The headline for the Washington Post Article says "Health Activists Targeting Dems." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
Having been one of those activists who demonstrated in Washington, DC a few days ago, all I can say is in my best surfer dude tone is "Well, yeah. Of course." We didn't work so hard to elect a Democrat majority to allow a few Democrats to sell out the country.
What is it about 73% of the citizens of the nation wanting a public option that those holdouts can't understand? I figure of the 27% polled who didn't want a public option, 13% were people who think that the Hitler genocide approach to chronic illness was a good one and the other 19% are simply too disconnected from reality or too dumb to understand that the private system is a total disaster which is rapidly getting worse and will sink the nation's economy.
A public option is not a partisan issue for most citizens of the US. Meantime, the best the targeted Democratic Senators can do is talk about ways to redecorate the deck chairs on the Titanic while it is sinking. Someone needs to get their attention back from the health company lobbyists who have been paying them to listen and vote. I was amongst those who were willing to do that.
Actually, although special efforts have been pointed towards the recalcitrant Senators on the list, we targeted all the legislators. Those who came to the rally spent the morning doing calls on all their legislators. Many groups of us visited our own representatives. In the case of the 100 or so who went to DC from NH, we got attentive receptions from our two Democratic Congress people and from Jeanne Shaheen, our newly elected Democratic Senator who came to address us. I think that there was a good exchange of information between the constituents and their representatives. Our elected Democratic representatives certainly got the message that there were a substantial number of people from their state who cared enough to travel the 12 hour bus journey to DC to try to make sure that a public option at the very least was passed and passed soon. I've been very active in both Hodes and Shaheen's campaigns and felt it likely that I'd be visually recognized. Letting the legislators know that people who work hard to put them in office are part of the delegation could be helpful. We also addressed letters to Shaheen while on the bus going down, thanking her for seeing us. I also wrote to her about issues and concerns in my letter and was gratified to discover when she addressed us that I had written a letter that covered what I would have liked to have responded to her address in person if I had been given the opportunity for the face time. I'm hoping she will use some of my ideas when it is time for debate in committee and on the floor of the Senate.
Our Republican Senator, Judd Gregg, (who is reminding me more and more of the character Judd in the musical Oklahoma, except poor Judd isn't dead yet) was unwilling to meet with this constituent group. However, one member of our group did manage to see and make suggestions about health care directly to him as Gregg was spotted at the edge of the afternoon rally. The location of the rally, right by the Capital made it hard for any legislator to go from one building to another without passing close by. Back at Gregg's Senate office, a key staffer present smirked evilly as he explained that Gregg wasn't there. A written presentation was given to this staffer to be hopefully presented to Gregg. As soon as this staffer noticed the camera held by a friend of mine, he still couldn't stop smirking but covered his mouth with his hand. You can still spot the expression in the photo, however. Certain that the written notice would meet the waste can as soon as the group left, the leader of the delegation requested a response from Gregg in hopes that he might actually see it. I have no hope at all for there being a single Republican vote on this bill. I think that the Democrats should write the best health care plan they can without worrying about watering it down to try to win votes they'll never see.
One of the activities of our group was to join with other constituents from other states and try to visit the Republican Congressional Headquarters. In a move reminiscent of W's refusal to listen to those who weren't his avowed supporters, police told the visitors to get away from the building and leave. This group wasn't there to get arrested so they followed the orders of the police and peacefully dispursed. However, once again, this was a very good warning signal that bi-partisanship isn't about to happen. The GOP's response to the citizens of this nation's cry for relief is to put their fingers in their ears and sing lalalalala. Then they get the police to come and chase away those who are trying to communicate peacefully with them, whom they are sworn to represent to the best of their ability.
Overheard by one of our group was a young, well dressed woman passing by the large gathering on the Mall saying to a friend "These idiots all think they are going to get free health care. Whatever makes them think they deserve that?" I thought it a wonderfully provocative comment. It is in the answer to her that our reasons are found.
Do I think our trip was, as the Washington Post editorial alleges, counterproductive? Not a bit. I got the feeling that it was a very productive effort indeed. We made direct appeal to almost everyone in power on Capital Hill. We exchanged important information and let the Representatives and Senators know that the people, including many of their key supporters, cared very deeply about this issue. We also got lots of press back home, raising consciousness and educating the folks in our local communities as well. All in all, I think it a very successful trip.
My thanks to the coordinators from the SEIU who made it possible for us to attend this wonderful event and gave us unbelievable support so that all our concerns and energy could go into trying to bring about change rather than worrying about meals, transport, or comfort. I also made some great new friends on the trip. It was fun, hard, and I'm still tired from those 23 hours in two days spent traveling on a bus but I am so glad I went.
BTW, the GOP writing into my local paper is crowing about the fact that the Dems don't have a 60 seat majority in the Senate. What in the world is happening to the Franken/Coleman appeal? The same letter says that the GOP has been blocked from the discussion process. Another provocative remark. My opinion is they haven't been blocked but blocking might not be a bad idea.