Update on challenges to Conservadems

[eridani]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=358&topic_id=5391&mesg_id=5396

http://www.actblue.com/page/2010pccc?refcode=e2-noimage


Krystal Ball (note parents' sense of humor)
VA-01

Krystal Ball is owner of an educational software company, mother of a young daughter, and a progressive champ. She has big momentum in her campaign against Blue Dog Scott Robinson. The winner will face off against right-wing freshman Republican Rep. Rob Wittman in Virginia.

Ann McLane Kuster
NH-02


Ann McLane Kuster is a longtime progressive who worked hard in New Hampshire to improve access to affordable health care for families -- and led grassroots efforts in the state on behalf of reproductive rights. Her primary opponent is Katrina Swett, national co-chair of Joe Lieberman's 2004 presidential campaign. This Democratic open seat is a golden opportunity to elect a bold progressive over a corporate Democrat.

Press release from Larry Kalb WA-02 challenger

Congressional Candidate Larry Kalb Calls Health Insurance Reform Bill a "Mixed Bag"


* FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *

Contacts:
Larry Kalb Sharon Abreu
1-360-927-2729 1-360-376-5773
larry {at} kalbforcongress.com sharmuse {at} kalbforcongress.com
______________________
TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2010

A VICTORY FOR THE MOST NEEDY
BUT ALSO A VICTORY FOR "POLITICS AS USUAL"

BELLINGHAM--Larry Kalb, candidate to replace Rick Larsen in Washington's Second Congressional District, declared today that the Health Insurance Reform legislation passed Sunday was a "mixed bag." Kalb understands why it passed because it "helps a lot of people ", but he claims that it also shows Congress is still "in the pocket of special interests."

"I'm delighted to see that children can no longer be denied coverage and that insurance plans will no longer carry arbitrary annual and lifetime spending limits", said Kalb. "There are many good things about this legislation, but it falls far short of reforming a broken system. This is a victory for health insurance companies and their lobbyists. It perpetuates Wall Street Medicine by forcing 32 million more Americans to buy into overpriced insurance plans. The insurance companies win. They don't care whether the premiums are partly subsidized by the government. They just gained 32 million new customers. Unfortunately, this is a massive taxpayer giveaway to the very industry that has caused the healthcare cost calamity."

Kalb stated that the bill does very little to bring healthcare costs into line. "Affordability is a huge issue for most Americans as well as many businesses, and many will have no choice but to pay the penalty which is lower than the premium." Nor does it greatly advance the cause of "equal access, equal care", a cause Kalb has been championing for years. "This reform at the very least needs competition from a low overhead, non-profit public plan. That's what the people want. Bills running thousands of pages will always do the bidding of special interests. Rep. Alan Grayson's refreshingly simple 4-page bill will allow any American to buy into Medicare at actual cost. It will fit in perfectly with the insurance exchanges and could actually be implemented soon, without the huge delay entailed in the current legislation. Why is Rick Larsen not among the co-sponsors of this bill?"

"Medicare for All is really the bare minimum we need," said Kalb. Every poll ever taken shows more Americans support a Medicare-For-All system than oppose it. And, 80% of we Democrats support it. "When I am in Congress, I will fight for quality health care for all. Every voter in my district, in fact every American, should have the same quality health care coverage as the members of Congress already enjoy.

[eridani]

1. And Feminist Majority joins the fray against Stupak and Pitts

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=358&topic_id=5391&mesg_id=5397


I have had it with abortion politics and right-to-life politicians. I think you have too! That's why we are inviting you to join the Dump Stupak/Pitts Independent Expenditure Campaign.

Even after the House passed the historic health care reform package, Congressman Joseph Pitts (R-PA) went to the floor of the House to make a motion to recommit. This motion, if approved, would have inserted the old Stupak-Pitts abortion coverage ban and would have defeated the just passed health care reform.

Then Bart Stupak (D-MI) rose to ask the House members to defeat the recommit motion, even though this motion included his Stupak/Pitts anti-abortion language. Confused?!

Don't be fooled.

To get Stupak to oppose Pitts and thereby defeat the Republican motion to recommit, President Obama agreed to issue an executive order implementing the abortion restrictions in the Act. Faced with dwindling support, Stupak agreed to the executive order wording. Although the executive order may have saved Stupak's face and gained 4-5 right to life Democrats' votes, it really does not go beyond the punitive Nelson abortion restrictions that already were contained in the Senate bill the House had just passed. But if you're pissed off, you should be!

Turn your anger to action. Let's face it, Stupak and Pitts held hostage the Health Care Reform Package for months right until the end - complicating all negotiations - and setting the stage for the harmful Nelson Senate Amendment.

Without the despicable Stupak/Pitts abortion amendment to the original House bill which banned a woman from purchasing abortion coverage even with her own money, the harmful Nelson so-called "compromise" language in the Senate bill might never have existed.

Yes, we must repeal the Hyde Amendment, which denies poor women access to abortion services. But we cannot - must not - forget the cynical maneuvers of Stupak and Pitts and their total disregard for women's lives.

That's why the Feminist Majority is launching an Independent Expenditure Campaign to defeat Stupak and Pitts at the polls. Please join us in doing all we can to oust Stupak and Pitts and make an example of them. With a full Independent Expenditure Campaign, we can organize to dump them.

Opponents of women's rights and proponents of the Hyde Amendment have had a free ride for too long. No more free rides. Win or lose, they must be challenged. But we cannot do it without your help.