Our MoveOn.org event to push our progressive Congressperson to keep fighting on Health Care Reform

[stevenleser]

http://www.queenstribune.com/deadline/Deadline_Maloney.html

Protesters Surprised As Maloney Steps Up
By Domenick Rafter

MoveOn.org organized what it called a "rapid response action" team to Maloney's district office on 28-11 Astoria Blvd. in Astoria on Dec. 21. Steve Leser, coordinator for the Queens MoveOn.org council, said the goal of the demonstration was to thank Maloney for her work on supporting a public option in the House healthcare bill and for opposing the so-called Stupak Amendment, which banned federal funds for abortion.
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"She was extremely gracious," Leser said, "She came out and talked with us for a good 20 minutes and urged us to talk to Sen. Schumer and Sen. Gillibrand."
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MoveOn.org has been critical of the current healthcare bill that passed the Senate on Dec. 24, which does not have a public option. They have also sharply criticized the Stupak Amendment, which Maloney opposed. Maloney, who represents Astoria and Long Island City, as well as the Upper East Side and Midtown sections of Manhattan, is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a group of more than 80 Democratic members of Congress who have been fighting for a public option to be included in the bill. Leser said the group also wanted to push Maloney to improve the bill after it passes the Senate and goes to a conference committee to be reconciled with the House bill.

"There are a lot of problems in the Senate bill," Leser said. "We wanted Maloney to know that we want her to keep fighting for a better bill and that we support her in that fight."

[andym]

1. Any plans to try to add a public option by reconciliation AFTER the current bill passes?

It would be good news if she mentioned it.

[TheKentuckian]

3. The bill is fubar beyond not having a public program

We need national exchanges.

We need to end the anti-trust exemption.

We need to ditch the Max Tax.

We need to actually adress user end affordability.

Then we can get to a public option and getting more folks into the exchange, this thing is a hot mess.

[Cha]

2. Thanks Steven~