Could this be the beginning of something new in the Congressional Progressive Caucus? The progressives in Congress threw a revolt over the compromises to the Blue Dog Democrats, and delayed the mark-up of the House Tri-Committee health care bill from yesterday to today at 10 am. They forced the Democratic leadership to meet with them to hear out their concerns about the watering down of the public option in the Tri-Committee bill.
Seriously, this is like the first time this has ever happened from the Congressional Progressive Caucus. They're working on marshalling up 50 votes to block the passage of health care reform if the public option is severely weakened in the final bill.
However, the White House and the Democratic leadership got worried, and started making phone calls to twist some arms to make sure the progressives stay in line to swallow any crap. This is where you come in. We NEED you to call the progressives on our target list below to make sure they continue to STAND UP for us on health care reform!
It's working. Your relentless phone calls are making the difference. The progressive caucus is finally realizing it can stand up for a real public option.
What does it mean? We need to push harder than ever to get members to take the pledge. Flood progressive members offices with calls and ask them to Take the Pledge to vote against any health care bill that doesn't have a strong public option.
Also, since the mark-up on the Energy and Commerce Committee is today at 10 a.m., we NEED you to call the progressives on the committee since some of them may be wavering into accepting the Blue Dog compromise. Tell them to offer amendments to restore the public option!
Some supporters of the public plan on the committee said they could live with the changes. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) said the briefing of committee Democrats made her "more inclined to support" the Blue Dog amendments.
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), who serves on the committee, said the compromise "eviscerates" the public plan. And he's frustrated that the agreement was presented to committee members as "take it or leave it."
But he still may vote for it, because he's concerned that if the bill stalls in committee, House leaders will simply bypass the committee. Engel said he's undecided.
Please TELL Rep. Eliot Engel NOT TO support the compromises by the Blue Dog Democrats that weaken the public option, and ask him how he can support the paring back of the subsidies for the middle class, the establishment of fake state-based co-operatives which will do NOTHING to reduce costs, and the weakening of the public option.
Here's Rep. Eliot Engel's phone number for you to call:
CALL Rep. Eliot Engel at 202-225-2464
And we have another target--Rep. Jan Schakowsky. She's the one that ALWAYS leads the fold-in of the progressives into accepting whatever shit sandwich comes out of the House, like the weakened ACES bill, the war supplemental vote, and other legislation that progressives were forced to accept.
It's why the White House called her to twist her arms into accepting the compromise from the Blue Dogs and convince her to pressure the other progressives into accepting the same. Did you know that Rep. Jan Schakowsky's in the charge of health policy for the Congressional Progressive Caucus? It's why she's our big target.
Please TELL Rep. Jan Schakowsky NOT TO support the compromises by the Blue Dog Democrats that weaken the public option, and ask her HOW she can support the paring back of the subsidies for the middle class, the establishment of fake state-based cooperatives which will do NOTHING to reduce costs, and the weakening of the public option.
CALL Rep. Jan Schakowsky at 202-225-2111
We'll also NEED you to CALL the other Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee below to ask them NOT TO support the compromises by the Blue Dog Democrats that weaken the public option, the paring back of subsidies for the middle class, and the establishment of state-based cooperatives that do nothing to reduce costs.
CALL Tammy Baldwin at 202-225-2906
CALL Jane Harman at 202-225-8220
CALL Jay Inslee at 202-225-6311
CALL Bobby Rush at 202-225-4372
CALL Anthony Weiner at 202-225-6616
CALL Peter Welch at 202-225-4115
Please also LIVEBLOG the Energy and Commerce Committee mark-up below if you can. It starts at C-SPAN.org at 10 a.m., and I think it might be carried on TV as well.
CLICK FOR C-SPAN FEED OF MARK-UP AT 10AM EST
And here's an e-mail from the Congressional Progressive Caucus asking for more attendees to come to their press conference at 2:30PM today. If you know anyone in the DC/MD/VA area, PLEASE GO to the press conference!
Today, the Energy and Commerce committee accepted a compromise with the Blue Dogs which would have the effect of crippling the public option. (As reported, it specifically makes it so that the public option no longer pays Medicare+5%, but instead has to individually negotiate rates with providers. In addition to dramatically increasing the overall cost of reform, this has a big negative impact on the public option’s ability to jumpstart operations.)
This compromise is in direct conflict with one of the core tenets of the Congressional Progressive Caucus’s criteria for a robust public option. The belief appears to be that the progressives will once again just roll over.
Not this time. Not this fight.
Tomorrow afternoon, the CPC will be holding a press conference in conjunction with their allied caucuses the CBC, CHC, and CAPAC. They are going to draw a very clear line in the sand – unambiguously and so brightly it’ll be seen all the way at the White House. We need the largest crowd we can get at the press conference:
Thursday July 30, 2009
2:30 pm
At the triangle on the southeast side of the Capitol
This is the first real moment in which the progressives inside of Congress are being tested for their resolve on healthcare. And this is the most significant ask they’ve made of progressives outside of Congress in the day-to-day fight.
Please help.
Can you also please help nyceve, Jane Hamsher, me, and others in this fight for health reform by donating to our fight?
PLEASE RECOMMEND THIS DIARY so others can see the phone numbers and call today!