There is a lot of local action going on with health care advocacy, as this Montanan press release attests.
FOLLOWING RANCOR AMONG THE RANKS,
BAUCUS ASSURES MONTANA CONSTITUENTS:
“I WANT A PUBLIC OPTION TOO”U.S. Senator Max Baucus has finally broken his silence regarding his personal position on including a public option in health care reform legislation. Last Monday night (8/17), in an unprecedented conference call to Montana Democratic central committee chairs, the powerful leader of the Senate Finance Committee told his strongest supporters that he supported a public option. While discussing the obstacles to getting a public option through the Senate, he assured his forty listeners, “I want a public option too!”
The conference call was groundbreaking in that none of the recipients could ever remember this kind of call ever happening before. The teleconference was set up seemingly in reaction to rising discontent among the local Democratic leaders with the Senator’s failure to take a clear position on the issue.
The discussion, which became contentious and rancorous at times, also touched upon the wisdom of creating insurance cooperatives as an alternative to a public option.
When several of the county chairs objected, commenting that they did not trust the health insurance companies to police themselves and limit their outrageous corporate profits, Baucus commented, “Neither do I.”
In the aftermath of the teleconference, a coalition of eighteen Montana counties in the Senator’s home state decided to move forward with their plan to issue a Unified Statement accompanied by a joint press release. The statement sends a loud and clear message to their Senator: Any health care reform package coming out of his Senate Finance Committee must contain, at a minimum, a provision for a strong public option.
The action is a show of unity not previously seen in Montana political history…
You can read the rest of the press release here. Many groups are coming together on the Left to see if we can produce one single avenue for the successful passage of a health care reform bill. Having, hopefully, blocked the possibility of passing a bill without a public option in the House with the Standing Up for the Public Option Campaign (which has raised about $400,000 for progressive candidates to date), our next goal is to lock down 50 Democratic senators with the same pledge. We need five of the following fifteen Senate Democratic caucus members to commit to passing a public option.
Mark Begich of Alaska, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Tom Carper of Delaware, Bill Nelson of Florida, Evan Bayh of Indiana, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Max Baucus of Montana, Jon Tester of Montana, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Mark Warner of Virginia, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut
Among Republicans, only Olympia Snowe of Maine looks like she might be helpful, although Johnny Isakson of Georgia and Susan Collins of Maine are worth talking to. With 50 votes locked down, the administration will have the votes to pass a public option through the budget reconciliation process. And, with the House refusing to pass anything that lacks a public option, that will be the only way the administration can succeed.
Tomorrow I will have some action items to help you do your part in this effort. We’ll also be discussing the 2004 CIA Inspector General’s report on the treatment of detainees, which is scheduled for release mañana.
