"The work begins anew. The hope rises again. And the dream lives on"
This quote is from Senator Ted Kennedy that passed from his lips both in 1980 and at the 2008 Democratic Convention during his 7-minute speech. There has been no bigger proponent for massive health care reform than the "Liberal Lion" over the last 40 plus years. Now, sadly, as his life has come to a sad close, someone else much pick up the torch that was passed to him from his brothers that he wanted to pass to President Obama. I made calls and knocked on doors for then Senator Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign and shed tears of joy when the election was called making him our 44th President. Much work has been done but we, as a nation, are now stuck in the muck when it comes to meaningful health care reform. There are people who call themselves patriots, who are filled with hate, ignorance and fear, do not want the change that this legislation would bring the country and its people. They would rather fill the American people’s heads with lies and propaganda. They draw inane comparisons between Adolph Hitler and Barack Obama, between the Democrats and the Nazis and between this legislation and eugenics. The time for action is now!
I have been reading about peaceful demonstrations and marches that will be held all throughout the country through the end of August and culminating in a March on Washington D.C. on September 13th. On August 18th, 2009, Robert Reich called for this march on Washington D.C. This is kind of like one of those moments we hated as children. Our parents are making us eat our vegetables even though they don’t taste good to us at a young age but our parents knew they were good for us. We, as Democrats, Republicans and Independents must be the parents for the American people and give them their vegetables. They might not know it is in their best interests now but when it is passed they will grow to learn that it is the best thing for them and for this country. We must ask our legislators in the House and the Senate as well as our administration to make the details of these bills clear and concise so there is no misunderstandings that the Sarah Palin’s and the Senators DeMint and Cornyn can take advantage of. It’s time to take real action, instead of sitting on the sidelines waiting for someone to do something bold.
The phony grassroots movements around the country embarrass us as Americans no matter what end of the political spectrum we are in. We are in dire need of a real Progressive grassroots movement the likes of which took place in the 1960’s. When Dr. Martin Luther King told President Johnson that the country needed the Voting Act, LBJ responded to him (paraphrasing) "if you want it you are going to make me have to give it to you." Let us all make Congress and this administration give us the reform and the public option we so desperately needs. All the people in this wonderful nation of ours might not understand why its necessary or important but these were the same people that over the last century voted against Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. I want you to join me in Washington D.C. I want a peaceful heartfelt march where Dr. King once told us about his dream for America. I want thousands upon thousands of people to join me and let our voices be heard that cannot be drowned out by a few loud scared people who have been lied to by the Republican talking heads on television and radio. There are massive rallies planned all over the country but we need to centralize our efforts where Congress can hear us the loudest, Washington D.C.!!!
If we do not get this done now, we are going to be looking back on the summer of 2009 as the biggest lost opportunity for true and meaningful health care reform. We will also look back on it as the day we let our children and our children’s children down. Lastly we will look back on it as the day we let down Senator Ted Kennedy who has been fighting this fight for longer than most of us have been alive. His time on this Earth came to an end but we have to pick up the torch for the next generation and carry it as well and as proudly as he did or else we've learned nothing from the past. Let the words ring forth from this place at this time that we will not take this fight laying down while being lied to and manipulated. Let us raise our voices so no one can shout us down in town hall meetings or in the media or even in one on one conversation with each other. I want to hear from everyone and anyone. I am sending copies of this hastily written "article" to my Congressmen, my Senators and my President. I am posting it here because I want your feedback and I want your commitment to come march with me in Washington D.C. and let our voices be heard and our numbers be counted.