That staggering sum of $80 million dollars is going to be spent by our allies in the mother of all lobbying wars against private insurance companies that do not want to see a strong, robust public option in the final health care reform package.
Our allies NEED us more than ever now. It's time to keep pushing the metal to the pedal in terms of our commitment to ensuring that ALL Americans have access to a strong, robust public option that is affordable. Thousands of lives are depending on how well we and our allies do in this fight, and it's why grassroots supporters like you and me are so important this summer.
The public option is the line in the sand for me. Is it the line in the sand for you as well? If so, then PLEASE join in the fight today.
Here's more from our allies about their planned fight, which is scheduled to kick off today at America's Future Now!, a three-day conference for progressives in Washington, D.C.:
"We know that the pharmaceutical industry and the insurance industry and conservative opponents to reform have huge piggy banks filled with money they plan to use to counter real health care reform, and we plan to fight back and fight for what we want," said Jacki Schechner, a spokeswoman for Health Care for America Now, a coalition pushing for the public plan.
The substantial investment by 11 progressive groups is funding a nationwide push that includes organizing grass-roots supporters and paid advertising, phone banks and direct mail.
The coalition plans to bring at least 5,000 people to Washington on June 25 to make more than 300 lobbying visits. And in mid-June, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean plans to deliver hundreds of thousands of signatures to Congress, demanding that lawmakers pass a public plan.
"We’re drawing a line in the sand that any legislation passed has to include a public plan," said Mary Rickles, a spokesman for Dean’s Democracy for America. "Americans deserve to choose between a public option and for-profit insurance companies."
Yes, the public option IS the line in the sand for real health care reform. Any package that is passed without a strong, robust Medicare-like public option IS NOT health care reform, just a mandated junk insurance bailout for the private insurance companies.
PLEASE CALL these Senators on the Senate Finance Committee today to demand a strong, robust affordable Medicare-like public option. Here's a list of talking points below:
Tell Senator [Name] that you DO NOT want the 7-year trigger for the public option and take it off the table, and that you want him to support an affordable strong, robust Medicare-like public option. We NEED a strong, robust Medicare-like public option NOW OPEN TO ALL AMERICANS AND AFFORDABLE, not more of the SAME broken system that's given us unaffordable premiums, little private insurance coverage, and rising co-pays. Also, DON'T TAX OUR EMPLOYER HEALTH BENEFITS. Instead, follow the proposal by President Obama to tax the wealthy above $250,000, eliminate the overpayments in Medicare Advantage, and put tax capital gains to help fund health care reform.
Please CALL Senator Max Baucus at (202) 224-2651
Please CALL Senator Charles Schumer at 202-224-6542
Please CALL Senator Edward Kennedy at (202) 224-4543
Please CALL Senator John Rockefeller at (202) 224-6472
Please CALL Senator Ron Wyden at (202) 224-5244
Please CALL Senator Kent Conrad at (202) 224-2043
Please CALL Senator Jeff Bingaman at (202) 224-5521
Please CALL Senator John Kerry at (202) 224-2742
Please CALL Senator Blanche Lincoln at 202-224-4843
Please CALL Senator Debbie Stabenow at (202) 224-4822
Please CALL Senator Maria Cantwell at 202-224-3441
Please CALL Senator Bill Nelson at 202-224-5274
Please CALL Senator Robert Menendez at 202-224-4744
Please CALL Senator Thomas Carper at (202) 224-2441
It's really important that we CALL these Senators on the Senate Finance Committee because some of them are SERIOUSLY considering the 7-year trigger for the public option in case private insurance fails. Well, here's a frickin' news alert--private insurance ALREADY has failed us. We have to get them to stop considering the public option as a "fall-back trigger" seven years from now, because we NEED a Medicare-like public option NOW that is affordable and OPEN TO ALL Americans.
CALL the White House at: 202-456-1111 and E-MAIL them as well!
Also, can you please CALL these THREE chairmen in the House of Representatives, especially Rep. Waxman who's leading the charge on health care reform below?
Ways and Means Committee Chair Charlie Rangel (202) 225-3625)
Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman (202) 225-2927)
Education and Labor Committee Chair George Miller (202) 225-3725)
So, PLEASE CALL and let them KNOW that you want a Medicare-like public option in health care reform! Ask them not to pass a bill out of the House that does NOT include a strong, robust Medicare-like public option that is AFFORDABLE AND OPEN TO ALL AMERICANS.
A Medicare-like public option is the line in the sand for me. Is it the line in the sand for you as well? If so, then CALL, and please help keep this on the rec list so others can see the phone numbers, call today, and help fight against the swiftboating of the public option in health care reform. Thank you!