I've called my Senators and Representative about health care. If there isn't a strong public option-

[Postman]

The Democrats can forget about 2010 and Obama can forget about 2012.

Unemployment will be at least 10 percent, interest rates will be rising and people will still be claiming medical bankruptcies....


There hasn't been a time like last November, where a majority of the country rejected the policies that work against the middle class, since FDR's era.

If the Democrats in Washington and if Obama in particular allow this unique moment to slip away without doing something dramatically different, then there will never be another time....

Hey Obama, the time is now to kick butt and take names.

[snappyturtle]

1. K&R Perfect!

:kick:

[closeupready]

2. Amen.

n/t

[foginthemorn]

3. Obama seems to be behind the curve on this one.

[emulatorloo]

4. I share your frustration, but if Congress screws this up. Obama is not to blame

He is working his ass off to sell this. House seems to be doing good. It is the Senate that is the problem right now.

"The Democrats can forget about 2010 and Obama can forget about 2012."

Are the Republicans going to fix healthcare? From how I see it they are the ones who have a HUGE stake in derailing the public option.

[tibbiit]

5. he needs to stop selling and

start leading.
They (admin) have done a shitty job of using their majority.
tib

[emulatorloo]

6. You underestimate the power of the Republican Noise machine/ Media alliance

Obama has to counter that. It seem like he pretty much has to do it alone.

There are Senators who are on board, but you do not see them being allowed on TV by the cable channels.

[Walk away]

7. Without a public option there is no healthcare reform.

Giving the health care industry the gift of mandatory enrollment with our tax dollars going to pay the insurance companies to supplament people who can't afford to pay while still leaving thirty million people uninsured? It's the end of the Democratic party.

[emulatorloo]

9. Liberal Dem senators threatening Baucus, who is the main problem in Finance

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8560754

Rockefeller, Harkin, Brown, etc.

Will it be the end of those Democrats who are fully behind the public option too?

---

I am so frustrated by this. I call my Senators. One is fully on board with public option and has been working hard and championing it.

The other one (R) is one of the main obstacles. He does not listen to his constituents. I am going to do everything in my power to get him defeated in 2010.

[karynnj]

11. that just isn't true

Though there are many reasons why a public option is good, it is reform if:

- The factor of pre-existing conditions is eliminated
- New subsidies for people between the medicaid threshold and 4 times the poverty level
- All people, if they lose their jobs, become able to buy a policy that is at a group rate.

This and other things are real and will make a difference. For the Congressmen, their choice ultimately will be choosing to vote yes or no. If a bill is rejected, it is highly likely that there will be no bill.

It would be better at this point if we try politely to gently push any "maybe" legislator to agreeing with the pro choice option. Winning the undecided may not be as cathartic as bashing the ones leading the fight against it, but it likely is more productive. Attacking the people already on our side is a waste of effort, not to mention mindbogglingly ridiculous.

[Generic Other]

8. I just got this list of progressives to call w/numbers from Firedoglake

House Progressives Rebel on Health Care; Tell Blue Dogs to Get Stuffed
By: Jane Hamsher Thursday July 30, 2009 7:01 am
blue dog trash

We're hearing that the Congressional Progressive Caucus is not going to lie down and get rolled by the Blue Dogs on the Health Care bill. They are having a press conference at 2:30 on the Hill, and they are circulating a letter for signatures. What the letter will contain is unclear, but at this point they are saying they have the votes to defeat the Waxman-Blue Dog compromise on the floor.

From The Hill:

A House leadership deal with Blue Dogs and an aggressive marketing push by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) shifted the healthcare debate sharply toward centrist positions Wednesday, sparking threats of rebellion from the left.

Liberals aimed to win 50 signatures on a letter to their leaders opposing the deal to make it clear they could defeat the healthcare bill on the floor.

“Fifty is our threshold,” said Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), a co-chairman of the caucus. “That’ll kill anything.”

The White House and Democratic leaders moved quickly to try to quell the liberal insurrection. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called a group of liberals to her office in the mid-afternoon, and Democrats postponed plans to continue a stalled markup of the bill by the Energy and Commerce Committee until Friday.

Biggest non-surprise: Jan Schakowsky is once again tapped as "most likely to lead the bail."

I'm cautiously optimistic. Look, we always knew that if there was any hope for a public plan whatsoever, it would come from progressives in the House. We said from day one of the whip count effort:

There are 178 Republicans in the House. A House majority is 218. If all of the Republicans agree to vote against something, as they indicate they will on health care, then any 40 Democrats banding together can control the passage of a bill (218 - 178 = 40).

Stated another way: if 40 Democrats in the House say they will not vote for any health care bill that does not have a strong public plan, then they have the same power that a Ben Nelson or an Evan Bayh has had in the Senate to determine the outcome--when every vote was needed to pass something. Every commitment we get in excess of that 40 makes the commitment even more powerful.

It appears they're doing it. For now anyway. The arm twisting has already started -- but that's why it's so important to get them on the record now, and get them to take the pledge. Because it's going to be a long, hard haul to the end of conference, and the fight has just begun.

Keep calling. This is the first time anything even close to this has happened, and the calls you make letting progressive members of Congress know what you expect is making it possible.



Kucinich, Dennis OH-10 ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-5871
Fudge, Marcia L. OH-11 ✓ --- 202-225-7032
Sutton, Betty OH-13 ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-3401
Ryan, Tim OH-17 ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-5261
DeFazio, Peter OR-04 ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-6416
Brady, Robert PA-01 ✓ ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-4731
Fattah, Chaka PA-02 ✓ ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-4001
Doyle, Michael F. PA-14 ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-2135
Kennedy, Patrick J. RI-01 ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-4911
Clyburn, James E. SC-06 ✓ --- 202-225-3315
Cohen, Steve TN-09 ✓ ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-3265
Green, Al TX-09 ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-7508
Jackson-Lee, Sheila TX-18 ✓ ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-3816
Johnson, Eddie Bernice TX-30 ✓ ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-8885
Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" VA-03 ✓ --- 202-225-8351
Moran, James P. VA-08 ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-4376
Welch, Peter VT-AL ✓ ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-4115
Inslee, Jay WA-01 --- 202-225-6311
McDermott, Jim WA-07 ✓ ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-3106
Baldwin, Tammy WI-01 ✓ ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-2906
Moore, Gwen WI-04 ✓ ✓ ✓ --- 202-225-4572

[emulatorloo]

10. Armtwisting -- EXCELLENT. I am calling my Senator so he will get out a can of whup-ass

EOM

[cbdo2007]

12. So you're vowing for sure to not vote for your current elected Dem officials...

unless there is a strong public option by the 2010 and 2012 elections?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

13. Blue Dog members here --

They need to be hammered and hammered HARD.

Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
331 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone] Office Hours:
http://hersethsandlin.house.gov/contact2.htm

Rep. Baron Hill
223 Cannon House OPffice Building Washington DC 20515
202-225-5315
Fax [phone]

Rep. Charlie Melancon
Washington, DC Office
404 Cannon House Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20515-1807
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.melancon.house.gov/index.php?option=com_cont ...

Rep. Heath Shuler
422 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://shuler.house.gov/zipauth.htm

Altmire, Jason
332 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-2565
202-226-2274(fax)
https://forms.house.gov/altmire/webforms/issue_subscrib ...

Arcuri, Mike
127 Cannon House Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://forms.house.gov/arcuri/webforms/issue_subscribe ....

Baca, Joe
2245 Rayburn House Off. Bldg
Washington, D.C. 20515-0542
[phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.house.gov/baca/zipauth.shtml

Barrow, John
213 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
p: [phone]
f: [phone]
https://forms.house.gov/barrow/webforms/issue_subscribe ...

Berry, Marion
2305 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
[phone]
[phone] FAX
http://www.house.gov/berry/zipauth.shtml

Bishop, Sanford
2429 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20515-1002
Phone- [phone] ax- [phone]
http://bishop.house.gov/display.cfm?section_id=13

Boren, Dan
216 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
[phone]
[phone] fax
http://www.house.gov/boren/emailsignup.shtml


Boswell, Leonard
1427 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://boswell.house.gov/?sectionid=81 §iontree=4,81

Boyd, Allen
1227 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515 •
P [phone] •
F [phone]

Bright, Bobby
1205 Longworth HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
https://forms.house.gov/bright/contact-form.shtml

Cardoza, Dennis
1224 Longworth Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6131
Fax: [phone]
1-800-356-6424
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Carney, Christopher (PA-10)
416 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.carney.house.gov/contact.shtml#email

Chandler, Ben
1504 Longworth HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
https://chandlerforms.house.gov/contact/index.shtml

Childers, Travis
1708 Longworth House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-2401
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Cooper, Jim
1536 Longworth HOB •
Washington, D.C. 20515 •
Phone: [phone] •
Fax: [phone]
http://www.cooper.house.gov/index.php?option=com_conten ...

Costa, Jim
1314 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone:[phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.house.gov/formcosta/issue.htm

Cuellar, Henry
336 Cannon H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
phone: [phone]
fax: [phone]
http://cuellar.house.gov/Contact/SendMeAnEmail.htm

Dahlkemper, Kathy
516 Cannon House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-3803
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Davis, Lincoln
410 Cannon House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-4204
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Donnelly, Joe
1530 Longworth House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-1402
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Ellsworth, Brad
513 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
ph 202) 225-4636
fx 202) 225-3284
Toll Free: [phone]
http://www.ellsworth.house.gov/index.php?option=com_con ...

Giffords, Gabrielle
1728 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
https://giffordsforms.house.gov/contact/email.shtml

Gordon, Bart
2306 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Griffith, Parker
417 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
https://forms.house.gov/griffith/contact-form.shtml

Harman, Jane
2400 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.house.gov/harman/contact/email.shtml

Holden, Tim
2417 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
http://www.holden.house.gov/contactform_zipcheck.shtml

Kratovil, Jr., Frank
314 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

McIntyre, Mike
2437 Rayburn House Office Bld.
Washington, DC 20515
[phone]
fax [phone]
http://www.house.gov/mcintyre/issue.shtml

Marshall, Jim
504 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Michaud, Mike
1724 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515-1902
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Minnick, Walt (ID-01)
1517 Longworth HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://minnick.house.gov/contact-zip-auth.shtml (use zip code 83501)

Mitchell, Harry
Washington Office •
1410 Longworth House Office Building •
Washington, D.C. 20515 •
[phone]

Moore, Dennis
1727 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Murphy, Patrick
1609 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
[phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.house.gov/formpatrickmurphy/zipauth.shtml

Nye, Glenn
116 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://nye.house.gov/?sectionid=7 §iontree=4,7 (use zip code 23462)

Peterson, Collin
[phone]
[phone] (fax)
http://collinpeterson.house.gov/zipauth.htm

Pomeroy, Earl
1501 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.house.gov/formpomeroy/zipauth.htm

Ross, Mike
2436 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
[phone]
1-800-223-2220
[phone] Fax

Salazar, John
326 CannonHOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-4761
202-226-9669 (fax)
http://www.house.gov/salazar/contact.shtml

Sanchez, Loretta (
1114 Longworth HOB •
Washington DC 20515 •
Phone: [phone] •
Fax: [phone]
http://www.lorettasanchez.house.gov/index.php?option=co ...

Schiff, Adam
2447 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
http://schiff.house.gov/HoR/CA29/Contact+Information/Co ...

Scott, David
225 Cannon House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-1013
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Space, Zack
315 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
ph: [phone]
fax: [phone]
http://space.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=61 §iontr...

Tanner, John
1226 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Taylor, Gene
2269 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Thompson, Mike
231 Cannon Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://mikethompson.house.gov/contact/email.shtml

Wilson, Charles
226 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
ph: [phone]
fx: [phone]
Toll Free Number
888-706-1833