I am not a writer -- so don't go ballistic on me. I only comment and do not write diaries (you'll see why). I just wanted to report on my meeting with Rep Clyburn on the evening of September 1st in Columbia, SC.
I and another DKos member attended a South Carolina Democratic Party event featuring Rep Spratt and Rep Clyburn.
I didn't want to go, but I saw slinkerwink's diary that had info on Rep Clyburn and wanted to ask him about this.
In that diary, it had this:
I started looking into Rep. Clyburn's FEC donations to see if there was any contributions that would explain this sudden "weakening" on the public option:
Altria $5000
American Health Care Association PAC $1500
Eli Lilly $5000
Genentech $2500
HealthSouth Inc PAC $2000
Humana $2500
UnitedHealth $5000
WellPoint $2500
I wouldn't be so proud about taking donations from private insurers to influence the debate. Rep. Clyburn hasn't just taken donations from private insurers, he's taken donations from major pharmaceuticals, medical associations, and medical-device makers that are opposed to a strong, robust public option.
People have every right to ask Rep. Clyburn questions like "Why won't you commit to voting against a bill without a strong public option in it? Why are you now working to weaken the national public option into a regional or a state-based public option as a case study? Why are you now making concessions on the public option? Could it be the donations you've taken from PACs that represent private insurers, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies?
The beginning of the event was a mingling of the crowd. This is where I got his full attention.
I said I WAS a nurse who loved my job, but I saw first-hand how big business/for-profits ruined my job. When I moved to SC, I didn't get my license to work here because I didn't want the hassle.
I told him the story of my daughter (she went and got married to get health insurance -- she couldn't on her own, because of the dreaded "pre-existing condition." the boyfriend, with insurance, stepped up and said "let's do it -- go down to the court house & make it legal" so she could be on his plan as his wife. NOW, that insurance company (BCBS) just told her last week that they are no longer covering the med she needs.) It's sort of like people marrying to make them legal citizens many years ago.
I then asked him if he really did want a strong public option since he has many donations from people cited in slinkerwink's diary. He said "absolutely! but the Dems should have started out with single-payer then work their way to a strong public option."
I told him that the Dems need to have a single strong message -- tell the Blue Dogs to get with it. I cited the recent CBS poll that shows confidence dropping fast in the idea that government can be an effective provider of health care coverage. To me, that's because the Democrats haven't been unified. The people voted for change, now let's DO IT!!
He agreed and said that he has told President Obama that bi-partisanship is over.
A little while later, he addressed the crowd at the podium.
Again, he stressed the end of bi-partisanship. (crowd goes wild!)
He understands that the people need the public option and the Democrats will fight for it. (crowd goes wild!)
He then stated that President Obama is working on a strong speech - and is hoping that he delivers it soon after the August recess. (crowd goes wild!!)
(Now here comes the part where my buddy and I went -- "HUH??")
Rep Clyburn gave us a history lesson on Civil Rights for African Americans where it took many years and many laws to be passed to get full civil rights for African Americans.
He then said the Democrats will fight for affordable, accessible health care for all.
So, that's when my buddy and I looked at each other and said "HUH??" because of slinkerwink's diary
here's the quote:
Clyburn, for his part, is advocating a "two step" approach in which the most widely supported health insurance reforms, like coverage for pre-existing conditions, go into effect immediately, while the public option is framed as a distant step — something that would go into effect in 2013, only after benchmarks and pilot programs are studied.
Clyburn has proposed setting up modest pilot programs for the public option in certain regions or states — an experimental way of seeing whether these health exchanges can actually work at the local level before they go nationwide.
IMHO, if Rep Clyburn said bi-partisanship has failed, then go after the best plan that will get us a strong public option.
We need to flood his office with emails, faxes, and phone calls to let him know what we want.
contact info for Rep Clyburn... LINK