Dems scrambling for support for public health plan

[JohnWxy]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091023/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_overhaul


WASHINGTON – Democratic leaders in Congress scrambled Friday to round up votes for allowing the government to sell health insurance in competition with private industry as they struggled to finalize a health care bill that meets President Barack Obama's goals.

In a change in the Senate, long seen as hostile to the so-called public option, senior Democrats were considering including such a measure, officials said. Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., spent Friday calling and talking with wavering Democrats to test support for different versions of the plan.

A similar process was under way in the House, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi was scratching for votes in favor of her preferred version of the so-called public option, even though opposition from moderates seemed to indicate that the votes weren't there.

"We are continuing to count the votes on this," the California Democrat told reporters after a Democratic caucus meeting where lawmakers were asked to state where they stood on the plan. "By no means is the count complete."

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Some emails to Congress and WHite House would help in this process. THis is your chance to fight for health care reform. You CAN make a difference.

go to www.congress.org

(enter your zip under: "Find your lawmakers, tell them what you think."

Here is a sample email for consideration:

Senator/Representative ________;

Health care reform is long over-due. We spend twice as much per capita for health care than the average of the other industrialized nations and get worse health care results. In the next ten years we could see 30% to 50% of our population without health insurance because of the cost of insurance is increasing at twice the rate of general inflation.

In order to control cost growth and give everybody a chance to get affordable health insurance (and higher quality health care) we must have a Public Option available to people. There should be NO SOCAILIZED MEDICINE FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES WITHOUT A PUBLIC OPTION FOR THE PEOPLE. IF we are going to subsidize health insurers we must have a public option. There is no REAL reform without a public option.

If you do not achieve REAL health care reform, Democrats will find that their support will evaporate among the American people. No, we will not vote for Republicans but many will just drift away and not feel like going to the polls. They will feel like it doesn't matter if you vote because our representatives do not respond to our needs anyway.

Democrats must show they are wllling to fight for the people. There is no health care reform without a public option.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Yes, we need input from the voters now more than ever.