Oh yes, Silly Election Season is upon us. It's been fun and a half watching the GOP Keystone Kop its way through the primaries, but the rubber's about to meet the road here. And I daresay there is just about nothing more important than us kicking ass all up and down the ticket this November.
Love Obama, despise Obama, there are candidates and races for everyone to get behind, because we need serious wins in Congress and statehouses. We've been dealt some great luck with Mourdock's defeat of Lugar in the primary, and just today we learned that McCaskill is currently leading in polls.
Okay, maybe McCaskill speaks to the "more" part of the equation, but primaries are where we work the "better" part of improving the situation in Congress. Let's dive below the squiggeldy-do and find some lower-level races where we can really make a difference!
On June 5th, (some) California voters have the opportunity to avenge single payer with the Dem primary between Rod Wright and Paul Butterfield. Better dems in the California statehouse means we have better chances California will actually get single payer passed. Allow me now to crib liberally from Shockwave's previous diaries on Butterfield, who could really use some donation and volunteer love:
Paul is running against one of 6 blue dogs that prevented California from passing Single Payer legislation this year. Only 2 votes were needed back on January 31st to get SB 810 on Gov. Jerry Brown's desk. I figured that if Paul beats Rod Wright the other 5 blue dogs would get a message and in 2013 when SB 810 gets on the California Senate floor again they will think twice before abstaining or voting against it. I am a Single Payer activist so this made sense. Paul is a Single Payer supporter (and a wonderful man, one of us in all important issues) and he would vote for SB 810.
The upcoming June 5 primary is critical. In the ballot there will be 3 names, Paul, Rod Wright and Charlotte Svolos, a Republican. With the new rules in place, Paul only needs to come in 2nd to be on the November ballot. However, it is possible that he beats Wright on June 5 and that is what we hope for.
We need door knockers, phone bankers, endorsements, contacts, everything. But one thing that will help tremendously now is to send out some mailers. With $3000 we can do this in some critical parts of the 35th District and for this I ask you to consider donating as little as $5.
Do it because Paul is a better Democrat and his opponent has a lot of baggage, a lot.
Or do it because you like what Paul has to say about Single Payer;
A single payer plan for California establishes a universal health insurance system that provides every resident with comprehensive health benefits for life. It is paid for with taxes that amount to less than what families and businesses are currently paying for private health insurance. Medicare is a single payer system that is currently used.
A single payer plan;
. Covers everyone.
. Has no deductibles, co-pays, or exclusions for pre-existing conditions.
. Allows you to choose your own doctors, hospitals, dentists, eye care providers, and other medical services.
. Cuts the current 25% private insurance companies now spend for overhead to just 5%.
. Ensures patient-centered, good quality health care by rewarding excellence and sharing efficiencies and best practices among doctors and hospitals.
With single payer health care you can’t lose the insurance if you lose or change your job, and no one will be denied care. What’s more, single payer controls escalating health care costs, invests in electronic infrastructure that improves quality while reducing cost, saves money by controlling fraud, emphasizes prevention and primary health care, and utilizes California's purchasing power to realize savings on prescriptions and durable medical equipment.
A single payer plan would save money for families, business, and government and provide comprehensive, quality health care for all.
This district looks solidly dem, so there is no excuse for a Blue Dog there. And if we get single payer going in California and Vermont and a few other states with it in the works, we're halfway there.
Sadly, we don't all live in California, so what other races are there where a little effort can have a big impact? I've heard many people say that NC's statehouse only recently went GOP and that's the only reason Amendment 1 even saw the light of day. So North Carolinians, who should we be fighting to put in -- or or take out of -- office?
Texans, what can we do to help the state blue again? Which counties need the most help, or which races have the best chance? Virginians, how can we get the probophiliacs out of office?
et cetera
People of all the states, every last corner, please use this diary to post and highlight races of importance/opportunity. It would kick so much ass if something like this could take off.
Knowledge is power, baby!