Pledge To Make 1,000,000 Calls To Congress To Pass Health Reform!
My name is Noelle Cigarroa Bell, and I've been working for the past year on health care reform as a grassroots advocate. I would like to announce exciting news--we're working with Darcy Burner on the FixItAndPassIt! Project. Here's what our project is about:
Healthcare Reform: Fix It and Pass It! is a project of the Progressive Congress Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization dedicated to connecting the progressive movement, ideas, and Congress.
I've started this movement with Eve Gittelson, a noted health care activist, and Darcy Burner, the Executive Director of ProgressiveCongress.org. We're starting a massive push to make 1,000,000 calls to Congress on February 24th and February 25th around the time of President Obama's bipartisan summit to push for a reconciliation fix to the Senate bill. Will you please help join us to fix the bill and get it passed?
Democracy For America is onboard with us for our effort, and we're working on an even bigger push next week to get this job done. Speaker Pelosi has it right when she says she doesn't have the votes for the Senate bill. She's whipped her caucus, tried to get them to a "yes" vote, but they're not going to do it because the Senate bill is political poison because of the lack of a public option, the Medicare buy-in, the excise tax, the sweetheart deals with PhRMA, and the Nebraska Cornhusker Kickback deal.
We're pushing to fix this bill by calling for these items in the reconciliation fix--the public option, the Medicare buy-in, excising the excise tax, increasing the subsidies, drug reimportation, and kicking the Nebraska cornhusker kickback deal out of the Senate bill. The votes won't materialize otherwise. It's the harsh reality. This just doesn't stop here, because truly, this Senate bill even if it gets passed by an Act of God, isn't enough. We will continue to fight for better health reform. Let's get this done and leave it all on the road on February 24th and February 25th.
Thank you for joining us at FixItAndPassIt.org! You can also follow us on Twitter @ProgActionNow.
I extend my sincere thanks to the editor team at Crooks and Liars and to John for allowing this guest post through.
The Senate bill stinks and won't do anything significant for years except further enrich WellPoint & Ilk.
Kill the bill; defeat Corporate Democrats in November; and inject Medicare-for-all into the national discussion.
Even if that fails we could still pass this crappy bill two years from now without any delay in implementation.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
The current legislation is nothing more than another corporate giveaway with it's MANDATES AND FINES.
Obama and the Democrats blew it from the very beginning by not starting out with a Progressive bill that was fiscally conservative and covered everyone..."Medicare for All".
I do not support either the House or the Senate bills and I hope they are NOT passed. Once the healthcare corporations have their hooks sunk into the American Public it will be IMPOSSIBLE to extricate them.
Not to mention the fact that I do NOT trust any Democrats in the House or the Senate to "fix" anything.
They have all shown who they are truly serving and it certainly is NOT the average uninsured citizens of this country.
Obama proved this when he made his dirty deal with Pharma's Tauzin and met with the CEO of United Health Plans at the White House shortly after his Inauguration.
He further proved his snake-like qualities when he made sure that his personal physician, who is a supporter of Medicare for All, was excluded from ABC's "Prescription for America".
As of this time, in spite of repeated efforts to meet with Obama regarding "Medicare for All" as a "solution" to the healthcare crisis we are facing, doctors from PNHP STILL continue to be shut out of the discussions. Does anyone honestly believe that "Single Payer" will be "on the table" at the "summit"?
How disingenuous can Obama and the Democratic leadership be?
No thanks slinkerwink. I'll pass on this one and hope that the elections this fall will send a loud and clear message to D.C. that we are NOT interested in a further corporate takeover of our country.
"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
I think the elections this fall will be jobs and the economy. Health will be a minor issue. Single payer is dead as a doornail. We either get the House bill, Senate bill, or status quo.
1. I looked on the FIAPI site and I couldn't see any specifics like the ones you mentioned here: "the public option, the Medicare buy-in, excising the excise tax, increasing the subsidies, drug reimportation, and kicking the Nebraska cornhusker kickback deal out of the Senate bill." I suggest they add them on the FIAPI site so people know specifically what they're being asked to support, and what to mention in their phone call.
2. When I read this - "we're working with Darcy Burner on the FixItAndPassIt! Project" - I inferred that it was a joint venture between Darcy Burner and C&L. It wasn't until I got to the FIAPI site that I realized it was a joint venture between Darcy Burner and DailyKOS. I'm sure C&L will/does support this, but there's nothing to indicate that yet, so they may want to do a small rewrite to more clearly reflect who's involved.
3. I'm going to join. I'm also adding "repeal the health-care anti-trust exemption" to my list of demands when I call.
re-write if he can per your suggestion. I thank you for offering your suggestions.
Thank you again!
medicare for all
that bill i will support
its a corporate giveaway
i live in cali, where we mandated car insurance
and even with an insurance comish...it took years for it to become afforadable
and even with an insurance commish...health insurers are still sticking it to their customers
Public Option is not reform, unless you consider opening a new mandated revenue stream for private insurers 'reform.' It's old bullshit in a new dress, dreamed up by insurance lobbyists.
Here's a thought. Instead of saying "Let's just get PO in place and we'll work on getting SP/UC/NH for later," right now DEMAND Single Payer/Universal Care/National Health and a pony for everyone. I want a pony, goddammit. But I'll be ok if my pony is a bargaining chip you have to deal away, in order to get what is best for this country for everyone--free access to healthcare, supported by taxes. Let THOSE corporate assholes work for the money, instead of giving them a vacuum cleaner and allowing them to hoover more money out of OUR pockets straight to their bottom line. Otherwise, it's assbackwards, and I cannot, will not support it in any way shape or form.
Healthcare Reform starts with a 1-2 page bill, not 2 pounds of small, loophole laden print on 1,000+ pages.
Medicare for All.
me-oww!
Unfortunately, my congressman, Brian Bilbray, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the insurance companies.
You don't just have to limit yourself to Rep. Bilbray.
Maybe if Bilbray gets thousands of calls supporting healthcare reform, he'll feel some pressure.
Rather than "go along to get along" with the Democrats' corporate agenda, why not launch a campaign to DEMAND THAT "MEDICARE FOR ALL" ADVOCATES GET A PLACE AT THE TABLE DURING THE "SUMMIT" ON FEBRUARY 25TH??? Even if it only means that Obama will actually allow the words "Medicare for All" to be slipped off his tongue. (He actually did support the concept a few years ago while speaking before a union group).
Obama AND Pelosi have both said, "We are open to ALL ideas..."
I would sign a petition endorsing the above AND throw money down to support it.
BTW, what is being done, if PNHP and other Single Payer, "Medicare for All" activists are shut out of the discussions on February 25th at Blair House, to create a public presence OUTSIDE Blair House???
I am in L.A. and am unable to attend any type demonstration, but I would be willing to sign a petition in support of doctors and nurses and other activists representing me there. I would be willing to send money to support those who are able to schlep into D.C. and weather the cold on my behalf. (Money for hotels, airfare, food etc.)
THIS is what we should be doing. Creating a media event to challenge Obama and Pelosi to keep their words and allow ALL POINTS OF VIEW TO BE REPRESENTED AT THE SUMMIT.
Why not launch a campaign that upwards of 60% of the American Public would support????
"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
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/02/12/a-b...
There's a "click here" to see the list of invitees. (PDF file)
--
Members of Congress Invitation List:
Senator Harry Reid, D-NV, Majority Leader
Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY, Republican Leader
Senator Richard Durbin, D-IL, Majority Whip
Senator Jon Kyl, R-AZ, Republican Whip
Senator Max Baucus, D-MT, Chairman of the Finance Committee
Senator Chuck Grassley, R-IA, Ranking Member of the Finance Committee
Senator Tom Harkin, D-IA, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Senator Christopher Dodd, D-CT, Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA
Representative Steny Hoyer, D-MD, Majority Leader
Representative John Boehner, R-OH, Republican Leader
Representative James Clyburn, D-SC, Majority Whip
Representative Eric Cantor, R-VA, Republican Whip
Representative Charles Rangel, D-NY, Chairman Ways and Means Committee
Representative Dave Camp, R-MI, Ranking Member Ways and Means Committee
Representative Henry Waxman, D-CA, Chairman Energy and Commerce Cmty
Representative Joe Barton, R-TX, Ranking Member Energy and Commerce C
Representative George Miller, D-CA, Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee
Representative John Kline, R-MN, Ranking Member of the Education and Labor
Representative John Dingell, D-MI, Chair Emeritus of the Energy and Commerce
Boner thinks it's a 'trap'
me-oww!
... it says "Dear Speaker Pelosi, Senator Reid, Senator McConnell, and Representative Boehner:
...
Although it is impossible to include every House Member or Senator who has played a pivotal role in the health care debate, the President is inviting the most senior House/Senate bipartisan leadership, as well as the chairmen and ranking members of the committees that oversee health insurance reform legislation in both chambers. A complete list of this group is attached. The President would like each of you to designate an additional four Members to attend the meeting and be available to participate. It is also important that each of you have one staff member specializing in health care policy in the meeting."
I'm assuming that only Pelosi, Reid, McConnell, and Boehner get to each designate an additional 4 Members, and not all the listed invitees.
if she'd answered you, Abbyb. Now that I've said something, not so much.
me-oww!
Your strategy makes no sense. Pelosi already has enough votes to pass the Senate bill of it comes packaged with a reconciliation fix. So why keep calling? Harry Reid is clearly the weak point - if he had 50 votes for reconciliation he would have pulled the trigger. So phone the Senate.
A phone strategy that focuses on the House wastes the time of good activists.
It amazes me to see so many Naders who think that Democrats can afford to scrap the bill and start over. I'm sure that Republican majorities in the House and/or Senate will get right on your single payer plan.
...on the Medicare buy-in and you've combined it with the "public option" goal into one simplified provision that also gives us a path to the single payer reform we really need.
anything good was off the table.
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