Coalition campaigns for health care reform

Coalition campaigns for health care reform
By MIKE DENNISON of the Missoulian State Bureau

HELENA - From Troy to Billings and many places in between, a small army of organizers is working a campaign in Montana - but they're not working to get someone elected.

This loose-knit band is knocking on doors, holding pancake breakfasts and writing letters to rally the public behind health care reform.

“We didn't want to leave the public space (on this issue) to be dominated by the opponents,” says Matt Singer, chief executive officer of Forward Montana, a political organizing group based in Missoula. “We want to talk to people so they don't get nervous about reform, so there isn't confusion for (opponents) to prey on, if they want to kill this.”
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The campaign's goal is to push Montana's congressional delegation to support reforms that mean affordable health care coverage for all citizens. They're especially aiming to influence Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., a key player in reform legislation.

“We're trying to prod Baucus along and let him know that Montanans want him to provide us with serious reform,” says Bob Struckman, spokesman for Montana Change That Works, a campaign financed by the Service Employees International Union. “We want all these guys to feel the breadth of this campaign.”
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http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/05/17/news/mtregional/news07.txt