1 Turncoat Senator vs. 410,649 Americans

Written by: Mary R on Nov 19, 2009 3:06 PM EST

First, the good news: Senator Harry Reid has finally presented the text of the merged Senate bill and started procedures to pass the first set of votes as soon as this weekend. The public option is in the bill as promised and, even better, it has not been further weakened—instead it's almost the exact same as the version passed by the late Senator Ted Kennedy's H.E.L.P. Committee earlier this year. 



The bad news is that it only takes one Senator from the Democratic Caucus to support a Republican filibuster and kill the whole bill. To make it worse, Republicans are expected to filibuster the bill at every step in the processes so there will be many chances for betrayal by a turncoat in the Democratic Caucus.



Today's the day we need to deliver our message loud and clear.

If ANY member of the Democratic Caucus joins a Republican filibuster of healthcare reform with a public option, the Caucus must immediately strip that Senator of all Committee Chairmanships.

Since we launched this campaign just three weeks ago, MoveOn members have joined us in demanding accountability. Now, we're merging our campaign with signatures gathered by our friends at CREDO Action and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee too and together we're ready to deliver signatures for 410,649 Americans today. 


SIGN UP TO DELIVER PETITIONS TO YOUR SENATOR

It was only three months ago when the public option was declared dead and we were all told to accept defeat.

Now, we're only weeks away from finishing what we started on March 25, when my brother Howard and I launched the Stand with Dr. Dean campaign. We stood up to draw a line in the sand, demanding inclusion of a public option in any healthcare bill passed this year and you stood with us.

You got the public option this far; now we need to bring it home to win.

We can't let one turncoat Senator kill the bill. Take the time out of your day—over your lunch break—on your way home from work—tomorrow on your way to work—as soon as you can—and deliver the signatures to your Senators.

SIGN UP TO DELIVER NOW

I'm counting on you. Because, when we work together, we're unstoppable.

Jim Dean, Chair

Democracy for America

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Written by: DFA Community and you

DFA's home for a free form, open-ended discussion of what matters most to committed progressive activists.

Send a message they can't miss

Written by: Mary R on Nov 17, 2009 12:00 PM EST

Passing healthcare reform in the House of Representatives a week ago came at a high price to women. While the overall bill is the largest expansion of women's access to healthcare services in history, there is one area in which the bill took a giant leap backwards: reproductive rights. 



That's because right before the House voted on the entire bill, they first passed an amendment that dramatically expanded the ban on federal funding of abortion services. The amendment bans even private for-profit insurers from covering abortion as a part of women's reproductive healthcare for all plans in the insurance exchange created by the healthcare bill. 



Millions of women will be affected if it remains in the final bill that goes to the President's desk. 



And to make it worse -- 20 of the 64 Democrats who joined with Republicans to pass this amendment were previously pro-choice. All 20 are men who ran on and have a record of casting pro-choice votes in the past. These Democrats were elected by voters who never expected their representative would take America back to an era of coat hangers and back alley abortions. 



We're joining with CREDO Action to send them a message: reconsider your vote and demand Congressional leadership strip the ban from the final bill before it comes back to the House for the final vote. 



To make sure this is one message these men won't miss, we're not stopping there. CREDO Action will send these Reps a coat hanger for every person who signs the petition.


SIGN THE PETITION -- AND SEND A COAT HANGER NOW

We're not being subtle and we're not mincing words. If the ban isn't stripped out in merging negotiations between the House and Senate bills during the conference process, then the final bill would take reproductive rights back to the dark ages.

Whether you're pro-choice or not, it's legal. So, it's up to all us to make sure it's safe. Join CREDO Action's campaign today and make sure these formerly pro-choice Democrats get the message.

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Will the real Democrat please stand up?

Written by: Mary R on Nov 11, 2009 2:03 PM EST

You've probably heard by now, when the House of Representatives passed healthcare reform with a public option last Saturday night, one Republican voted 'YES' with the Democratic majority. His name is Rep. Joseph Cao. 



Republican Joseph Cao represents part of Louisiana. That's the same state Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu represents. Yet Senator Landrieu is considering siding with a Republican filibuster to kill the Senate version of the bill.



That's right, Louisiana Republican Joseph Cao chose to stand up with President Obama, the majority of House Democrats, and the majority of Americans to pass historic healthcare reform, while the Democratic Senator from the same state might be the one Senator who stands with Republicans to kill reform. 



We can't let that happen.



It's time to turn up the heat on Senator Landrieu and remind her that real lives are at stake -- real Americans who are depending on her to pass real reform. When we raise $100,000, we can blanket the airwaves in Louisiana with a personal, heartfelt message she can't miss.

WATCH THE AD AND CONTRIBUTE NOW

Thanks to you, we're over a third of the way to the goal. With an average contribution of $30, we've raised $35,424 already from over 1,168 generous DFA members. If we can get half way to the goal by tomorrow morning, then we can hit the airwaves in Louisiana starting this weekend.

Senator Landrieu has a choice to make. Stand with the Democratic Caucus against a Republican filibuster and we'll stop running the ad. But stand with Republicans to kill healthcare reform and this ad is only the beginning.

It's up to us to turn up the pressure on Mary Landrieu back home before she decides how to vote in Washington D.C.

Discuss

3 Million and Counting

Written by: Mary R on Nov 6, 2009 12:47 PM EST

We've worked hard to pass a public option in the healthcare reform bill this year -- and we're winning. We have the majority votes needed in both houses of Congress to pass real reform.

The bad news is -- even though we're winning -- we could still lose.

All it would take is one senator in the 60-member Democratic Caucus to support a Republican filibuster and healthcare reform with a public option could be stopped dead in its tracks. We're not going to sit around and hope that it doesn't happen. It's up to us to be pro-active and stop a potential turncoat senator from killing President Obama's number one domestic priority.

Today, we join MoveOn members, in pledging support for a primary challenge of any Senator in the Democratic Caucus who supports a Republican filibuster of a public option. Here's how it works: You tell us how much you would give in support of a primary challenge. Then, MoveOn and DFA will make sure the media, Senate leadership, and conservative Democrats know just how many of us are willing to support a challenge against anyone who blocks reform.

You don't have to enter your credit card info. Just click on an amount below to pledge your support:

PLEDGE $25

PLEDGE $50

PLEDGE $100

PLEDGE $250

PLEDGE MORE THAN $250

Since Monday, MoveOn members have already pledged over $3 million in support of a primary challenge. With our help, we can reach $4 million by the end of the week.

There's no reason any senator should betray the caucus. Every member of the Senate Democratic Caucus should vote to pass a public option with majority votes. But if this nightmare scenario happens, we'll encourage viable primary challengers to come forward. And when they do, we'll make sure all of us who've pledged have a chance to support them.

In other words, potential primary challengers will know there's a huge group of Americans who are ready to help. And we'll deliver a warning shot to right-wing members of the Democratic Caucus they can't miss.

They'll know this is not something we will take lightly. Primary challenges happen once in a blue moon, generally when a candidate is terribly out of step with voters in their party. And if a Democratic senator helps block the most important progressive bill in a generation, voters in their state will be looking to support someone better.

Will you let us know how much you'd pledge right now, and ask all your friends who want health care reform to do the same?

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT NOW

Working together, we will pass real reform with a public option this year.

Discuss

Is Sen. Nelson listening to Nebraska?

Written by: Mary R on Nov 6, 2009 12:31 PM EST

Over the last two weeks, we've delivered some hard hits to DC conventional wisdom. DC Insiders and media talking heads have repeatedly claimed right-wing Democrats like Senators Blanche Lincoln, Evan Bayh, and Ben Nelson should vote against a public option because voters back home don't want it.



The problem is it's not true. 



So, we joined with our friends at the PCCC and commissioned a few polls from a respected polling firm. Guess what? In all three states, more voters want a public option than don't. To top it off, if their Democratic Senator votes against a public option or supports a Republican filibuster, almost 50% of Democrats would be less likely to vote for their reelection. 



But polling alone isn't likely to be enough. We need to pull out all the stops in pressuring right-wing Democrats to do the right thing. So, we're calling on the 60 member Senate Democratic Caucus to strip all committee chairmanships from any Senator who supports a Republican filibuster of a public option.

ADD YOUR NAME AND SEND RIGHT-WING DEMOCRATS A MESSAGE

Already our polling is having an impact. Here's what POLITICO reporter Glenn Thrush wrote in his second story on the Indiana poll only hours after his first story releasing the results:

"Hours after POLITICO posted results of a poll showing a possible backlash by Indiana Dems, Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) backed off of previous statement saying he was considering siding with the GOP on a public option filibuster."

Here's just a sampling of some of the more than 50 media hits we're generating both nationally and in each Senator's home state: 



Arkansas News: "Arkansas voters support public option, poll finds" 

Talking Points Memo: "Poll: Arkansas Voters Disagree With Lincoln's Public Option Skepticism"

CBS News: "Poll: Amid Bayh's Skepticism, Indiana Voters Back Public Option"

South Bend Tribune: "Bayh now supports health-care debate on Senate floor" 

Examiner: "Nebraska Senator Nelson clashes with constituents on public option" 



Our campaign is working. Let's back it up with action. Sign the open letter and we'll deliver all the signatures directly to each member of the Democratic Caucus. 



SIGN THE OPEN LETTER NOW 



Are these Senators going to listen to the voters in their states? It's up to us to make it clear: if they want to be reelected, they don't have a choice. 



We will not let up until we win.

Discuss

Accountability

Written by: Mary R on Oct 29, 2009 1:02 PM EDT

It's been a big week for healthcare reform. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has announced the merged Senate bill will include the choice of a public option when it comes to the floor of the Senate for a full vote.



Once on the floor of the Senate, we'll push for Senators to pass amendments that will make a public option stronger and more robust. We'll try to expand the choice to every American, not just those who don't have insurance or states that don't Opt-Out. And we have to block amendments intended to kill a public option like Sen. Olympia Snowe's Trigger Trap.



But make no mistake about it, the fact that the merged Senate bill has a public option is a huge victory for progressives. It's a huge victory for you. We just scored a fourth quarter touchdown in the Superbowl and now it's up to us to make sure Democrats deliver the win.



That doesn't mean winning will be easy. It only takes one Senator of the 60 Senator Democratic Caucus to support a Republican filibuster to block the bill. It would be unprecedented. It would be a nuclear bomb on the President's top priority. And, some Senators are already threatening to do it.



Tell the Senate Democratic Caucus it is time for accountability. If ANY member of the 60 Member Caucus joins a Republican filibuster of healthcare reform with a public option, the Caucus must immediately strip that Senator of all Committee Chairmanships.



SIGN THE OPEN LETTER RIGHT NOW.



There's been a lot to celebrate this week, but we aren't done. We haven't won yet.



We will not stop until the President has signed the bill.

Discuss

Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC says timing is "unfortunate"

Written by: Mary R on Oct 28, 2009 4:08 PM EDT

The folks at BCBS NC got one thing right. From the AP:

Even Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina acknowledges that its timing on two recent mailings was unfortunate.

The News&Observer of Raleigh reported that customers first learned their rates will rise by an average of 11 percent next year.

Then they got a flier urging them to send an enclosed preprinted, postage-paid note to Sen. Kay Hagan denouncing what the company says is unfair competition that would be imposed by a government-backed insurance plan. Congress is likely to consider that public option as it debates the health care overhaul.

"No matter what you call it, if the federal government intervenes in the private health insurance market, it's a slippery slope to a single-payer system," the BCBS flier read. "Who wants that?"

Not surprisingly, Blue Cross customers are mad their premium dollars are funding a campaign against competition. Now some of them are calling Hagan's office to voice support for a public option.

"I hope it backfires," said Mark Barroso, a documentary film maker in Chatham County who is a Blue Cross customer and recipient of the mailings. "I'm doing everything I can to make sure it does."

Beth Silberman of Durham said she "went sort of bonkers" about the mailing. "You're hostage to them, and then they pull this," she said. "My new premiums are funding lobbying against competition. It's pretty disgusting."

Outrageous.

Discuss

America Can't Wait

Written by: Howard Dean on Sep 17, 2009 4:11 PM EDT

We're in the final stretch in our campaign for healthcare reform including a public option.

The good news is we're winning.

I know that sometimes it is hard to tell. After all August was a brutal month filled with right-wing fear mongering and misinformation. Whether led by Glenn Beck, FOX news or Rep. Joe Wilson, too many Americans were told to disrupt Town Halls rather than participate in them. And of course the media covered every moment of it.

But the real story of August is that these scare tactics didn't work. Support for President Obama's Healthcare Reform Plan which includes the choice of a public health insurance option has increased since the beginning of August.

This is a testament to the fact that you never gave up. All summer we worked together to make sure Congress got the message that inclusion of a public option in any healthcare reform bill passed this year is non-negotiable. And every time Republicans tried to kill it or the insurance industry claimed it's already dead, you stood up and proved them wrong.

Now what we keep hearing is that Congress doesn't have the votes to pass a public option.

Once again, thanks to your help, we have proven them wrong...

We've asked everyone in Congress where they stand. At least 218 House and 51 Senate Democrats have said they would vote for the final healthcare bill if it included the choice of a public option rather than vote against the bill and kill reform. That's means Congress has the majority votes needed to pass a public option -- TODAY. You can check out Chris Bower's post on OpenLeft.com from last night if you want more specifics on the Senate count.

Now is the season for action. The majority of Americans want it. Majority votes in Congress will pass it. Join President Obama in calling on Congress to get the job done this year.

ADD YOUR NAME NOW

As I said in my message to the members of Democracy for America earlier today, it's a myth that it takes 60 votes to pass any bill in the U.S. Senate.

It's a myth because while any Senator can attempt to block most Senate bills with a procedural tactic called the filibuster there are exceptions. Senate rules don't allow filibusters of certain bills that affect the budget. That's means the healthcare reform plan including the choice of a public option can be passed in a budget bill by a majority vote in the U.S. Senate.

Don't take my word for it. Numerous budget scholars and experts on Senate procedure have staked their reputations on it. Stan Collender, a contributing editor at the National Journal, contributing writer for Roll Call, and author of "The Guide to the Federal Budget" is an expert on the subject. Here's how he's explains it:

"Reconciliation, which was part of the Congressional Budget Act when it was adopted in 1974, wasn't used until the start of the Reagan administration. Although it hasn't been used every year since then, reconciliation has become such a regular part of the budget process that it's now generally considered a staple. It has been used by Republican- and Democratic-controlled Congresses alike for both spending and revenues.

 

The most important and obviously controversial part is that reconciliation bills can't be filibustered because the debate is limited by law."

"The House-passed version of the 2010 budget resolution allows health care reform to be included in a reconciliation bill and, therefore, adopted in the Senate with 51 votes..."

"First, contrary to what some have been saying, reconciliation has become such a standard part of the budget process that using it for health care would be neither surprising nor precedent-setting. When they were in the majority, Republicans insisted that reconciliation was allowed by Senate rules and used it in 2001, 2003 and 2005. Back then, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), who has been one of the biggest opponents of using reconciliation this year, made what in retrospect is an almost infamous floor speech about the appropriateness and legality of using reconciliation.

Second, health care reform will have a substantial impact on federal finances and so can't be said to be unrelated to the budget, which is one of the critical criteria for using reconciliation. In fact, given that at least two of the largest mandatory federal spending programs — Medicare and Medicaid — are health care programs, health care reform and reconciliation would seem to be a perfect fit."

Over 25 times in history the Senate has passed major reforms this way, including the Bush tax cuts and funding for the Iraq War. Whether the Senate passes reform through a budget bill or in a different bill that has overcome a filibuster, the truth of the matter is it only takes a majority vote to get the job done.

JOIN ME IN CALLING ON CONGRESS TO PASS REAL REFORM WITH MAJORITY VOTES

We have only a short period of time to reach the critical mass we'll need to pressure Congress into passing healthcare reform including a public option this year. We can reach 250,000 signers by Oct. 15th if we work together to gather support.

But gathering signatures isn't the only action we should take to make it happen. We need to thank those in Congress who have confirmed their support. Please visit ‘The Yes Vote' page at AmericaCantWait.com and see if your member of Congress is there -- then contact them and thank them for committing to stand up for you.

You can also contribute through Actblue and support those who will stand up for a public option. I suggest starting with the members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus who have been on the front lines working to pass real reform. Blue America PAC has already raised over $400,000. Help them take that amount even higher here.

President Obama can sign a healthcare reform including a public option into law this year if we make sure Congress passes real reform.

When we work together, we're unstoppable. Thank you for everything you do.

-Howard

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.
AmericaCantWait.com
A project of Democracy for America

Remembering Ted Kennedy

Written by: DFA Staff on Aug 26, 2009 2:48 PM EDT

We will miss Senator Ted Kennedy as a nation, and I will miss him as a human being.  Over the next few months, as we debate his life's passion, which was Universal Health Care, we will feel his presence everywhere.  He will be in the Senate Chamber, in the committee rooms, in the White House, and in the minds of most of the reporters old enough to have witnessed the trajectory of this extraordinary generation of America's First Family from it's beginning.  Much has been written about Ted Kennedy already.  He was indeed extraordinary.  My mother, who was a solid Upper East Side Republican until 2004, once happened to sit next to him at a wedding of a mutual friend.  She had never met him before.  I'm sure the exchange was lively, and being a Dean, I doubt my mother gave him much quarter.  A week later, a beautiful, kind, and very personal handwritten letter arrived from Ted Kennedy.  My mother, like so many other Americans, was hooked by the Kennedy charm and grace.

Ted Kennedy was a man with a long career of determination as well as charm.  When President Obama signs a Health Care Reform bill late this year, Ted Kennedy's  may not be standing there next to him, but his presence will be deeply apparent in the Oval Office as the President's pen moves across the page.

Governor Howard Dean, MD

Taking Stock of Health Care Reform

Written by: Michael Pine on Aug 3, 2009 9:14 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Healthcare Advisors' Blog

As Congress prepares to recess and the media revel in stories about how the President's attempt to reform health care is on the ropes, it makes sense to take serious stock of where we are and where we may be going.

In advocating for meaningful health care reform, our first task is to identify our target audience. Haranguing people who are not persuadable is an exercise in futility that is best avoided. Although it is very frustrating to hear people say ridiculous things knowing for sure that they would instantly reject these unsupportable fairy tales if only you told them the truth, many of these people are not merely ignorant of the facts. Because their stated beliefs actually are masks concealing what's really in their heads and hearts, simply telling it like it is will do nothing to alter their political positions.

Short-term objectives are what most concern ordinary citizens who place immediate pain and pleasure ahead of future risks and benefits. Their past experience is filtered through a prism that aligns what they know with what they want. This means that most people's political positions are based not on facts but on perceptions grounded in personal needs and desires. Effective political persuasion is not the art of eloquently advocating our beliefs; it is the art of speaking directly to the condition of others. Don't expect others to trust authoritative statements that trivialize their understanding and denigrate their concerns as groundless.

People must move from where they sit before they are ready to come to where we stand.

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