Mr. President, we are not deaf or dumb; a little blind perhaps. We have sailed along, ignoring government for years. We assumed it would always protect our freedoms, spend our money wisely and make sure laws were kept. We busied ourselves with careers, families, hobbies and other interests. But it's like a giant taser zapped us all at once. We are awake and our eyes are open. The health care reform bills proposed by both the House and Senate have caused a lot of ruckus, but the uproar is about more than health care. It is about the realty that you are changing everything we stand for — freedom of choice, personal privacy, and above all, trust in our leaders. And that goes for Congress as well. We see where the ship is headed and we don't like it.

How many times are you going to repeat the obvious as you did on Saturday in Colorado, "Last point I want to make, and this has to do with the budget issues,because we've got a huge deficit right now and a huge debt, and I think that that's coloring how people view the debate.  I hear a lot of people say, how can we afford this right now?  We've got to reduce our deficit."? We know there's a deficit and are waiting with anticipation for you to tell us how your administration intends to reduce it! Certainly not with a massive government run health care plan at this time.

We want health care reform that fixes the problems and does not trash the best health care system in the world. We want citizens who cannot get insurance to have access to coverage, but we emphasize citizens. We do not want to force coverage on those who can afford it but don't want it. We do not want to penalize small businesses to the extent that it inhibits job growth. We do not want a health care plan that invades our privacy with access to checking accounts and requires counseling for seniors about things that should be between families, their personal attorneys and private physicians. What's the rush? Didn't your grandmother tell you that "haste makes waste"?

We can't undo the last election, but we can change current direction. Those in Congress who truly want to represent us, are holding real town hall meetings and care about responding to the frustration and concerns of their constituents. These Representatives and Senators are growing in numbers. And above all, they know that if they want to be re-elected, they will jump off your out-of-control ship. It's already started.

Read the entire President Obama speech from his August 15 Town Hall Meeting in Colorado.  Los Angeles Times Web Site.