First off, I am deeply indebted to the incredibly hardworking diarists nyceye and slinkerwink, who have been keeping health care action diaries in the rec list. Thanks so much, and thank you to everyone else who has been diary-ing, calling, writing and talking about this most crucial issue. I have been quietly brainstorming on how I can contribute to the discussion (beyond sharing my personal tale of woe), and I think I've finally got an idea.
We must demand that our representatives take responsibility for their financial stake in the health care reform effort.
The Washington Post reports that
Almost 30 key lawmakers helping draft landmark health-care legislation have financial holdings in the industry, totaling nearly $11 million worth of personal investments...
(thanks to ctsteve for bringing this to light in ProgressiveSouth's latest diary)
Howard Dean, at Stand with Dr. Dean, implores us to ask four questions of us Congressmembers, when we call, write or fax their offices:
* Do you support a public healthcare option as part of reform?
* Do you support a public healthcare option that is ready on day one?
* Do you support a public healthcare option that is national, available everywhere, and accountable to our government?
* Do you support a public healthcare option that has the clout to establish rates with providers and big drug companies?
I suggest adding a fifth question:
Are you willing to divest any financial interests you possess in the health insurance industry to demonstrate to your constitutents that you serve them first and foremost?
Do I think it's particularly likely that you'll get a straight answer, let alone an affirmative answer? No. But our representatives (little-r) need to be aware that we are aware that their hands are not clean. Shame can be a powerful motivator. And if we can somehow get this information into the public discourse, the impetus for the Democrats who are holding out will be to get on the bus, lest they look like callous money-grubbing jerks.
The Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) Committee is where the battle line is currently drawn, but three committees, HELP, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce, are contributing to the process. Prepare to be inundated.
THE HELP COMMITTEE
Democratic Senators
Edward Kennedy (MA) -- (in hosp.) Public Option = YES
Christopher Dodd (CT) -- Dodd at OpenSecrets Public Option = YES
Tom Harkin (IA) -- Harkin at OpenSecrets Public Option = YES
Barbara A. Mikulski (MD) -- Mikulski at OpenSecrets Public Option = YES
Jeff Bingaman (NM)-- Bingaman at OpenSecrets Public Option = yes??
Patty Murray (WA) -- Murray at Open Secrets Public Option = YES
Jack Reed (RI) -- Reed at OpenSecrets Public Option = YES
Bernard Sanders (I) (VT) -- Sanders at Open Secrets Public Option = YES
Sherrod Brown (OH) -- Sherrod Brown at OpenSecrets Public Option = YES
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA) Casey at OpenSecrets Public Option = YES
Kay Hagan (NC) -- Hagan at OpenSecrets Public Option = £$%*^)@£(1)
Jeff Merkley (OR) -- Merkley at OpenSecrets Public Option = YES
(1)Please call Kay Hagan in particular (202-224-6342, 1-877-852-9462 if you're from North Carolina). Senator Hagan is reported to have at least $180,000 invested in 20 separate health care concerns (WaPo article) and is holding up the HELP committee markup.
Republican Senators
All NO on Public Option
Michael B. Enzi (WY) -- Enzi at OpenSecrets
Judd Gregg (NH) -- Gregg at OpenSecrets (2)
Lamar Alexander (TN) -- Alexander at OpenSecrets
Richard Burr (NC) -- Burr at OpenSecrets
Johnny Isakson (GA) -- Isakson at OpenSecrets (3)
John McCain (AZ) -- McCain at OpenSecrets
Orrin G. Hatch (UT) -- Hatch at OpenSecrets
Lisa Murkowski (AK) -- Murkowski at OpenSecrets
Tom Coburn, M.D. (OK) -- Coburn at OpenSecrets
Pat Roberts (KS) -- Roberts at OpenSecrets
(2)"Judd Gregg...has between $254,000 and $560,000 worth of stock holdings in major health-care companies, including Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck." (Ibid.)
(3) "Isakson...who holds at least $165,000 in pharmaceutical and medical stocks" (Ibid.)
"Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), for instance, has at least $50,000 invested in a health-care index." (Ibid.) 10% of Reid's assests are labelled "Misc. Health" (OpenSecrets) Contact Majority Leader Reid (202-224-3542, 1-866-SEN-REID for Nevadans) and tell him that a leader should set an example. Reid has not taken a position on the public option.
Information on the corresponding committee in the House, the Committee on Education and Labor, can be found here (well, over there). Check and see if your Rep. is listed (Pete Hoekstra is!) Also check Ways and Means and last but not least, the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Health Care for American Now is also keeping a tally of Congressional Supporters by State, although I think it's a bit behind Howard Dean's (sortable) list. Good places to see where you representatives stand, if you don't already know.
As always, for phone numbers see slinkerwink's latest diary.
I'll be adding to this as I curry more specific information about who is invested in what, what that represents for them financially, etc. There could be tables. There could be graphs. (Be still your hearts! Nate Silver had a somewhat speculative but still wicked cool analysis on the affect of special interest money on the public option last night, by the by.) But I wanted to get this idea out tonight. Also, if you want to help with the information gathering process, checking out your individual representative would be very much appreciated. Suggestions are always appreciated.
(Phone numbers coming shortly.)
The list Democratic Senators who are missing-in-action:
Mary Landrieu (LA) - 202-224-5824 (On the record as NO)
Max Baucus (MT) - 202-224-2651
Evan Bayh (IN) - 202-224-5623
Mark Begich (AK) - 202-224-3004
Micheal Bennett (CO) - 202-224-5852
Robert Byrd (WV) - 202-224-3954
Maria Cantwell (WA) - 202-224-3441
Thomas Carper (DE) - 202-224-2441
Kent Conrad (ND) - 202-224-2043
Byron Dorgan (ND) - 202-224-2551
Dianne Fienstein (CA) - 202-224-3841
Kay Hagan (NC) - 202-224-6342
Herbert Kohl (WI) - 202-224-5653
Blanche Lincoln (AR) - 202-224-4843
Bill Nelson (NE) - 202-224-5274
Ben Nelson (FL) - 202-224-6551
Mark Pryor (AR) - 202-224-2353
Harry Reid (NV) - 202-224-3542
John Tester (MT) - 202-224-2644
Mark Udall (CO) - 202-224-5941
Mark Warner (VA) - 202-224-2023
Ron Wyden (OR) - 202-224-5244