I can't express the admiration I feel for Slinkerwink, NYCeve, and others who are in it to win real healthcare reform. I salute them. They provide valuable information EVERY SINGLE DAY. This is meant to be a positive diary or moreso a helpful diary. What I would like to know is (this is a serious question)...how do you do it? How do you stay up for this fight??? Suggestions please. Because I know I am not the only one on this emotional rollercoaster.
I consider myself a pretty strong woman. I have my moments when I melt-down but I usually pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back to "it". Whatever "it" might be. After 2+ years of an emotional rollercoaster trying to get President Obama elected, 9 months of him being in office and still having to govern like it's a campaign there has been virtually no break to catch a person's breath. This healthcare debate is soooooooo important for so many people and it is literally life and death for some.
When you get news like this:
Appearing on Charlie Rose last night, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel sounded less than optimistic that the Senate's health care reform bill would include a public option.
"I think the Senate's been clear what the prospects [are]," Emanuel said. "That doesn't mean in the House, they're not gonna come to the table and demand it."
He also wouldn't say for sure whether there will be a public option in the final legislation.
Then This from Politico on SEIU's stance: Link
But pressed as to what Service Employees International Union will do if — as some suggest is inevitable — a public option is not included in the final version of the legislation, Burger said even getting an imperfect bill is preferable to passing nothing at all. And, she said, this year’s efforts may be just a first step.
Then this from Huffington Post on SEIU's stance Link:
In an interview with the Huffington Post, Burger stressed that the SEIU remained absolutely committed to fighting to keep the public option in the bill. "We believe very strongly that the public option is the key way to control cost," she said. "It is the way to hold insurance companies accountable and to keep them competitive. And unless we have the public option, I have not seen another mechanism yet to do that
I mean there are so many mixed messages coming from everyone (elected officials, progressive activists, labor unions, etc). It's hard to get your bearings. I'm mean one minute it's yes to triggers then no to triggers yes to the public option then no to the public option. Pelosi says no bill without public option...Pelosi made a deal with the Blue Dogs...Pelosi reverses deal with Blue Dogs....Pelosi reverses decision she reversed. Steny Hoyer is for the Public Opiton but might have to pass bill without public option...we have the votes for the public option, we don't have the votes for the public option....etc. etc. etc. Part of this anxiousness is probably because we don't have a bill yet and we are still trying to shape the bill. But damn...lets get a bill already so we know exactly what we are fighting for!!
I've heard it all before that this is apart of the legislative process. So please no comments about "whining"(if you can't be helpful please don't comment). I get it. They say call your senators and your representatives. I'm doing that. E-mail you senators and your representatives. I'm doing that. Donate to ActBlue..I'm doing that. Talk to friends, family, and anyone else that you know and try to innoculate them from the false information that is out there...check, check, and double check!! I'm sure I've put on atleast 10lbs from the stress of it all. So, for those of us who don't have a disposition made of out of this world super steel what do you out there do to keep "up" so to speak. Advice anyone...I KNOW I am not the only one who could use it.