Daily Kos is on board with the crowd-sourcing ... (4.00 / 5)

...campaign, as you can see in Stand with Dr. Dean.

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by: Meteor Blades @ Thu Jun 18, 2009 at 23:03:52 PM UTC

I have to vent! (4.00 / 3)

We can spend over $2 trillion on two wars with little uproar (except from progressives) but it comes to spending on health care reform a lot less money. We have people screaming from the top of mountain tops. WTF?

When are we going to take care of ourselves? We have a huge income inequality that grows larger by the day. We have tens of millions of people who are uninsured.  We have people who are working full-time at minimum wage jobs and living below the poverty line. WTF?

But it is not a problem to spend another $160 billion on 2 wars with no end in sight. WTF?

RebelCapitalist - Financial Information for the Rest of Us.

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by: RebelCapitalist @ Thu Jun 18, 2009 at 23:04:46 PM UTC

Here's the problem (4.00 / 3)

We have, roughly, four factions in this country, that are vying to determine which direction the country is headed, not only on this issue but on virtually every issue:

1 - The "left", i.e. liberals, progressives, Naderites, etc., who have been quite vocal and clear in indicating which direction they want the country to go in, namely, a resumption and continuation of FDR's New Deal and (domestically at least) LBJ's Great Society. I.e. a social democratic direction.

2 - The far right, i.e. wingnuts, bible-thumpers, gun nuts, radical libertarians, nativists, bigots, etc., who want to take the country back to some idyll pre-1865 nirvana where right-thinking white Christian men of means controlled everything, and all was good in the land.

3 - The political, economic, military, media and beaurocratic establishment, who have it REALLY good right now and do not want meaningful change of any sort, unless it's to further bolster their already tight grip on the country's economy and government.

4 - The vast, amorphous, misinformed, disengaged, easily manipulated center, who sense that something is terribly wrong, and want "change", but don't quite know what that means, and tend to follow the lead of those whom them know and trust, be they on the soft right, soft left, or mythical center, even if these tend to be establishment types whose interests are directly opposed to theirs much of the time and who are usually lying to these people.

Right now, the far-right is largely irrelevant to the political debates going on in the country on health care and other top issues (although this could change in the not too distant future if more reasonable people cannot figure out a way to fix the country's problems). They make noises, but don't have much power anymore, because their party is out of power.

So it's really a struggle right now between the establishment and the left for the support of this vast center. Right now, the establishment is winning, having vastly more money and being better organized, smarter and more experienced in waging such struggles, and having ready access to the establishment media that most people still gets their facts and opinions from (because, of course, it owns it).

To win this battle, and the overall war for progressive change, we're going to have to win over this center, and with its support pressure the establishment to pass progressive change. I think that campaigns such as this one are necessary and important, but I think that it's even more important to appeal more directly to the American people, the ones who are not that politically active and engaged, and get them to better understand the issues and side with us, because in the end their interests are aligned with our policies, not the establishment's.

This is as much a struggle for the "hearts and minds" of the American people as it is a struggle by the left against the establishment. If we can win over the former, then the latter will not be able to resist progressive change. THAT is the key to making this all happen, I believe.

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything...Mankind are forever destined to be the dupes of bold & cunning imposture" -- Alexander Hamilton

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by: kovie @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 00:51:17 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

My Rep rakes in $$ from Retired (0.00 / 0)

I've been contemplating who and how to write to about the Top Industries donating to my Rep, Mark Kirk. Beginning with his first run in 2000, his #1 "Industry" donor, according to Open Secrets, is "Retired." The amount has increased yearly from $194K to $536K in 2008. This ranked 3rd in the House, after Ron Paul and Mark Udall. Kirk's donors are obviously wealthy retired businessmen and women, captains of industry, we could say.

Kirk's grand totals have been huge, too: from $2 million in 2000 to $5.45 million in 2008. That war chest allowed him to spend big against his opponent.

Of course, Obama's donations of $45.25 million from Retired led all presidential candidates in 2008. I wonder if these retirees are working for a publicly funded universal plan? Or are they just happy to be paying their Medicare costs - which seem to be higher than what Federal Employees pay. Many retirees made great efforts Obama's behalf, and may now be active in the groups meeting even as I type. As Mike Lux cautioned earlier, we need to have patience as we pass through this troubled time.

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by: Books Alive @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 02:57:33 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Glad to see Feingold... (4.00 / 3)

...out there on the floor speaking in favor of national health insurance. He's in tune with his constituents in Wisconsin and across the country and he's voting for us. Why are so many other Democratic Senators so beholden to the insurance companies and the Republican Party that they fail to do this? Tester. Feinstein. Reid. Bayh. Cantwell. Wyden. Udall. Mark Warner. The rest of them. We've been having this debate for 16 years. It's time for them to make up their minds and start fighting to nationalize health care now.

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by: NealB2 @ Thu Jun 18, 2009 at 23:11:32 PM UTC

I sent mine earlier today (4.00 / 2)

FWIW, I added the following:

Dear Senators Cantwell and Murray,

I am writing you this short note to express my strong support for a viable public health option as part of the health care reform bill that congress is now working on. While my preferred option is a single payer system, I understand that political and other realities make that impossible right now. However, I do believe that a viable public option that gives everyone who cannot afford or has been denied private health insurance access to affordable health care would be the next best thing, and that it is politically achievable right now, with your support. I understand the concerns that private insurers and others might have about a public option, and do not dismiss them. However, I believe that the health care needs of the nearly 50 million people without health insurance outweigh these concerns, and since the private insurance industry is not able or willing to insure these 50 million people, the only way to do so at present would be a viable public option. I urge you to support one in the senate in the coming days and weeks.

I would also appreciate it if you could answer these short questions, that I've been asked to pass on to you by a public option advocacy group whose good work I strongly support and believe in.

Do you support a public healthcare option as part of healthcare reform?

If so, do you support a public healthcare option that is available on day one?

Do you support a public healthcare option that is national, available everywhere, and accountable to our government?

Do you support a public healthcare option that has the clout to establish rates with providers and big drug companies?

As a constituent, I would really like to know the answers to these questions. Please respond to these questions in writing via email.

Thank you for your time and concern.

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything...Mankind are forever destined to be the dupes of bold & cunning imposture" -- Alexander Hamilton

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by: kovie @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 00:30:53 AM UTC

trying to whip up the whip count on Calitics (4.00 / 3)

http://www.calitics.com/diary/...

Incidentally, I reference a Field Poll taken yesterday (Field Poll is the gold standard in CA) showing 85% support for a public option.

Insert shameless blog promotion here.

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by: dday @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 00:48:11 AM UTC

Given this overwhelming public support (0.00 / 0)

How do we take what is still essentially passive support and turn it into active support? I.e. even if most Americans say that they prefer a public option, not many of them appear to actually be doing anything to make it happen, in the form of calling or writing to their reps and senators, having meetings, holding rallies, making donations to pro-public option groups who are trying to run ads, etc.? Or am I behind the curve here and this IS happening? And if so, why aren't I seeing round the clock ads in which Harry & Louise say that they've changed their minds and now want a government-run option? We really need to get the public involved.

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything...Mankind are forever destined to be the dupes of bold & cunning imposture" -- Alexander Hamilton

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by: kovie @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 00:55:21 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

why I haven't contacted my representative (4.00 / 2)

because I don't have one

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by: AliceDem @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 01:31:30 AM UTC

I FINALLY did it, and in large part cuz it is Dean (4.00 / 1)

I enjoy joining my voice to his.

I rarely call or write to the drooling idiots - Murray, Cantwell - who are taking up space in the United States Senate posing as 'leaders' from the state of Washington.

I was 20 in '80 and cooking in Boston in the 80's & remember Dukakis like yesterday ... I am soooooooooooooo fed up with yesterday's chickenshit triangulating pathetic sell outs.

call them? for what? does anyone call me everytime I piss so  see if I washed my hands?

they're a disgrace.

rmm.  

It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way

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by: seabos84 @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 02:29:19 AM UTC

Just sent a note to Feinstein... (0.00 / 0)

I really don't know what to expect from her on this. Left to her own devices, I think she might or might not support a public option, but I could see her responding to a groundswell on input from constituents. Here's the note I sent:

Dear Senator Feinstein,

You have been my Senator since 1992, and I have contacted you many times. I have always found your office to be prompt and forthright in your answers on issues.

Now I am participating in a campaign to encourage support of a public option for health care reform. I would like to know your position on this issue. Here are four questions, which you have doubtless already received from many other constituents:

...4 questions here...

Please keep in mind I am not just parroting these questions. This is an issue I am keenly interested in, and have been following closely. You are a key decision maker that can determine whether health care reform succeeds or not, so please let me know ASAP your position on these four questions.

Sincerely,

Mark Wallace

ec=-8.50 soc=-8.41   (3,967 Watts)

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by: Mark Wallace @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 02:39:39 AM UTC

Nate's opinion (0.00 / 0)

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com...

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by: The Big Hurt @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 03:09:17 AM UTC

emailed and called Kay Hagan (0.00 / 0)

to voice my support for a public option. But the Senate seems to be totally detached from the public will. Kind of like they consider themselves a "House of Lords." Regal. "Serious." Above it all.

Save Our Schools! March & National Call to Action, July 28-31, 2011 in Washington, DC: http://www.saveourschoolsmarch...

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by: jeffbinnc @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 04:07:26 AM UTC

Emails sent via Deans form (0.00 / 0)

several days ago but no response thus far.  I am rather certain one senator supports a strong public option and the other likely does so.  But I await responses.

Did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts? Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cool breeze? And cold comfort for change?

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by: T. Jacobsen @ Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 10:56:34 AM UTC