There are reports saying that President Obama will support the public option in his speech, but not issue a veto threat, and he'll offer a fresh new argument for the public option. All that is good, but we can't just assume that because he says something about the public option that it'll end up in the final bill as it currently is.
President Obama's speech tonight does not end that fight for the public option. It's why we have to carry on the fight, regardless of whether the President offers outright support for the public option by demanding it be in the final bill, or restating his support for the public option and not committing to it being in the final bill.
Will you please join me and millions of other Americans in the fight for the public option by CALLING every member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus today, and telling them NOT to support a trigger on the public option, and demand that a trigger-free public option be in the final conference bill?
This is the one major action item I want all of us here at Dailykos to do! PLEASE CALL these Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus today to thank them for supporting the public option, and saying that you don't want a trigger on the public option. Here are the talking points for your phone calls to these Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus today:
Hi [Representative's Name]. I want to thank you for supporting the public option, but I don't want you to support a trigger on the public option! A trigger on the public option would be a surrender to the private insurance companies. Please don't let the insurance lobbyists win by allowing a trigger on the public option. Also, please STAND TOGETHER as a Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus to fight for the public option in the final conference bill!
I know that many here are worried about President Obama's speech or excited about his speech, but let me remind you, his speech is not the be-all and the end-all on health care reform. So don't give up, and keep on fighting with Nyceve, and a million other Americans today! If you start feeling defeatist, the best way you can get rid of that defeatism is to make PHONE CALLS today to our Progressives in Congress to show them our support, and let them know exactly what we want from them.
Please RECOMMEND this diary to CALL and HOLD our elected officials accountable on the public option as the line in the sand!
Please follow me on Twitter @slinkerwink to get the latest action updates and news about the public option as an essential element of real health care reform! Also, please follow nyceve on Twitter @nyceve1 as she goes to Congress today to deliver the petition that over 50,000 of you signed!
Now, for a round-up on the research we did yesterday on the 5 Democrats.
- Rep. Henry Waxman took over $100,000 in PAC donations from those in the health industry. He also took thousands of dollars in individual contributions from lobbyists such as Julian Haywood who represents Cigna, Matthew Berzok who represents Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Michael Bromberg who represents America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).
- Rep. Neil Abercrombie did not take PAC contributions from any of the heavy hitters we've been doing research into, and he didn't take donations from lobbyists either. Good for him.
- Rep. Al Green didn't take PAC contributions from any of the heavy-hitters in this battle, and didn't take donations from lobbyists either.
- Rep. Gregory W. Meeks took thousands of dollars in PAC donations from those in the health industry. He also took individual contributions from lobbyists such as Timothy Jenkins who represents AMGEN, Nick Kolovos who represents Blue Cross Blue Shield, and from Jeffrey Peck who represents the American Insurance Association.
- Rep. Diana DeGette took thousands of dollars in donations from PACs in the health industry. She took donations from lobbyists such as Frederick Graefe who represents medical-device makers, and Timothy Jenks who represents AMGEN. Rep. Diana DeGette also took $1200 from Caroline "Caz" Matthews, the President of the WellPoint Foundation.
And here are the five Democrats we need you guys to help with the research on today:
Rep. Doris Matsui
Rep. Kendrick Meek
Rep. Mike Thompson
Rep. Bobby Rush
Rep. Ed Markey
Now, let's keep holding our elected officials accountable for the public option as a required component of the FINAL bill!
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