Conyers gets a seat at the table he'll be at White House Health Summit tomorrow

[cal04]

by nyceve
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/3/4/15419/10701/140/704659

I just got off the telephone with Cynthia Martin the phenomenal chief of staff for Congressman John Conyers. She told me that Chairman Conyers was issued an invitation by the White House to the Health Care Summit at around 8PM last night.

Cynthia asked me to relay the following. First, she wants to thank every one who spoke out and delivered a message to President Obama.

Second, she also wants you to know, and I would say this is worth keeping in mind as we move forward, that the White House is listening. At long last, we have friends, real friends in the White House. There are people on President Obama's staff hard at work behind the scenes insuring that publically financed and privately delivered healthcare (single payer), will have a voice at the summit and a seat at the table.

The calls you made yesterday, may have tipped the scales and insured that our concerns would be aired. But finally, after eight tortured years, Cynthia confirmed that there are good and decent people working tirelessly on our behalf.

We are blessed that a champion like John Conyers will have a seat at the table. Just as President Obama pledged in the campaign. AHIP gets one seat, they don't get to buy them all, and so does Conyers.

Yesterday, you quite literally answered the call. This is a war, and you stepped up for service.

Dear friends, we have power. We will need to use this power and flex our muscles repeatedly in order to get authentic healthcare reform.

We will come back to you over and over and over. We will ask you to turn on a dime, to call, to write and to email. And perhaps, ultimately, to mobilize in Washington, D.C. But the good news is they are listening.

This is a really good day. Please pat yourselves on the back.

Your children and grandchildren thank you and so do I.

[silverweb]

1. Fantastic!

:kick:

[slipslidingaway]

2. Thanks for the update K&R n/t

[alstephenson]

3. K & R

[bvar22]

4. WOW....just WOW.

After 30 years of calling, someone finally answered the phone.
I could get used to this.

[rvablue]

5. This is good news! n/t

[BanzaiBonnie]

6. This seems like a good enough reason to march into Washington

I'll start saving my pennies for a plane ticket.

[chill_wind]

7. Excellent. K & R.

All in all, John Conyers must be feeling pretty good today.

Conyers' statement on the Rove Miers matter:

"I have long said that I would see this matter through to the end and am encouraged that we have finally broken through the Bush Administration's claims of absolute immunity. This is a victory for the separation of powers and congressional oversight. It is also a vindication of the search for truth. I am determined to have it known whether U.S. Attorneys in the Department of Justice were fired for political reasons, and if so, by whom."

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/breaking-turdblossom-and-miers-to-testify/#comments

[Mnemosyne]

8. We shouldn't have had to beg, but good news nonetheless. Thanks cal04! n/t

[GeorgeGist]

9. So that's how Obama bought him off ...

a transparent investigation of Rove and Meirs.

[dmr]

10. Thank you so much for posting this

I know a lot of good people all across the country got on the phone and sent in letters about this. It didn't make any sense to me that the President would exclude someone like John Conyers, as well as take single-payer off of discussion. It just made no sense to me - which is what I wrote in my letter to him. The biggest problem in health care are the for-profit corporate bosses.