So here we are.
It's PUSH time.
We knew this would come and we knew it would be ugly. But I'll admit, even I was shocked at the recent leaked memo put out by opposition's lobbyist-backed groups.
But I'm convinced we'll win this fight and that we'll secure strong health insurance reform THIS YEAR. I'm going to tell you about what we're doing in my community and region in Florida to make it happen. Perhaps this will give you ideas about how you can work around the "teagbag set" and move key Senators in the right direction.
If this sparks your creative juices and you have your own ideas to share, please share them in comments. We're going get this done.
Follow me below the fold.
As many of you know, I am one of the organizers in my local community in Central Florida. I was active during the Obama campaign and have tried to stay on top of, and active with, the health reform issue.
Our Senator Bill Nelson seems like he's on board with strong reform but it's always a good idea to make sure they understand they are SAFE if they support the right policies.
This is the most recent letter I got from Senator Nelson dated Thursday July 30 (emphasis mine):
Thank you for contacting me regarding the health care reform process. Anyone who has battled a major illness knows the system is broken, and we can no longer wait to fix it.
The health care industry is massive and complex, and there are a range of ideas on the table for reforming it. Chief among our aims must be to rein in the out-of-control costs of care. This means a new emphasis on wellness and prevention, a recommitment to researching innovative, more effective treatments for diseases, and additional efforts to lower the cost of prescription drugs. I introduced the Medicare Prescription Drug Gap Reduction Act (S.266) to reduce the large gap known as the "doughnut hole" that occurs when Part D beneficiaries who have paid pay $2,700 in prescription expenses receive no further benefit until they have racked up a total of $4,350 in out-of-pocket expenses, despite the fact that they never stop paying premiums.
Equally important is the issue of the uninsured. Nearly 50 million Americans lack adequate health insurance, and that is unacceptable. I am working toward reforms that would make health insurance available to all Americans through an insurance exchange and would provide subsidies to those who cannot afford coverage. I also believe that Americans should never be denied health insurance or charged exorbitant fees because of a pre-existing condition.
Finally, we must ensure that there are enough health care providers in America and that they are adequately reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid so they can continue providing care to those most in need. I introduced S. 973, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2007, to address this growing problem. This legislation would expand the number of Medicare-supported physician residency training positions, with an emphasis on funding new primary care residency slots. The number of physician residents eligible for reimbursement has not been altered to reflect changing demand since 1996. I have also fought consistently for fair Medicare reimbursement rates.
The task before us is immense, but Americans will rise to the challenge. I will be sure to take your views into consideration as the debate progresses. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future.
Sincerely,
Senator Bill Nelson
This is an improvement over a much more general letter I got from him about two months ago. So it seems all our calls and emails and phone banks and canvasses are working.
KEY POINT
Many of these elected officials just need to know they're "covered".
So what have we done in my central Florida district?
We know the lay of the land here. We know that counties along the I-4 are crucial to any candidate who must win the state to gain/stay in office. We have formed a coalition of grassroots organizers (based on the Organizing for America existing lists) and local county DECs. We have decided to take TWO tacks:
- Request a meeting with Bill Nelson. We are presenting ourselves as the safe and friendly alternative to wild and abusive town halls. The town hall threats are real (as expressed to me by his DC staffer) and depending on how the media covers it, could be very damaging politically. Instead, we've written to the Senator and requested a meeting of key grassroots organizers and county DECs in these critical I-4 corridor counties. We are presenting it as an alternative way to know what people in those regions actually want. We ARE the boots on the ground in important places he may not actually get to visit while home. (See the request at the end of the diary). I had to get a scheduling fax number from his staff to write and send this request. I haven't heard back yet (just sent it today) but I'll let you know the progress as we move forward.
- We have decided to POSSIBLY conduct our own poll of the I-4 region for reliable, specific statistics on this issue. I contacted Research 2000 (a pollster everyone recognizes as reputable) and asked about a regional poll of our electorally crucial I-4 region. The price is right and if we decide to do it, we'll set off raising the funds for it. Remember the KEY POINT: elected officials need "cover" and if the results are favorable to our cause, it would be a powerful thing to deliver to our Senator, especially in the absence of town halls. (It also would create an instant news story region-wide and deflate the "crazies" meme in one fell swoop).
These are all things that any of us can do in our communities. I hope this diary provides you with some groovy ideas of your own. If so, please share them in comments.
YES WE CAN, baby.
The request:
Dear Senator Nelson,
I spoke with your staff in Washington on Thursday requesting information about scheduling a meeting regarding health insurance reform. I was given this fax number and told to write a request letter.
My name is Mdmslle. I am a community organizer in My Town, Florida. I worked closely with Campaign for Change as official area liaison for My Town during the 2008 presidential election and also worked to help during the 2008 congressional run of Doug Tudor for FL-12. I and a group of dedicated volunteers have been working closely with Florida's Organizing for America/DNC staff to help Polk County residents understand the intricacies of the health reform bills being considered in congress. We have formed alliances with other grassroots organizers and DECs in other central Florida counties: Orange, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Osceola and Sarasota.
First, we'd like to thank you for your hard work on the Senate Finance committee. We've been following it closely and want to thank you for your patience in the face of the delays caused by some of your fellow committee members' attempts to create a less robust alternative to the HELP Committee bill. We recognize how frustrating this must be (we're frustrated too!) and we trust that you'll continue to stand strong for Americans and the people of Florida as the legislative process works itself out.
Secondly, we'd like to also thank you for your sponsorship of a bill to increase the numbers of doctors in training around the country so that when health insurance reform legislation is passed, we can meet the growing demand with more available physicians.
Lastly, we'd like to have the opportunity to offer our support for reform during any town halls you may be considering while on recess. Please keep up informed of where you'll be so we can help contribute to the process. Unfortunately, we also understand that recently during these events, there have been threats to Democratic officials who support health insurance reform. We feel that these threats are a danger to our democracy because they hamper reasonable discourse and the exchange of information in good faith. We want you to be assured that although the opposition is loud and intimidating, our grassroots groups have seen first hand that health insurance reform with a robust public option, once understood, is extremely popular and desperately needed in Florida. As you know, we have one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and our large population of seniors struggle year after year with “doughnut hole” problems that could be fixed with the right legislation. Time after time, during phone calls and in our door-to-door contact, we hear from voters that reforming our insurance system is exactly what they want. We are confident that it's right, not only for the American people and our economy, but for Floridians young and old. We applaud your positions on these issues so far and urge you to stand strong for serious reform. Rest assured that we will all stand behind your strong support of a robust public option, Senator.
With town hall availability unlikely, we are requesting a meeting with you to communicate the wishes of those in our communities more directly and provide you with an opportunity to answer constituent questions we have received during our community work. We are also interested in hearing how we can help as you move forward on Capitol Hill. Our group consists of key grassroots organizers, Democratic and progressive contributors and DEC officials from the I-4 corridor of Orange, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Osceola and Sarasota counties. We would like to meet with you at any of your offices, and at your convenience.
Thank you again Senator for considering scheduling this meeting. We look forward to meeting with you. I can be reached at 8xx-xxx-xxxx or by email at me@myemail.com
Sincerely
mdmslle