Sam Stein over at the Huffington Post details Senator Dick Durbin's appearance today on CNN's "State of the Union".
One of Barack Obama's chief allies in the United States Senate hinted on Sunday that a public insurance option could go by the wayside as Congress hammers out its health care legislation.
Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), one of the chamber's foremost progressives, said that while he supported a government-run option for insurance, he was "open" to alternatives.
"Just understand that, after we pass this bill -- and I hope we do -- in the Senate, it will go to conference committee," said Durbin. "We'll have a chance to work out all of our differences."
There can be no meaningful health care reform without a public option. Senator Durbin needs to be reminded of this. We need to flood his office with our views first thing monday morning. Very simple.
You can use Senator Durbin's online US Senate contact page:
http://durbin.senate.gov/...
Or (PREFERABLY!) you can give his office(s) a call:
WASHINGTON, D.C. Office
309 Hart Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Phone: (202)224-2152
Fax: (202)228-0400
CHICAGO Office
230 South Dearborn Street
Suite 3892
Chicago, IL 60604
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone:(312) 353-4952
Fax: (312) 353-0150
SPRINGFIELD Office
525 South 8th Street
Springfield, IL 62703
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone: (217)492-4062
Fax: (217)492-4382
Senator Durbin is one of President Obama's strongest allies in the senate. Bottom line: we cannot afford to lose him. We must overwhelm him with responses to this, and remind him of his mission. It'll take just a few minutes of your time monday morning to give him a buzz!
Anyone with additional means of contacting the senator, please post it up and I will include it. I admit this was hastily compiled. I wish we could send him cartons of band-aids or something. Because "reform" without a public option is just that--a band aid on a gunshot wound!
More Discussion over at AdamND's diary.