I'm eternally grateful for organizing tools like Twitter. One of the folks I follow is @JeffreyFeldman. He always seems to be on top of tidbits of information that are useful for those who want to put their activist streak to work.
One of his tweets from this morning lays out a roadmap for where we should be focusing our phone calling / persuading / cajoling efforts.
Much more - and a request for ACTION - over the fold.
I want to kind of put something out there before I get to the meat of this diary. My diary yesterday was written in a knee-jerk fit of angst. I stand by the action that I called for - but I want to clarify a few things right up front. The diary focused on an article that identified likely members of the Stupak Dozen. Many of the Representatives that appeared on that list were a vast surprise to Daily Kos community members - most notable among them, Marcy Kaptur.
Let me state categorically: I don't believe in pro-life Democrats. I just don't. I never have. There were some serious discussions here in the runup to the 2006 midterms about whether or not to support a Democrat who identified themselves as being pro-life. I was - and remain - deeply conflicted on that front. I reiterate: I don't believe in pro-life Democrats. But at the same time, I don't believe in litmus tests for membership in the Democratic party. As my mother would say, I found myself (and still find myself) on the horns of a dilemma. What I decided was simple. I would not advocate against these particular pro-life Democrats. It's up to each community member to decide on their own support, and I was highly cognizant that, at that time, we were within reach of regaining control of the House and Senate (which I STRONGLY supported, primarily because it gives control of Committee assignments - a detail that I still believe is incredibly important). So I stayed out of the for/against arguments for any particular pro-life Democrat but withheld my own financial support from those Democrats. C'est la vie.
So back to the subject of the Stupak Dozen. Every fiber of my being rails against these pro-life Democrats. I think it's patently wrong and completely regressive to deny coverage or assistance for a legal activity, abortion, in any publicly subsidized or supported healthcare alternatives. But we are where we are, and I think a realist accepts that some form of restriction is a reality for any healthcare bill that's going to pass. I'm not going to push that particular rock up a hill because it's a fruitless enterprise (sad but true). So let's use Marcy Kaptur as an example, here. Her record on all but reproductive rights seems to be stellar. SO. I am NOT suggesting that she be attacked. If you support Marcy and believe that, on balance, she's a good person for her particular district, have at. Rather, the approach taken with Marcy Kaptur and the other remaining members of the Stupak Dozen, I suggest, should be to illuminate for them the fact that none of the proposed abortion language allows for public monies to be applied to the procedure (despite the fact that it's LEGAL).
So that's out of the way.
David Dayen has a post up at FDL stating that the House whip count stands at 194 for and 191 against. [Note: I know there are mixed opinions here about FDL. Please don't let the fact that this is where the information is posted derail you - the article itself, I believe, stands on its own.] I think we all know by now that the magic number seems to be 216. So we're 22 votes short. Here's a list of of Representatives highlighted in the post, along with their contact information. Many asked in yesterday's diary whether or not calling actually has an effect. This morning, I called a friend of mine who is a staffer on the Hill and posed that question. The answer I received back was that yes, it DOES have an effect. People who field phone calls to any office keep a "for/against" tally on the issues people raise.
I'm going to separate the Representatives into two distinct groups: The Stupak Dozen, and Everyone Else.
The Stupak Dozen (which actually appears to be a baker's dozen)
One of the comments (h/t to zbob for digging these up) posted in yesterday's diary pointed to some fact-checking on the subject of whether or not the Senate bill's language allows for public funding of abortion, which is what the Stupak Dozen seem to be focused on. Here are some details you can provide in any call that you make:
From the ABC Video (paraphrased):
Stupak contends that the Senate language potentially allows for public funding of abortion. It does not, except in the case of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother. This last is NOT, as far as I can tell, an area of contention.
The Senate bill requires those who choose abortion coverage AND receive subsidies to pay extra into a fund that is kept separate from public funds for that coverage (this is in direct opposition to what Stupak is saying, that the Senate bill requires ALL enrollees to pay into the fund).
The Huffington Post has written article that includes the video from ABC for easier reference as well.
My suggestion with respect to the Stupak Dozen is as follows: Call their office(s). Use the information provided to alleviate concerns about public funding for abortions. Indicate unequivocally that you support heathcare reform and that you hope the Represenative in question is now fully in possession of the facts (not the PHOG) about the abortion language in the Senate Bill.
Bart Stupak (D-MI)
Phone: (202) 225 4735
Contact
Solomon Ortiz (D-TX)
(202) 225-7742 tel
Contact
Jerry Costello (D-IL)
Phone : (202) 225-5661
Contact
James Oberstar (D-MN)
(202) 225-6211
Contact
Steve Driehaus (D-OH)
Phone: (202) 225-2216
Contact
Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Tel: (202) 225-4146
Contact
Paul Kanjorski (D-PA)
ph: 202-225-6511
Contact
Kathleen Dahlkemper (D-PA)
Phone: (202) 225-5406
Contact
Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
Phone: (202) 225-3915
Contact
Brad Ellsworth (D-IN)
ph:(202) 225-4636
Contact
Dan Lipinski (D-IL)
P (202) 225 - 5701
P (866) 822 - 5701
Contact
Charlie Wilson (D-OH)
ph: (202) 225-5705
Contact
A few Stupak Dozen (now more than a dozen) additions from the Dayen piece:
Joseph Cao (R-LA)
Phone: (202) 225-6636
Contact
Dale Kildee (D-MI)
Phone: (202) 225-3611
Contact
Marion Berry (D-AR)
Ph. (202) 225-4076
Contact
Everyone Else
Here's the list of everyone else identified in the Dayen piece:
Confirmed Nos
Bobby Bright (D-AL)
(202) 225-2901
Contact
Mike McIntyre (D-NC)
(202) 225-2731
Contact
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD)
(202) 225-2801
Contact
Walt Minnick (D-ID)
(202) 225-6611
Contact
Artur Davis (D-AL)
(202) 225-2665
Contact
Chet Edwards (D-TX)
202-225-6105
Contact
Frank Kratovil (D-MD)
202-225-5311
Contact
Mike Ross (D-AR)
1-800-223-2220
Contact
Dan Boren (D-OK)
(202) 225-2701
Contact
Gene Taylor (D-MS)
202.225.5772
Contact
Larry Kissell (D-NC)
(202) 225-3715
Contact
Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
(202)225-5871
Contact
Collin Peterson (D-MN)
(202) 225-2165
Contact
Ike Skelton (D-MO)
(202) 225-2876
Contact
The potential "flippers":
Jason Altmire (D-PA)
202-225-2565
Contact
Bart Gordon (D-TN)
(202) 225-4231
Contact
Glenn Nye (D-VA)
(202) 225-4215
Contact
Brian Baird (D-WA)
(202) 225-3536
Contact
John Tanner (D-TN)
(202) 225-4714
Contact
Rick Boucher (D-VA)
202-225-3861
Contact
Allen Boyd (D-FL)
(202) 225-5235
Contact
John Boccieri (D-OH)
(202) 225-3876
Contact
Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL)
(202) 225-2706
Contact
Betsy Markey (D-CO)
202.225.4676
Contact
John Adler (D-NJ)
(202) 225-4765
Contact
Mike McMahon (D-NY)
(202) 225-3371
Contact
Scott Murphy (D-NY)
(202) 225-5614
Contact
Confirmed Undecideds
Dan Maffei (D-NY)
(202) 225-3701
Contact
Bill Owens (D-NY)
(202) 225-4611
Contact
Ten who haven't indicated one way or another
Travis Childers (D-MS)
(202) 225-4306
Contact
Harry Teague (D-NM)
(202) 225-2365
Contact
Lincoln Davis (D-TN)
202.225.6831
Contact
Heath Shuler (D-NC)
(202) 225-6401
Contact
John Barrow (D-GA)
(202) 225-2823
Contact
Jim Marshall (D-GA)
202/225-6531
Contact
Tim Holden (D-PA)
(202) 225-5546
Contact
Charlie Melancon (D-LA)
(202) 225-4031
Contact
Jim Matheson (D-UT)
(202) 225-3011
Contact
Ben Chandler (D-KY)
(202) 225-4706
Contact
I wish I could provide some magic wand of wisdom on how to convince the no's and the leaners and what have you, but I don't. My only advice is that it does matter when you call these represenatives and express an opinion on any issue. They DO keep track. And if any one of these Congresspeople is close in terms of how they perceive their district is leaning, your phone calls could provide the difference between success and failure.
General notes:
- These guys have many more offices than just the DC office. If you use the link I provided for each, most have other office phone numbers at the bottom of every page.
- Use This August 2009 Gallup article (scroll down) to refer to what percentage of the population of any particular state is uninsured. If you're feeling really industrious, Google on that states population and work backwards to the number of uninsured in the state itself. Have those facts at hand when you call.
- I would suggest that you be polite but firm. Get the person on record as to the Congressperson's position. If they are undecided, ask for specifics and try to figure out what would sway the argument.
- Phone calls are better than emails.
- Most of these folks have Facebook & Twitter accounts that you can find from their home page. Fan them and make some comments there as well.
A final note. If you don't agree that we should pass the Senate bill, I respect that point of view (though I disagree with it). I did not post this diary as a space to debate "pass it / don't pass it". I welcome all comments - but this is an action diary and the information I compiled to contact these Representatives is inteded for those who agree that we should pass it and want to help towards that end.
Let's get to work!
Update [2010-3-9 13:4:41 by RenaRF]: Please - if you get feedback, report on it in the comments. Thanks!
Update [2010-3-9 13:8:0 by RenaRF]: Additional motivation: See Kos' front page post - We get healthcare reform, we get rid of Rush Limbaugh.