In case you haven't read it today in the New York Times, conservatives are about to begin, THIS WEEK, their smear campaign against Obamacare. Not that we didn't know it was coming. The usual suspects, Koch-fueled Americans for prosperity, are gearing up to make people "doubt" (read: fear) the new law.
I mentioned to you about a month ago about our Sabotage States campaign (which focuses specifically on the medicaid expansion). Now is the time to step up and help. We're having a planning meeting tonight at 7:15 p.m. eastern time and you are invited.
Our way to fight back, as citizens and activists, does not involve getting into an air war with the Kochs. I'm not even sure how effective all that airtime is nowadays anyway. Although I'm sure Team Blue, the establishment, the big money people, are planning a counterattack (and hopefully an offensive) to help eductae the public about the benefits of the program, I believe that health care is really not nearly as partisan (in real life) as the GOP needs it to be.
Let's face it, everyone needs healthcare, Republican and Democrat alike. And just like all the screeching and fear-mongering the right did in 2008 and 2009 about how Obama was Secret Muslim Terrorist, the reality is, when most Republican voters go check out the exchanges (and trust me, they will) and realize how it will actually help them and their families, the GOP will be exposed (once again) as hyperbolic-fear-mongering liars. This is why their campaigning aggressively BEFORE implementation. They're hoping to scare people SO MUCH that they won't even check the exchanges out. I think that's a gross miscalculation but, really, it's all they've got.
HOWEVER
There's another aspect of ACA implementation that won't take care of itself unless we get active. It's the Medicaid Expansion; the part of ACA that effects the working poor and poor the most. This is what we're focusing on in this campaign because millions of otherwise eligible people will be without health care if the Sabotage States continue to refuse the expansion. Here's the latest update on where states stand on the Medicaid Expansion. (LINK to interactive map and more details)
Our way to fight back is, (and always has been in my opinion), at the grassroots local level. We fight person-to-person and with truth.
Tonight's meeting is designed to do three things:
1 - Educate our people - activists - about the ACA Medicaid Expansion (which is the primary focus of the Sabotage States Campaign).
2 - Enlist an army of volunteers to help us connect with local Democratic parties and local health care advocacy groups.
3 - Begin to collect REAL stories of REAL people who would benefit from the expansion. It's hard to create a boogey-monster out of someone whose life is so much like your own or someone you know. We plan to personalize and localize these stories.
We discuss how to go about disseminating this information effectively. We'll discuss strategies on how we can work with or help existing organizations (and the citizens they serve) create pressure on legislators to reconsider the expansion. We'll discuss electoral strategy and how to create potential electoral consequences for legislators who fail to reconsider - and using that as leverage for change.
I hope you will join us there tonight. No special downloads or special equipment is needed. Just click the link and join in.
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UPDATE ABOUT THE ANKLE:
And for those who want an update about my ankle. I had my cast put on on the 28th. I have to wear it for four weeks with no weight bearing. I thought I'd be really freaked out with the constant "touching" of something up against my leg (the splint was really annoying) but so far, it's much more comfortable than the splint was and my anxiety about not being able to "get air to my leg" is greatly reduced. That's the upside. The downside is: I can't ask my doctor for a valium prescription with a clear conscience. ;)
Anyway, hubby is fine! He met many of you at the NN13 conference. We enjoyed the conference and made some great connections. We'll be updating the website soon and over the next three months, we'll be gearing up to begin our outreach efforts to local Democrats who are considering a run for office. We're getting there, bit-by-bit and we deeply appreciate your
continued support.