Here's the latest idiocy from Senator Max Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, on the public option AND the Conrad so-called co-op proposal.
Baucus signaled his willingness yesterday to compromise on a controversial provision of President Obama’s health care overhaul plan in a bid to attract enough GOP support to pass the legislation in the Senate this summer with as many as 70 votes.
The Montana Democrat emerged from a morning session with key Republicans and Democrats saying he was “inclined toward” jettisoning a proposed government-sponsored insurance program endorsed last week by Obama in favor of a new proposal to create national, state and regional health care insurance cooperatives.
Republicans bitterly oppose the public insurance option, saying it would undermine the private insurance industry and lead to a national health insurance system. Some conservative Democrats also are skeptical of the public plan option, even as they and Baucus support Obama’s overall reform goals.
I'm tired of Senator Max Baucus trying to do anything he can to avoid the passage of a strong, robust Medicare-like public option in the Senate bill. He needs to be told by us TODAY that we NEED a strong, Medicare-like public option in health care reform, and that anything else, including the Conrad co-op proposal, is UNACCEPTABLE.
Millions of Americans are dying, Senator Baucus, because they can't get access to treatment, have been denied coverage from private insurance companies, and have had their claims denied for necessary medical treatment by a pimply-faced medical insurance billing agent.
STOP pursuing these Republican votes, Senator Baucus! If this is what bipartisanship is going to get us, a weak public option or a stupid Conrad co-op, then we DON'T want this kind of bipartisanship!
You're supposed to fight for us, Senator Baucus. It's time to stop being a quisling jellyfish and time to grow a fuckin' spine!
Please CALL Senator Max Baucus at (202) 224-2651, and his little precious Finance Committee at (202) 224-4515.
And to think, just two weeks ago, Senator Baucus said he was willing to fight to the mat for a public option. And now? Give me a fucking break. We're not stupid, Senator Baucus. We see all too clearly what you're doing in the Senate.
The good news is that House Speaker Pelosi has said that the Conrad co-op proposal is a no-go in the House of Representatives.
BUT HOUSE LIBERALS SAY ‘NO GO’ TO CO-OPS, per Inside Health Policy: “‘Not instead of a public option, no,’ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said during a press briefing. ‘The bill we're working on -- and the bill that is going to pass the House -- is going to have a strong public option,’ a House leadership aide emphasized. ‘That's where we're going.’”
REMEMBER, when you make the calls today, TELL your Senators and Representatives that you are OPPOSED to the Conrad co-op proposal, and that you NEED a strong, robust Medicare-like public option in health care reform with NO TRIGGERS or CONDITIONS!
And moderate Democrats, the New Democrats Coalition, and the Blue Dogs, have joined together to oppose a strong, robust Medicare-like public option, and to support a 7-year trigger for the public option only if it's included in health care reform.
CALL these three House chairmen with these talking points below, and add that YOU DO NOT want them to listen to these turncoat Blue Dog Democrats and New Democrats Coalition. Tell them you want them to stand firm FOR a strong, robust Medicare-like public option!
Ways and Means Committee Chair Charlie Rangel (202) 225-3625)
Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman (202) 225-2927)
Education and Labor Committee Chair George Miller (202) 225-3725)
Here's the talking points that you can and should use when calling in favor of a strong, robust Medicare-like public option, and remember, the "trigger" may happen if we don't let up in our opposition to it in our phone calls:
Tell [Name] that you DO NOT want the 7-year trigger for the public option and take it off the table, and that you want him to support an affordable strong, robust Medicare-like public option. We NEED a strong, robust Medicare-like public option NOW OPEN TO ALL AMERICANS AND AFFORDABLE, not more of the SAME broken system that's given us unaffordable premiums, little private insurance coverage, and rising co-pays. Also, DON'T TAX OUR EMPLOYER HEALTH BENEFITS. Instead, follow the proposal by President Obama to tax the wealthy above $250,000, eliminate the overpayments in Medicare Advantage, and put tax capital gains to help fund health care reform. TELL YOUR MEMBER NO ON THE SCHUMER COMPROMISE.
CALL the White House at: 202-456-1111 and E-MAIL them as well!
Please CALL Senator Max Baucus at (202) 224-2651
Please CALL Senator Olympia Snowe at (202) 224-5344
Please CALL Senator Charles Schumer at 202-224-6542
Please CALL Senator Edward Kennedy at (202) 224-4543
Please CALL Senator John Rockefeller at (202) 224-6472
Please CALL Senator Ron Wyden at (202) 224-5244
Please CALL Senator Kent Conrad at (202) 224-2043
Please CALL Senator Jeff Bingaman at (202) 224-5521
Please CALL Senator John Kerry at (202) 224-2742
Please CALL Senator Blanche Lincoln at 202-224-4843
Please CALL Senator Debbie Stabenow at (202) 224-4822
Please CALL Senator Maria Cantwell at 202-224-3441
Please CALL Senator Bill Nelson at 202-224-5274
Please CALL Senator Robert Menendez at 202-224-4744
Please CALL Senator Thomas Carper at (202) 224-2441
It's really important that we CALL these Senators on the Senate Finance Committee because some of them are still SERIOUSLY considering the 7-year trigger for the public option in case private insurance fails and are NOW thinking that the Conrad co-op proposal may be a good thing to get Republican votes. Well, here's a frickin' news alert--the Republicans aren't in power anymore. You guys are in power now! Act like it!
We have to get them to stop considering the public option as a "fall-back trigger" seven years from now AND the Conrad co-op proposal, because we NEED a Medicare-like public option NOW that is affordable and OPEN TO ALL Americans.
ALSO, CALL ALL OF THESE BLUE DOGS AND TELL THEM TO STOP HOLDING UP PROGRESS AND TO SUPPORT A STRONG, ROBUST MEDICARE-LIKE PUBLIC OPTION WITH NO TRIGGERS OR CONDITIONS!
Use this congressional hotline to do so: Capitol Hill 800-828-0498
Blue Dog Leadership Team
Rep. Baron Hill (IN-09), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy
Rep. Charlie Melancon (LA-03), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications
Rep. Heath Shuler (NC-11), Blue Dog Whip
Blue Dog Members
Barrow, John (GA-12)
Boren, Dan (OK-02)
Boyd, Allen (FL-02)
Bright, Bobby (AL-02)
Cardoza, Dennis (CA-18)
Childers, Travis (MS-01)
Costa, Jim (CA-20)
Cuellar, Henry (TX-28)
Davis, Lincoln (TN-04)
Donnelly, Joe (IN-02)
Ellsworth, Brad (IN-08)
Giffords, Gabrielle (AZ-08)
Gordon, Bart (TN-06)
Griffith, Parker (AL-05)
Hill, Baron (IN-09)
McIntyre, Mike (NC-07)
Marshall, Jim (GA-03)
Matheson, Jim (UT-02)
Melancon, Charlie (LA-03)
Michaud, Mike (ME-02)
Minnick, Walt (ID-01)
Mitchell, Harry (AZ-05)
Moore, Dennis (KS-03)
Nye, Glenn (VA-02)
Peterson, Collin (MN-07)
Pomeroy, Earl (ND)
Salazar, John (CO-03)
Scott, David (GA-13)
Shuler, Heath (NC-11)
Space, Zack (OH-18)
Tanner, John (TN-08)
Taylor, Gene (MS-04)
Make them regret they ever tried to hold up progress on a strong, Medicare-like public option in health care reform.
If you want a strong, robust Medicare-like public option, then the time to fight is here and NOW! Let's not stop on making these calls!
A strong, robust Medicare-like public option is the line in the sand for me. Is it the line in the sand for you as well?
Please REC this diary up so others can see the phone numbers and make the calls today!
Cross-posted to my blog at The Line In The Sand.