After months of being maligned andignored by the Obama White House Administration, the Congressional Progressive Democratic Caucus, which has the largest 78-member majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, finally has their meeting with President Obama today.
And guess what they're going to press President Obama on in their meeting today?
The public option as an essential part of universal health care reform.
The Congressional Progressive Democratic Caucus are prepared not to back down on this essential part of health care reform, and they're planning to let President Obama know that health care reform without the public option will NOT get their backing. And that they will vote down any so-called health care reform plan with the full support of their 78 members in the Congressional Progressive Democratic Caucus.
The leaders of the Congressional Progressive Democratic Caucus, Reps. Woolsey and Grijalva, have already made their stand clear on the public option in health care reform:
A majority of members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus will not support any health reform legislation that does not include a public plan option, according to a letter sent on Thursday by CPC co-chairs Reps. Lynn Woosley (D-Calif.) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) to Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, Roll Call reports (Bendery, Roll Call, 4/2). According to The Hill, "The caucus is seeking to leverage its 77 votes, which is enough to block legislation on the House floor if Republicans are united against it."
Woosley and Grijalva in the letter said that a majority of CPC members "will only support comprehensive health care reform legislation that includes a public plan option on a level playing field with private health insurance plans." According to the letter, most caucus members prefer a single-payer health care system, but a public plan option should be included "at minimum."
Thank God the Congressional Progressive Democrats are finally flexing their muscle when we need them the most on issues like health care reform.
The public option is the line in the sand for me. If it's not in any health care reform legislation planned by Senator Max Baucus and Senator Kennedy, I will work against passage of such legislation as it'd just be a mandated bailout of the murder-by-spreadsheet industry with no upside for us.
Is it the line in the sand for you?
If so, please feel free to contact the Congressional Progressive Democratic Caucus here at CongressionalProgressiveCaucus@gmail.com. And they're on Facebook as well.