For the last several weeks, when calling, emailing or tweeting my Rep and Senators about getting a comprehensive reform bill passed and done, my message has been very simple:
Don't give up on healthcare reform - pass it and we'll have your back in November.
And I meant it. I think Democrats in Congress need to finish the job and not walk away or just pass a few pieces of reform. And they should do it because it will help us win in November. We will be able show Americans that we can deliver. And I'm ready to fight hard to make sure that message gets through. I'm ready to do the hard work of turning out the voters we need to win.
And I'm not alone. Turns out volunteers across the United States have already pledged over 7 million hours through Organizing for America to do the same.
And OFA isn't alone either - many organizations have been working for over a year to bring this legislation home. HCAN, who has been a tremendous ally, is doing nationwide rallies and actions starting this week joined by a broad coalition of groups. Details about what you can do to push reform across the finish line below the fold.
Action Item 1 - the OFA Pledge
I've been following the OFA pledge since it kicked off only a week ago. Already there are more than 7 million volunteer hours pledged, and more coming in all the time.
The idea is simple - the campaign is called "You Fight, We Fight" - and it means if Congress steps up to fight for reform, OFA will be fighting for their re-election in November. And if you saw what OFA pulled off for Coakley in just ten days with no advance notice or warning, imagine what it means to start now working on winning in November.
Here's how it works (from the original Feb. 10 email from Mitch Stewart about the campaign):
As we head into an election year, the new strategy for killing reform is claiming that members of Congress who vote for it will suffer at the polls.
For months, our opponents have spread lies about reform to scare voters away. But the simple truth about what reform would actually do -- save jobs, guarantee all Americans affordable, stable coverage, and significantly reduce the deficit -- is something most Americans strongly support.
The question is, come November, will the voters know the facts?
OFA supporters have asked for a way to show every member of Congress that if they fight for reform now, we'll back them up this election season.
That's why we're launching "You fight, we'll fight" -- a volunteer pledge bank where you can commit your time to back up candidates and officials who fight hard for health reform.
I'm excited about this pledge because it represents real people ready to work on the ground for Democratic candidates in a critical election. And I know this isn't just a meaningless pledge - I know that having signed up myself I will be in the volunteer database. I will get phone calls inviting me to volunteer meetings, trainings, phonebanks and canvasses. I will get emails asking me to use the online tools. I know the OFA organizers, they aren't going to let folks just pledge and be done - they are going to be using that list of pledgers to turn folks out to volunteer. And those volunteers are the key to turning out those voters we know we need in critical elections.
So what if you only want to work for certain members of Congress? Well, it's called volunteering for a reason. And I am sure that if you are really fired up about a certain race, there will be a chance to plug in. There's an OFA organization in every state ready to connect you with opportunities, and plenty of online tools you can use from anywhere.
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE PLEDGE.
Action Item 2 - Rallies with HCAN, OFA and Allies
The HCAN "40 days of action" campaign kicks off today with events in Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sarasota, FL, Portland, and in other towns and cities across the U.S. Over the next couple of weeks you can find these events at the HCAN website and by searching on MyBO. I know we have OFA folks helping organize these events here in California, and in other places - and if these are anything like the August rallies, we will see a real coalition of organizations turning out for healthcare reform.
(The LA event, with combined participation of HCAN, OFA, Move-on, labor and other groups, is outside Anthem Blue Cross - a good place to send a message).
Today is also the start of Melanie's March, walking from PA to DC in memory of Melanie Rouse. Here's what march organizers have to say about this effort, which will end in DC on February 24th, the day before the scheduled health care summit:
Recently, our friend, Melanie Shouse lost a long battle with breast cancer after missing out on critical treatment because she, like thousands of others, could not find affordable health insurance.
Melanie did everything she could to fight for health care, not just for herself, but for all of us. President Obama, who knew Melanie as a volunteer on his campaign, said: “She was fighting that whole time not just to get me elected, not even to get herself health insurance, but because she understood that there were others coming behind her who were going to find themselves in the same situation and she didn’t want somebody else going through that same thing.” It was a long road for Melanie, but she never gave up.
(Follow march updates on melaniesmarch.com.)
This Saturday in New York, activists from HCAN, OFA and other groups are marching across the Brooklyn Bridge. Here's the details (h/t casperr).
SATURDAY, FEB. 20
11:30 a.m. – Gather in Cadman Plaza Park in Brooklyn (A or C to High
St., 2 or 3 to Clark St. -- meet at west side of the park)
12 noon – March across the bridge begins
1 p.m. – Rally outside NYC offices of Wellpoint, One Liberty Plaza,
Broadway & Liberty Street in Manhattan (take any train to Fulton St,,
Broadway-Nassau)
Wellpoint is the parent company of Anthem, the health insurance
company that just raised premiums by 40% in California.
Bring posters, signs, and banners! (No signs on sticks — the NYPD does
not allow them)
If you want to come but aren’t able to make the walk across the
bridge, just show up at the rally in Manhattan at 1:00. But if you can
march with us, please do. The more people, energy and voices we have
making the trip, the more powerful a message we will send.
RSVP here.
Action Item 3 - Contact Your Members of Congress
And while you are at it, have you called your Representative and Senators lately? They need to hear from us constantly until this is done. I know there's some organizing around call-in days next week, which is great, but go ahead and call now, too.
I encourage anyone calling with a pro-reform message, whatever that means to you. My own is simple - I'm just saying we need comprehensive reform, we can't quit this close to the end, and pass the damn bill and I'll have your back in November. I think we are very close to a consensus Democratic plan and whatever the House and Senate leadership and the White House come together on, I hope we can all push it across the finish line. If you care about what order things happen in or specifics, of course you will be saying so. What matters is that all of us call, because believe me Congress is hearing from the tea party crowd that Americans don't want any reform and that they should give it up now.
Here's a link to the OFA Healthcare Action Center where you can call, email or tweet Congress, write an LTE, and get more information about why we need reform.
(As if I needed more reasons, it turns out that according to Ezra Klein, even the Senate exchanges would help prevent rate hike abuses like we are seeing from Anthem in CA and around the country.)
So get busy - let's get this done! Whatever group/campaign/organization/action speaks to you, just find some way to speak up and tell Congress we need healthcare reform now. This year. No quitters.
I am a volunteer with Organizing for America in California. When I write here I speak for myself and not the organization. My diaries, and all the words in them, are my own.