The Massachusetts election, the refusal to participate in governing by the Republican Party and the insane Senate rules have presented progressives and Democrats with a dilemma on how to move forward on healthcare legislation.
There is no doubt that these circumstances have caused tremendous frustration, panic and anger among progressives and the Democratic leadership. I feel that anger, I understand that anger, I'm angry too.
But Democrats are going to face a choice, a monumental choice, about where to go next. And we need to turn that anger into action. I think it's worth remembering Ted Kennedy's words at the 1980 Democratic convention and asking again, why does this matter?
For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.
This matters because 150,000 lives are at stake.
It matters because 60% of all bankruptcies are caused by medical bills.
It matters because in America, like everywhere else in the developed world, healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.
And with that in mind we have a choice to make. Some of our progressive allies in Congress such as Rual Grijalva and Earl Blumenauer have suggested a more ideologically pure but incremental version of healthcare reform with the theory we can tackle comprehensive reform later.
That would be a horrible choice. We have worked on healthcare reform under this model for nearly three years. To throw it all away at this point would be a tragic choice and it wouldn't work. It's bad politics and bad policy. Squandering this opportunity would be as cruel as abolishing Medicare to those who need healthcare the most and would get it under the Senate bill with fixes.
There is a better way, one that almost every progressive opinion leader and healthcare action group is backing. And that is for the House to pass the Senate healthcare bill and then pass fixes on finacing and other issues. That approach has widespread backing.
There is longtime advocates for reform Families USA
The Senate bill would expand health coverage to approximately 31 million people - and the House bill would reach even more. (The state-by-state projected expansions are attached.) Many millions more, who have insurance but are burdened with its costs, would also be helped with new subsidies.
You no doubt met many of these people in the communities you represent. You probably can remember their plea to make our health system better - and to make quality, health coverage and care affordable.
We must not abandon these people.
One last point: The policy slurs and defamations by health reform opponents, which will undoubtedly continue, cannot be effectively answered unless and until reform is enacted into law. It is only then that Americans around the country will see its benefits.
This is your moment for political courage, vision, and leadership. We urge you to move meaningful health reform forward to its needed enactment.
Then there is the Healthcare for America Now coalition
On the policy, there's no way to make a "scaled down" health reform bill work. Our health care system is a complicated and inter-connected network of pieces and policies. Changing one or just a few pieces of that system - as a scaled down health bill would seek to do - will cause immediate and severe problems in the rest of the system.
And the ever brilliant Mike Lux
As President Obama likes to put it: let me be clear. Democrats need to calm down, pull themselves together, and pass the Senate bill and then a parallel bill to clean up the problems in the Senate bill. Progressive leaders like Raul Grijalva need to stop making threats, join hands with their Democratic brethren, and just get this done. Conservative Democrats had their way in the Senate, but now they need to stop complaining and telling Democrats they should give up on passing anything, and get with the program. The President needs to settle down and stop having a failure of nerves, and sending negative signals to Congress. It is time to take the path available to us on health care, do what we should have done four months and get it over with, and move on to jobs, banks, energy, and immigration. By actually delivering on the change we promised, by actually taking on the special interests we said we would and solving problems, Democrats can rebound from this bleak moment and do fine in the next election. All it takes is a little bit of courage and common sense to take the path in front of them.
And now we need to make it happen.
And that means picking up your phone and calling your representative in the House if they are a Democrat. If not, pass this along to at least 5 people you know who's representatives are Democrats.
When you call your representative be polite but be very clear how important this is. If they can't lead and make tough choices they shouldn't have run for office in the first place. Tell them we expect the House to deliver Health Care reform for the American people
It worked on Barney Frank. He got calls and he reversed his earlier statements and said he would be for the Senate bill + fix approach.
Unless we step up now we could lose this opportunity. So what are you waiting for?
CALL CONGRESS.
UPDATE: Femlaw has some useful advice in the comments for contacting Congress
Capitol switchboard #
(202) 224-3121
You can lookup your member of Congress, get office #'s here
http://www.congress.org/
Call District offices too - often not as busy and easier to get through.
And I think a simple message - we have come this far and the American people want you to see comprehensive reform through. Pass. The. Bill.
