making me
a PWP-person with PD).
If you had the opportunity to make up to a 1000% annual return on an
investment in one year, could you find the money? Congress has such a chance-
right now, as you read this
The US economy spends about 25 billion dollars a year (that is 68.493 million
dollars a day) to maintain about one million American PWP. Our US Government
probably pays more than five billion dollars a year (13.6 million dollars a
day) directly. We are grateful for the cash, but we would greatly prefer a
cure.
That takes more money.
A few years back, distinguished researchers, lawmakers, and others arrived at
one hundred million dollars a year for five years as the amount that could be
absorbed by projects of high scientific merit.
Under heavy grassroots lobbying for four years, Lawmakers made possible that
investment last year by passing the Morris K. Udall Research and Education
Act. That Law "authorizes" the spending of the 100 million dollars. The
funds must be "appropriated " yearly
There is a powerful case for Congress to do so and quickly.
Funding a cure for PD would begin a future when the Government benefits by
that $5 billion and the economy by that $25 billion, year after year. That's
right at 1000% return per dollar spent on the government's portion in the
first post PD year alone. Ex PWPs would invest at least some of the rest of
the $25 billion in things other than pills. The activity generated by their
investing would swell the government's return even more.
For any of this to happen the money and some time are required. So far,
Congress has squandered both., by appropriating no money to fund the Udall
Law. Every day's delay is another day of uncomfortable life for the PWPs and
68.493 million dollars down the drain. Many important projects await these
funds.
Would you help us do this? Ask your Congress to stop the delay and fully fund
the Udall Law.
To call your Congressmen and women, dial this number
(202) 224-3121
