I just got off the phone with Congressman John Hall's office (NY-19). I assumed he would vote for HCR but he is undeclared. I gave money to elect Hall. His staff said I was one of only TWO calls in support of HCR, and the office has been flooded with calls opposing the bill. He will make up his mind on Sunday, but the staff member said calls are needed, and if I care about what happens we need to contact friends and family to call Hall's office to voice support. I could hear the worry and fear in her voice.
We need to do this NOW. Hall should be a reliable vote (I assumed it was), but his district starts in upper Westchester County and goes north into more conservative upstate NY. He will be worried if people who care about health care reform, imperfect as it may be, do not stand up and have their voices heard. That is why he is undeclared now. Like it or not, politicians care about political survival.
There is NO EXCUSE for inaction. Anyone who contributed to Hall, or even better yet any constituent in his district, needs to call right away. Others can call with pledges of contributions if Hall has the courage to stand up and vote the right way. Any other vote now is political suicide for Democrats as a party, but all politics is local and we cannot take anything for granted.
The forces of darkness are working hard against us. WHAT WILL WE (AND I MEAN YOU) DO?
(focus on the local office if at all possible; that is where I know for sure they are worried about local response)
Congressman John Hall
1217 Longworth House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-3219
Phone: (202) 225-5441
Carmel Office
Phone:(845) 225-3641 x49371
255 Main Street, Room 3232G
Goshen, New York 10924
Phone: (845) 291-4100
REC LIST - Great, but only because it shows the importance and possibility of people acting together for the common good.
History has certain break points. November 2008 showed we have the opportunity. Now is our time to turn the tide with results. We only have one first chance at it. Our political world will be fundamentally different if we win this fight, but we need to do it with each vote we win. A victory on HCR, imperfect as it may be, gives us strength for more victories in other battles we still face. The other side knows it, and for the first time this week they saw the prospect of fundamental defeat on policy staring them in the face. Now is the time to make it clear we are turning away as a people from the selfishness of the past. Not tomorrow. Today.
UPDATE: Just spoke to Hall's local office again. They said calls supporting HCR have picked up a lot in the past few hours. The staffer sounded a little less stressed than this morning, but still had to say nothing is decided yet on Hall's vote. No time to rest on our laurels, but another reminder that action makes a difference. Keep it going. Nothing's done until the last vote is cast and we have the President's signature on the bill, and even then the fight continues to improve it and much else.