I recommend reading Mike Lux's column now featured on HuffPost. Here is an excerpt:
What will change the dynamic is progressives winning the organizing and messaging fight in August. Democrats have 60 votes in the Senate, and at least two Republican Senators from a small progressive-leaning state in play. If our side out-organizes the insurance/right wing astroturfers, if the White House and Reid and Pelosi put every bit of muscle into winning the fight for real reform, it can still happen. Everything is at stake here, as I wrote yesterday: if we don't win this fight, the Obama Presidency, Democratic prospects in the 2010 election, and any hopes we have for victories on other big issues are all in deep, deep trouble. But we still have a real shot at winning this battle, and now is when we need to pull out all the stops to do it.
Here is the full article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
More below:
We need a grassroots effort. People need to be visible at events, in the faces of progressives, Blue Dogs, etc. alike.
There are efforts being organized to do this. Generally, I recommend following the diaries of our two heroes to find out more:
www.slinkerwink.dailykos.com
www.nyceve.dailykos.com
There are other heroes too, but these are some of the most visible.
I get so tired of all the posts that are here about what the strategy or messaging should be. I wish everybody was puttin all their extra effort into making calls and agitating away from the pages here.
However, it's past business hours in DC. Thus though I am hesitant to add my voice, I think people have less to do now: I hope the ad messaging is simple and straightforward and bold along the following lines:
THE INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE EVIL:
The gouge incredible amounts of money from everyone offering insurance only to the healthiest people until their health falters. If they haven't screened themselves out by then, they deny them care.
HERE ARE THE BLUE DOGS AND REPUBLICANS WHO ARE IN BED WITH THEM AND HOW MUCH MONEY THEY RECEIVED TO PROTECT THESE EVIL INSURANCE COMPANIES:
Name names and amounts
THEY ARE SPENDING $1.5 MILLION A DAY AT LEAST TO CONFUSE YOU AND BUY OFF POLITICIANS.
Don't believe the things you hear.
WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS CHOKING OUR INDUSTRIES AND WILL KILL OUR ECONOMY
Tell stories. Show statistics.
UNLESS SOMETHING DONE, OUR ECONOMY AND OUR HEALTH WILL SUFFER
Tell stories and show people who have suffered.
If we don't demonize the enemy (as if this should have to be done), we don't win this as far as I am concerned.
The enemy is:
Health "care" companies
Their brothers in Congress and the Senate who do their bidding for all that money.