As most of you already know, according to a Research 2000 poll commissioned by Kos, more Montanans want the choice of a public option than don't. Here's what Kos had to say:
While Baucus continues conspiring with Republicans to delay and kill effective health care reform, his antics aren't doing him any favors back home. And despite the onslaught of pure bullshit slung by opponents of effective reform (death panels! government takeover! Canada!), a plurality of all Montana residents (and independents as well) still support a public option.
So who is Baucus working for? The Republicans in (and outside) his state? The health care insurance companies that have purchased his Senate seat?
Markos isn't the only one asking those questions. Meet Bing Perrine from Billings, Montana. He wants to know whose side Sen. Baucus is on too.
***UPDATE When I posted this dairy we had raised $35,000 so far. Now we're over $40,000 $45,000 $50,000 $55,000 $60,000!!!! And we're getting covered all over the media including WSJ and CBS. And Adam Green will be on Ed Shultz today! How close to the $100k can we get in less than 24 hours? Help make it happen. UPDATE***
***UPDATE 2!! Did you see Adam Green on Ed Schultz. He rocked! And so does your response to this dairy. We're over $64k now. We're almost 75% of what we need to hit Sen. Baucus hard in Montana and thanks to you we're getting there in less than 24 hours!! Keep spreading the word. Every Senator on the Finance Committee needs to see how serious we are before they start voting on a public option tomorrow. How much can we raise tonight!!! UPDATE 2***
***UPDATE 3 We did it! We've hit $75,000! We're 75% of the way there on the first day. News reports say the Senate Finance Committee will start voting on the public option amendments by mid day. Can we make it to $100,000 before noon to make sure Senator Baucus knows that the people of Montana -- Bing Perrine -- and the majority of the American people -- want a public option? Help make it happen! Ask others to check it out and contribute what you can. UPDATE 3***
Bing Perrine is featured in Democracy for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee's powerful new 60-second ad. Bing is a Montana father, whose young family is struggling with over $100,000 in medical debt because of his congenital heart problems. No private insurance company will cover him. Fortunately, friends and family have helped the local community do bake sales to help.
"None of this debt would have piled up if I'd had the option of buying into a public health insurance plan." Bing says in the ad, "Private insurance companies need competition. They profit by denying care to people like me."
You can watch the ad to the right -- then contribute to get it on the air.
You know, Sen. Baucus has claimed he would vote for a public option if it is in the final healthcare bill. But then as the Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, his own Senate bill doesn't include one. That's right; as it stands right now the Baucus bill is a bad bill that doesn't include the choice of a public option.
Of course, the good news is Senators Rockefeller and Schumer have proposed amendments to the Baucus bill which would include it and the Senate Finance Committee could start voting on these amendments as soon as tomorrow.
It's time to turn up the heat on Senator Baucus back home. Senator Baucus can still do the right thing. He could show real leadership and get these amendments passed in Committee on a party line vote. So while insurance companies try to buy Sen. Baucus with D.C. lobbyists and millions of dollars in contributions, it's up to us to remind him what's really at stake: Montana families like the Perrines.
This is about the America we all want to live in. Either Max Baucus will stand with majority of Americans and pass a public option, or he'll stand alone for reelection. Tell Senator Baucus it's time to pick a side.
Please contribute now. Help us reach at least 100k so we can blanket Montana's airwaves and make sure Max thinks long and hard before he casts his votes this week. Bing's story is our story. If we let insurance companies kill real reform, this will continue to happen in America and next time it could be you or me. It's time for Senator Baucus to decide whose side he's on.