Blue America and the Netroots thanks Democrats for backing the "Public Option" and you can too!
Blue America wants to thank all the Progressives and Democrats for standing up for the "public option." We've already raised over 30K. They need to be made aware that we also appreciate the good things that they do too.
Darcy Burner made this point at Netroots Nation on a great panel discussion about what we've been doing on the health care front regarding our organizing efforts (and in her keynote speech as well). I heard from several members of Congress at NN how hard it's been in their freaked out town halls, but they believe in the "public option" and will not buckle from misinformation and people intent on killing health care reform. Progressives in Congress fired back at the White House and the Senate standing up and saying it's the public option, baby!
Please thank progressives for holding the line and donate to Standing Up for the Public Option.
The Netroots has been stepping up and pushing back hard against the ConservaDems plan to support the health care industry over American families. It's a sad choice they are making, but looking at the campaign donations they receive from the Health Care Industrial Complex, it's not surprising. It should be and the media has finally started to highlight all the money the Baucus Dogs have been taking from them.
I was on a panel at Netroots Nation with Congressman Eric Massa. He was adamant about the public plan. There was no need to cajole him into supporting it, he had been there all along. He is also in a very tough swing district and his town halls have been horrific. It didn't move him, he stood and fought with his own constituents and came out even more committed because he realized just how important it was going to be to the very people who were so sadly misinformed.
That's called leadership and it deserves our support and thanks. So, Blue America thought it would be a good idea to do a little positive reinforcement and thank those who have gone out on a limb on this and are standing fast. 65 members of congress have pledged that they will not vote for a bill that does not contain a public plan and we would like to reward them.
If you have a couple of bucks to spare to thank the Progressive Caucus members who have drawn this line in the sand, please click here and give them your support.
Howie Klein put together the Act Blue page and writes:
You may remember that a few days ago I included all the names and phone numbers in a post and I want to encourage all DWT readers to call up congressmembers on the list and thank them. Thereisnospoon at Daily Kos explained the thinking behind whole campaign this morning. And Blue America is hosting an ActBlue page for people who would like to give any of the congressmembers who are standing up for the public option a dollar or two.
Is your congressmember on the list? Is your favorite member of Congress? Take a look -- and make your voice heard -- with a dollar.
Washington is paying attention. The top story at Politico today is headlined "Liberals Revolt Over Public Option":
The battle is not won, not by a long shot. Howie Klein and the Blue America team put together an Act Blue donation page that includes the 60 members who signed the letter, plus five more that our whip count effort have secured promises from that they will not vote for any bill that does not have a robust public plan. Thereisnospoon and Hekebolos over at Daily Kos are also on board.
Democracy for America is letting these members know that they have the support of their constituents, and Howard Dean -- well, he's been on fire. Eat it, Rahm.
Meanwhile, HCAN is going to spend $650,000 -- attacking Republicans. If grassroots efforts weren't under way to fight the real battle here, and we had to rely on the big moneyed interests, the public plan would have been lost a long time ago.
As everyone knows, we've been pretty upset at the Obama administration and some members of Congress over the health insurance reform debate. On Sunday, it looked like the Obama administration was going to drop the public option -- a provision that Obama has repeatedly told us is critical to reining in the insurance industry. That's proven to be unacceptable to many members of Congress. Since Sunday, a number of progressive members of Congress have stood up and basically said, ENOUGH!
Those members need to hear a big thank you from the progressive community. We need to strengthen their resolve. And, while we're quick to call out bad actions, we need to reward good behavior.
Piggybacking and expanding on that idea is an ActBlue page created by Howie Klein called Take the Pledge to financially reward those 64 representatives who are doing the right thing...read on
HR 676 Single Payer a la Medicare for all.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
power structure.
http://blog.democratz.org
I would be much more impressed if you were not trying to sell 10¢ gold colored ALUMINUM coins FOR FIVE DOLLARS. Shyster!
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
Did you happen to see Rep. Anthony Weiner this morning on Morning Joe? He laid out the medicare for all plan like no one else has and he also made so much sense that Scarborough was left with nothing to argue with him about. The guy kept asking Joe what the insurance companies brought to the equation and Joe couldn't find an answer. He was so fun to watch and educational as well.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Y'all should go watch and listen to Anthony. He just put it out there plain and simple. Poor Joe can't deal with simple. He likes him some free market crapitalism.
And go read what the Mad As Hell Doctors say about the single payer option and their efforts to make it happen.
The 'public option' is flim flam.
The Democrats have NO legitimate excuse in not going with Single Payer.
What they have is their fealty to the CORPORATIONS.
They cling to this tidbit of pretended reform called the 'public option' so as to daze and confuse the masses.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
The 'public option' is flim flam.
Totally agree and totally correct.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
And here are some highlights from Professor John David Lewis of Duke University:
1.) The government has the power to determine what constitutes an “applicable [medical] condition.”
2.) The government has the power to determine who is allowed re-admission into a hospital.
3.) This determination will be made by statistics: when enough people have been discharged for the same condition, an individual may be readmitted.
This is government rationing, pure, simple, and straight up.
4.) There can be no judicial review of decisions made here. The Secretary is above the courts.
5.) The plan also allows the government to prohibit hospitals from expanding without federal permission: page 317-318.
6.) Anyone caught without acceptable coverage and not in the government plan will pay a special tax.
7.) The IRS will be a major enforcement mechanism for the plan.
8.) By setting a minimum 70% actuarial value of benefits, the bill makes health plans in which individuals pay for routine services, but carry insurance only for catastrophic events, (such as Health Savings Accounts) illegal.
9.) Successful business owners will bear the highest cost of this plan.
10.) The government’s authority to set payments is basically unlimited.
11.) The official will decide what constitutes “excessive,” “deficient,” and “efficient” payments and services.
12.) The bill opens up income tax return information to federal officials.
13.) Any stated “limits” to such information are circumvented by item (v), which allows federal officials to decide what information is needed.
14.) Employers are required to report whatever information the government says it needs to enforce the plan.
15.) Do nothing and you are in.
16.) Employers are responsible for automatically enrolling people who still work
I realize these are just some highlights from the House bill, but many of them have raised my antenae up waaayyy high.
When I think about where we are now...still in Iraq, ramping things up in Afghanistan, Obama backing FISA, being for Single Payer then against it, on-going torture, allowing Bush/Cheney and Co. to go free after committing war crimes, etc., I wonder how good any legislation can be coming from ANY of these Congress members.... I don't trust them.
Unless it's H.R. 676 where the profits are TOTALLY removed from the health reform equation, I don't trust anything this government is promoting...especially when you consider the involvement of major corporations in crafting the legislation.
And I'm surprised John Amato and others are drinking the Koolaid on this one. I'm afraid if they pass ANYTHING other than 676 we are all going to get SCREWED....ROYALLY.
AND STILL NOT HAVE THE HEATH CARE WE ALL NEED AND DESERVE.
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
Besides the inevitable exaggerations or "worst case scenarios" in your list, I don't think it's all that bad. In other words, if we're going to set up a better system, it will need regulations and structure. And before you talk koolaid, you need to be better informed about who and what were involved in crafting the legislation.
If you want an authentic sell-out, then it's "co-op" or the insurance companys favorite: no competition whatsoever.
I am beholden to you for all of your hard work.
I must correct one thing.
HR 676 is single payer which removes the profit motive from the payment for services.
Medicare is the current model for this.
Because we the people are the payer, all else being equal (which might be a leap of faith), the costs can be driven down. But it does not eliminate the profit motive elsewhere, it SHOULD control it.
This is the Canadian system.
I am for Full National Health where we the people own and run the system.
The VA is the current model for this. I seem to be pretty much alone on this one. This is the far left wing talking.
It takes more of the profit motive out, all else being equal (another leap of faith).
Single payer knocks out the insurance profiteers, single delivery knocks out most everyone else.
I do not believe there should be profit motive attached to the health of the citizens of the nation.
This the English system.
Though even for them there is the option of private plans and delivery when the public system isn't desirable. If one were in the House of Lords for instance.
Krugman gives a good overview here
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
Alice, you dirty leftist...I'm with ya!
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
he's in support of HR 676 but obviously he's not supporting it hard enough in my opinion.
Hell asking to be allowed to buy into a proven successful health program shouldn't be TOO much for a working American to ask should it??
if he didn't sign on to HR 676, he was a traitor to those who elected him...and I could no longer support him...
Crickets...
Here is what is needed:
Everyone that does not have health insurance needs a group that has a leader that can represent them. This leader has to be informed like Gov. Howard Dean and can invoke reason and promise and not compromise.
The real anger is there and not tapped in any meaningful way, but the fake anger is winning. All that is left is this poor, hung out to die, while most industrial countries wonder why the poor in the US got so left behind in a country that is always blowing its horn about how great we are. If socialized medicine is so bad in other countries, why have they not repealed it?
If the "public option" is single payer...fine.
Otherwise, "public option" is going to mean "co-op" shit packaged ina different bag.
The politicians do NOT want a robust public option. They know the public will flock to it in droves.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
It's better to get half a loaf than no loaf at all. Which is what is going to happen if we keep quibbling over not getting everything we want.
Bullshit.
Don't snow me with the whole...something is better than nothing BS.
That is how we wound up with Section D of the Medicare program...you know...the big prescription bag of shit that the GOP sold us. Americans are paying MORE under that plan.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
where previously I had none. And it took someone with a masters in social work and me 45 minutes to fill out paperwork and make some idiotic choice, like "Which company do you want to rip you off for the rest of your entire stay on Medicare?"
PS, I am on Medicare because Medicaid ran out. And Medicaid picks me back up every time I am billed $2000+ in a 6 month period. It's fucking confusing.
me-oww!
Six Corporate Lobbyists for each congressman-woman.
Money opens doors and does the talking in D.C.
telling us that they need your support and you all reward us with whining. Thanks a lot.
My congresswoman signed the letter and I donated to her campaign and to Act Blue. I'd have preferred to see single payer on the table from the beginning but we need the public option to affect change.
I can not wait for the day to tell Anthem (or whatever they've decided to call themselves this week) to EAT IT! They so deserve to lose my business.
Please C&L'ers join something positive and support the congressmen on the list.
i commend blue america and netroots for all that they have done, and i am going to send them so dough.
yet, the facts on the ground make it seem almost pointless. amato writes, "We've already raised over 30K." which is less than a drop in the bucket compared to industry-spending, factored at $1.4 million per day, everyday. doing a bit of rough math, that means that the $30,000 raised so far equals about 31 minutes worth of industry's 24/7 coverage. every hour health-profiteers are paying their congressional whores about $58,333, hour after hour, day after day.
we can't raise enough money to out-spend industry. our only power resides in vote withholding.
please, i do NOT mean this post to discourage groups like blue america from raising money and using to try to spread a liberal-message. there is a lot of good to be had in that endeavor.
i just think it is also crucial to stress that a couple dollar donations here and there won't change anything unless people are really prepared to vote against politicians that screw over their supporters time and time again (see, democrats).
either and expect miraculous results.
The big clout will, of course, come from the heavy hitters: the unions, the DNC (perhaps), and the occasional but usually effective groups such as Moveon, etc.
And the AARP is spending big too. Especially since it's now decided that it needs to be more aggressive in the face of the GOP/Insurance Company front group 60PLUS...
The good thing about groups like Blue America, and why I support them, is that you can communicate directly with them, and they target their Ads.
The Right's intimidated the Dems by getting directly in their faces
in person and it's working. Regardless of the lack of substance.
Intimidation does work...as soon as the unions went into the town halls and starting cracking right wing heads...all of a sudden the debate swung toward civility.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
finally the american people are getting it!
we simply have to pool our resources and out bid corporate lobbyists!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftxkmKWnY9k&eu...
back in the early 90's. One scene where Durbin I believe was caught on camera saying "how much can you contribute"? with a sly smirk on his face to some small group wanting his attention on an issue.
Finally, a Dem who can articulate so well his position that he leaves Scarborough speechless...in two parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmlDZXCrWRE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIF_dWwxAHE
... how 'bout promoting letter-writing/email campaign?
Here's my letter to President Obama (feel free to steal it!):
Dear President Obama:
In 2008, disillusioned by eight years of W's misrule, we fell under your spell. You gave us hope, and we responded with enthusiasm and energy. You promised "Change We Can Believe In" and "Change We Need". We believed you.
While your quest for bipartisan solutions is noble, it is not realistic in the current political climate. Your Republican opponents - the so-called "loyal opposition" - in the House and Senate have no interest in supporting any legislation you propose. Their votes on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the Stimulus Bill) proved that; even though you'd made an effort to water down the bill to bring Republicans into the fold.
Don't now abandon the centerpiece of health reform legislation - the "public option" - in a futile search for a bipartisan solution. Again - such a quest is futile. Like the unicorn and the Holy Grail, bipartisan solutions are mythical in today's political environment.
Instead, it's time for you to do your very best LBJ impersonation: take recalcitrant Democratic Senators aside and twist their arms. Face it, if LBJ had attempted to appease his Congressional opponents regarding the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965, you would likely NOT be President today!
Another historical analogy comes to mind: Neville Chamberlain declaring "peace in our time" following the Munich Conference with Hitler. As Paul Krugman recently noted, your opponents cannot be appeased! They will never vote for meaningful reform of healthcare coverage, no matter what concessions you offer. Don't come before the cameras waving a neutered healthcare reform bill and declaring, "Bipartisanship in our time!"
Now is the time to stand firm and twist Democratic arms to achieve meaningful, historical reform of our national healthcare so-called 'system'. It is NOT the time to cave to Republican demands in the pursuit of a mythical beast.
If you do not stand firm and twist a few arms, you may discover that we who enthusiastically supported your candidacy in 2008 are no longer with you in 2012.
Sincerely,
then stand the fuck up and get it.
I encourage everyone to view, and take heart from Rep. Anthony Weiner on Morning Joe....so good was he, that they kept him over for a second part (and he is scheduled to return on Thursday):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmlDZXCrWRE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIF_dWwxAHE
Anthony Weiner didn't really say he wants to eliminate private medical insurance. He wants to force them to tighten their belts - bring more to the table for less $. Joe is stuck on his impression that Anthony Weiner wants to ELIMINATE the corporations, and that is a stretch! We'll see if Joe keeps harping on this false idea, or if he realizes it will be the private insurance companies fault if they falter.
all they have to do is become more efficient.
Thanks for the links.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
...From the house democrats. They are often so divided, and it is nice to see some cohesiveness.
For-profit health insurance.
No way in fucking hell.
...in this matter. We on the left are so enamored of the sticks and so stingy with the carrots.
Comments are restricted to registered users only.
Login - Register