I'm tired of all these fundraising e-mails from the DSCC, the DNC, and the DCCC blaming Republicans. The Republicans are NOT the ones to blame. Democrats like these below are the ones to blame. They're the ones that've been watering down the bill, voted against a public option, and allowed the Baucus bill to be a mandated bailout of private insurers.
We need you guys to PUSH BACK against these cowardly actions of these Senators by continuing to call the Congressional Progressive Caucus in the House so they can stand up to the conservadems in the conference process! Will you please help us make these phone calls today?
We've known this was coming for a long while that these "Democrats" would get up and vote against the public option amendments in the Senate Finance Committee. Yes, this was expected, but does that mean we shouldn't be angry about it? HELL, NO! We should have every right to be angry, and to let our anger be known to these elected officials! There's a famous quote which I'll like to put below:
If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.
And there are some that would prefer that we would be complacent, assume that this will be magically fixed in the conference process, and have us remain silent on the public option because they want any bill to pass that offers so-called regulations that private insurers can evade and with no price control on premiums over the long term for the photo op victory.
Here's the video of Senator Rockefeller calling out Senator Baucus on his bullshit yesterday for defending the private insurance companies and the so-called regulations that his bill offers:
Thank you, Senator Rockefeller, for calling out the massive bullshit that is the Senate Finance Committee bill! We need more Democrats like him to stand up and say that this bill is nothing more than a mandated bailout of private insurers. We'll reward good Democrats like him for standing up for the public option, as we've rewarded those in the House that have stood up for the public option.
And bad Democrats like Senator Lincoln below, who whispers "I don't think there's going to be a public option" in this video below at the 49: second mark, will have to face the consequences of their actions:
The best way to do that is to continue making phone calls to our Progressives in Congress to stand up against these conservadems! So, please don't stop on making these phone calls to the Congressional Progressive Caucus today to demand a public option in the final bill with no triggers on it, and to come together as a voting bloc against the final conference bill if it doesn't have a strong, robust public option in it!
Here are the talking points for your phone calls to these Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus today so they can be ready to stand up for us all the way through the conference process:
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. I also don't support co-operatives as an alternative to the public option since the CBO have said they will do nothing to lower costs of private insurance premiums. Also, please STAND TOGETHER as a Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus to fight for the public option in the final conference bill! If the bill doesn't have a public option to control premium costs, please vote against that bill!
And don't just make phone calls, write letters to the editor as well and e-mail your Representative as well! Also, please read Chris Bowers for the next steps on the public option, as I agree with his take on the situation for the public option.
We'll keep on fighting for what is right, and please help support our work (since we do literally work for you guys) by donating to our fund at Firedoglake! Your donations go to our living stipends, expenses, and travel costs, including awesome tools like these.
UPDATE: NEWS ALERT---Liberals doing a full whip count of the Democratic caucus to gauge support for a robust public option! This is why your phone calls are so important today.