Here we are - it's time for the House and then the Senate to cast their final votes on reform.
Here's a list of at least 38 arguments presented by a broad spectrum of politicians, progressives, pundits, policywonks, and others in favor of passing this version of reform. (OK, some of them are arguments against, but when you see who they are from, you will understand why if these folks are opposed, we should definitely be in favor).
And if you are persuaded, as I am, that this is a once in a generation opportunity we should not let pass, then email or pick up the phone and call your representative TODAY. I've been hearing plenty of reports that the NO side is making noise - even if they are supportive they need to hear from you. And there's no Democrat who should be counted out.
OFA Letter Writing Tool - Click Here to Email Your Representative
OFA Call Tool - Click Here to Call Your Representative
So why should you make the call? Below the fold are some good reasons to Pass. The. Damn. Bill.
Democratic Leaders Fighting To Get This Through
- President Obama, who won't quit on reform, and who spoke today about doing it for Natoma
Northeastern Ohio is the home of Natoma Canfield, a self-employed cancer survivor who wrote the President a letter about her situation and why we need reform. Last year, Natoma learned that her health insurance premiums would be rising by 40 percent. Unable to afford the rising rates, Natoma gave up her health insurance in January. Last week, she was rushed to the hospital, and on Saturday, after being cancer-free for more than a decade, Natoma was diagnosed with leukemia.
- Speaker Pelosi, who says this is "the most important bill most of us will ever pass"
- Majority Leader Reid, who has committed to fight like hell for the reconciliation fix
Principles Over Politics
- Even some Republicans understand we need reform
- The Catholic Health Association doesn't think Stupak is right to block reform
Progressives Say Pass the Damn Bill
- 83% of Move-On Members are in favor
- Markos Moulitsas says pass it
- Ed Schultz says pass it in even more colorful language
- Chris Bowers, who explains all the ways progressives strengthened the bill
- slinkerwink and nyceve and many Daily Kos Bloggers and Readers, who helped produce 1 million online voices online for reform
- The Balloon Juice blog community who have been saying since January Pass the Damn Bill
- thereisnospoon says the time for negotiating is done
- Dante Atkins agrees
Scholars, Researchers and Policy Experts
- The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has a new report out about the tremendous cost of inaction
- Fifty-one 51 Health Care Policy Experts speak up in support of the Senate bill
- Jacob Hacker, who led the development of the public option policy supports reform even if the public option isn't there right now
- Ezra Klein, who has given us a lot of great reasons to pass the bill, including overall cost control, the fact that premiums will go down for the vast majority of Americans, the fact that the IOM estimates reform will save 150,000 lives, among others.
- Leading Health Economists explain why we need reform
- Including none other than Paul Krugman
- Jonathan Cohn who lays out the cost control argument and many others on his blog
- Theda Skocpol says progressives must unite to pass the bill
Political / Elections-related Arguments
- Steve Benen says This is why Democrats exist
- David Plouffe says no bedwetters, reform will be good for Dems in November
- Nate Silver looks at polling data and explains why it would be batshit crazy not to take this deal, and that the elements of health reform in the Senate bill are very popular
- Organizing for America volunteer have pledged over 9 million hours for Democrats who vote for reform
- SEIU backs up OFA's carrot and adds an additional stick, making clear that Dems who don't back reform will face consequences from the base
- Massachusetts polling data suggests that whatever the current hits to reform's popularity, once enacted it is likely to become extremely popular and hard for even Republicans to oppose
- As I said last week, HCR has the potential to be Waterloo for the GOP
A Few More Good Reasons
- Atul Gawande explains the Senate bill cost control mechanisms and their historical parallels
- Consumer Reports shows how exchanges would work and make it easier to buy insurance
- The CBO tells us that reform cuts deficit $118 billion over ten years
Who's Opposed - Tells You Everything You Need to Know
- GOP concern trolls say Dems should give up
- Rush Limbaugh will leave the country if it passes!!
- The Chamber of Commerce and other organized big business interests don't want this and they are spending up to $10 million to defeat it
- Insurance Companies don't want their "giveaway" and are spending big to try to take it down
- Jim DeMint wants to make HCR "Obama's waterloo" and use it to "break him"
- Michelle Bachman thinks it's just crazy!
- The League of American voters and Dick Morris tell us Obamacare is an assault on our freedom to be uninsured, endure medical bankruptcy and be at the mercy of unregulated insurers.
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So what can you do to help?
First, email or call your Representative TODAY, the House is voting this week.
OFA Letter Writing Tool - Click Here to Email Your Representative
OFA Call Tool - Click Here to Call Your Representative
Second, help spread the word - email and tweet these links around. Make sure all the great arguments in favor are out there and visible. Post new ones in the comments and I will try to update as best I can.
It's amazing to see such a strong united front at last, and that is what it will take to bring this home.
Updated - more reasons from the comments:
Here's #39 - be on the right side of history (h/t) tazzz
And from LansingDan in the comments - here's #40:
- Wendell Potter, former insurance exec, says we need the new regulations on insurers.
Number 41 is that the progressive NY Working Families Party won't give its endorsement (and ballot line) to any NY Dems who vote no (thanks to Albanius in the comments)
I am a volunteer with Organizing for America in California, but when I write here I speak for myself and not for the organization in any way. My diaries, and all the words in them, are my own.