I wrote a few days ago about why regional co-operatives aren't an acceptable alternative to the public option. The reason I'm focusing on this today is because we need to keep on going to these Democratic townhalls to tell our Democratic Members of Congress why regional co-operatives don't work, and why they're an unacceptable alternative to the public option!
And the other side is going to show upbecause they're scared that we're winning on this fight for the public option as an essential part of health care legislation. It makes me smile when I read how Rick Scott, with the anti-health care organization, Conservatives for Patients Rights, is scared shitless that the public option isn't dead and that it's still very much alive.
Here's his frightened memo to his mouthbreathers below:
“Rumors of the death of the public option have been greatly exaggerated,” reads the memo, which is likely to be taken by liberal groups pushing for the public option as a sign that they need to redouble their fundraising and organizing efforts.
CPR’s memo confirms explicitly that the group will work to foment opposition to the public option at town halls. “It is critical that we stay focused on the public option and not become mired in sideshows or discussions of the public option under any other name,” it says. “We must continue to encourage people to attend town hall forums and other public events to stay focused on stopping the public option.”“To paraphrase the President’s Chief of Staff, `there is opportunity in quagmire,’ and until President Obama admits it’s off the table, or a bill is passed with it removed, our primary goal is to stop the public option cold.”
And here's their new TV ad against the public option:
After all, when we've raised over $300,000for the public option in the past three days, the momentum for the public option is growing, and we've got over 5,000 donors which is unbelievable! Just a few days ago, it was declared dead, on life support, or thrown off the table, but thanks to the hard work of you guys, it's still very much alive and kicking.
When we pull together as a community in support of progressive legislation, there is no limit to what we can do! However, we still need to stay focused and not be knocked off message or be distracted from the action items we need to do.
- Go to these townhalls to THANK our progressive Democrats for saying that the public option is a necessary cost containment on making health insurance premiums affordable! Thank them for saying that the public option is the line in the sand for them, and show as much support as you can!
- Also bring a print-out of this diary (just click on the link to print out), and a link to Jacob Hacker's paper explaining why regional co-operatives are an unacceptable alternative to the public option! Print out as much as you can and take them with you to the Democratic townhalls to pass out to the audience and to your Representative.
- Use the FDL Recess Event Tracker Tool to find other townhall events near you. And if you know of a townhall event that's not listed on the FDL Recess Event Tracker, please enter in that information.
- Report back to us at FDL about what happened at the event, and upload any videos or photos from that event. Also, if you go, don't forget to ask questions like these of our Democratic officials, and make the best case as you can as to why the public option is a necessary cost containment on insurance premiums, otherwise it'd be a mandated bailout of the murder-by-spreadsheet industry with no end in sight to your rising premiums.
- Read ShadowSD's diary for his excellent defense of the public option, and the rebuttals to the most common conservative talking points. Please bring a copy of his diary with you and your friends when you go to a townhall event.
I also read an excellent CNN article showing what would happen if health care reform was passed without a strong, robust public option in the final package. It's a wake-up call for anyone who still thinks that co-ops are acceptable, and that the public option isn't an essential element of the health care package. Of course it's written from the conservative point of view, but still makes for an important read since it makes the best case for the public option as a cost containment from a conservative's point of view. You can circulate this if you want to the crazies about to hit town halls against the public option.
Also, we at Firedoglakewould really appreciate it if you could help us hit 25,000 signatures on our petition to Members of Congress. Nyceve will personally go to Washington, D.C., to deliver it to each Progressive member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
So, please click on this link to sign the petition, circulate it, and forward it to everyone you know on your e-mail list!
We're certainly NOT letting up on our pushback for the public option, and making sure our elected officials know why it's so important. We are not resting easy in this fight at all, and it helps a lot when you guys help us out by going to Democratic townhalls, calling, donating, and showing up to show your strongest support for REAL health care reform!
PLEASE recommend this diary so others can see the townhall events of these brave health careheroes and thank them!
And don't forget to donate to our public option fund at FDL since Nyceve, Jane, I, and others are working hard night and day on this issue for us all!
URGENT UPDATE 2: STENY HOYER SAYS THE PUBLIC OPTION MAY HAVE TO GO FOR BILL PASSAGE!!!!! It's why we at Firedoglake need to hold our progressive members accountable in the House to stand firm on the public option, so please donate to our progressives in the House!
Steny Hoyer's a Blue Dog. This is his signal to the Blue Dogs in the House to block the passage of the health care reform bill in order to get rid of the public option. It's time to bring the shitstorm down on Steny Hoyer!
A day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that health reform won’t get through the House without a public option, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Friday that the public option may have to go in order to get a bill passed.
“I’m for a public option but I’m also for passing a bill,” Hoyer told reporters on a conference call. “We believe the public option is a necessary useful and very important aspect of this, but we’ll have to see because there are many other important aspects of the bill as well.”
In San Francisco Thursday, Pelosi said: "There's no way I can pass a bill in the House of Representatives without a public option.”