Public Option Activists Not Giving Up The Fight, Targeting Five Dem Senators

Though the White House and Democratic leadership in the House have pronounced the death of the public option, advocates for the provision are not giving up efforts to get it passed via reconciliation in the Senate.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee is targeting seven Democratic senators who have yet to sign a letter urging Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to go down this route, pointing to reports that insurance giant Wellpoint is set to raise rates in the lawmakers' home states. <snip>

<snip> The email campaign may, in the end, be an effort in futility. On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that the president did not believe the public option had the votes to pass the Senate even through reconciliation. It was, not surprisingly, not included in the president's final bill. Around the same time, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) offered a similar analysis of the political landscape.

But the PCCC folks -- who accused Gibbs of having a "loser mentality" following Tuesday's briefing -- think that the Wellpoint news may prove to be an effective catalyst to getting recalcitrant senators on board. On Wednesday, the Democratic-leaning Center for American Progress Action Fund reported that in 11 states where the insurance giant was "active," individual premium are expected to rise by double digits. Those states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/24/public-option-activists-n_n_474704.html

Ut oh! Rahm's gonna be pissed. Calling out the Senators who were blocking progressive reform in August was the reason Rahm called us "fucking retarded." Too bad, too cause it was obvious, at that time, Nelson was feeling the heat. It is heartening to see efforts continue. Turning up the heat on lawmakers (calling them out) whose constituents are being gouged by Wellpoint, et al makes good sense.

and this is finally crystal clear evidence.

to the point that I don't know what is true and what is "planted to set progressives up.." But, this "f__king retard" (if that is truly what he refers to us as), thinks that our strength lies in a terrified congress and not the WH. THey will come along and certainly, Obama will sign it, if Congress includes and passes it.

Just my little exercise in futility on a pretty much daily basis.

on edit: why would you assume people who post here are not doing that? Most of us can manage an email and a call to the WH and our legislators as well as a post on a forum.

Watch this cool counter:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7783846

:)

:toast:

... be installed to do something that works against the corp interests that own/run this dying empire?

When the PO has 82% support from the public, it is whacky that the White House isn't coming out with guns blazing against those who are opposing it.

... and actually represents

protest! No public option then a civil disobedience act of refusing to buy tainted health insurance. You want a mandate we want fairness and a public option ( I would prefer single payer but I think it would case massive head explosions).

from work I have been religiously emailing my senators and reps.

shows up as not found. Maybe it's just me and my comp but you should check it.

original post and the links work. I already did that one this morning. But your second post replying to me - the links did not work.

The target list includes Sens. Chris Dodd (Conn.), Evan Bayh (Ind.), Mark Warner (Va.) and Jim Webb (Va.), Russ Feingold (Wisc.), Herb Kohl (Wisc.) and Claire McCaskill (Mo). Some on the list, such as Feingold, have already indicated that they would support a public plan being passed by reconciliation. Bayh, likewise, told the Huffington Post that he was open to voting in favor of a government-run insurance option should it be passed through budgetary procedure. Others such as Dodd have expressed past support for the public option. And others seem much harder to persuade, specifically the Virginia bloc.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/24/public-option-activists-n_n_474704.html