I'm contacting my people and talking to them today. What's motivating me is a concern that if the public option goes down in flames we will end up being forced through mandate to increase the rolls of health insurance customers.
I can't stand the thought of real reform turning into yet another bonanza for greedy business interests, so here I am, talking my ass off convincing the people in my circle to call the White House comments line (202/456 1111) tomorrow and tell them there must be a public option and that regional coops are unacceptable.
I'm asking them to contact the people they know will call the White House too.
Back when I was walking doors for President Obama I said I knew it was important to have his back after he was elected. I've been disappointed by him several times since then. The way gay people get thrown under the bus every single time the political extremists in this country who call themselves Christians assert themselves is galling to me. The bailout seemed way more beneficial to the crooks who engineered our latest financial crisis than it did to common folk who are suffering. And now there is the healthcare fight. Well, I said I would have his back and I think it's my job to get as many progressive voices as possible to flood the switchboard (202/456 1111) with demands that a robust public option be included in the final healthcare reform bill.
And that brings me to the reason I'm writing this diary. Coffee shops. When I got done begging all my people to call tomorrow, I realized that many of them are regulars in coffee shops. So the next thing I did was write up a flier for people to take in to the shop in the morning asking people to call the White House (202/456 1111).
I'm not a cheerleader, people. I didn't play one on TV, and I wasn't one in school. But we need those calls, people who are too beaten down to even fight need us to make those calls. Our children need us to make those calls. Let's flood the White House Switchboard this week! (202/456 1111)