TAKE ACTION: Public Option Whip List

[polichick]

In case you didn't hear it discussed on Big Ed's radio show a few minutes ago...

http://whipcongress.com/

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SENATORS!

[asdjrocky]

1. The staffers all know me by the sound of my voice.

For you polichick, one more time.

[polichick]

2. Bless you asdjrocky! :)

[asdjrocky]

11. My response-

The usual, no commitments from my two Democratic Senators. "(the Senator) has not released a statement at this time."

Also, you might consider calling state offices because DC is almost impossible to get through.

Welcome to liberal Ca.

[polichick]

14. Mine haven't made decisions about the letter yet, but they're getting lots of calls. nt

[CTyankee]

65. Called Dodd's Hartford office. Got live staff answering phones.

Dodd is undecided and out of the country on official business. That's interesting because he was in the NYC studio live on Morning Joe just this past Monday. Surely, he knew this was coming and had it figured out...

[polichick]

66. That's pretty convenient! nt

[yurbud]

3. K & R: will call when I get home from work.

[polichick]

5. Thanks!

[yurbud]

23. called both. Neither committed yet, but Feinstein's staff said she supports public option

[Oceansaway]

4. Durbin unknown, go figure, he's a damn

lapdog dog if i've ever met one....

no mind of his own....

[polichick]

6. Specter and Casey have been receiving calls about it today...

Neither has made a decision yet.

[T Wolf]

7. There is no chance either of the DINOs will support a public option. They are no better than the

repukes they replaced (in Spectre's case, replacing himself with himself will wind up costing the Dems a seat).

[polichick]

9. I don't know - these days Specter is one of the most reliable Dems. nt

[backscatter712]

74. Yeah, he's gonna be impersonating a progressive at least until the primary's over. n/t

[phleshdef]

16. Spectre has all ready voiced strong support for a public option.

[S_E_Fudd]

79. Specter is in...and has been doing a great job...nt

[harun]

15. We need to keep hammering them.

[brand404]

8. So 80%+ of the people want it...Democrats have at least 51 to pass it....and yet NO..WTF?

THis is a clear sign that democrats are being bought and the WH (based on the Sunlight Foundation's evidence) desparately want to kill any chance of it because of their lousy deail to bankrupt america with the insurance companies.

The public option, although not a perfect solution (Single Payer is obviously the best solution to save money and save america) but without it the health bill is just a give away. But seeing as how democrats secretly dont want it to pass it tells me the focus should be on campaign finance reform...sadly how do you convince those that are corrupt to put new rules on themselves to not accept bribes....doesnt make sense...its like passing a bill to take a paycut...aint gonna happen.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

13. Congressmen will be called out if they have been doing shady deals

the best thing Congress can do is pass the Public Option...... or else.

[brand404]

88. I hope to god they pass it!! Greatest News Eva!

[gkhouston]

96. Oh, bright green bullshit. (To the excuse, not to you personally.) Congressmen have

been "doing deals" for centuries. They've never given a shit about being called shady before now.

[Clio the Leo]

10. KICK & Rec. NT

[patrice]

12. Somebody tell me about calling after 5p please?

I really can't do this from work.

[polichick]

17. Maybe you could jot it on your hand. :)

[patrice]

25. I don't need to know what to say. I need to know if after 5p calls are counted?

[polichick]

27. I meant jot a reminder to call later...

I've left messages with my Senators' offices after hours - someone must tally them up the next day.

[patrice]

48. I left a message with Sen. Sherrod Brown, a coalition is building . . .

Stay strong for legitimate Single Payer with a Future!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[polichick]

54. Sherrod Brown is one of the good guys - lucky you! nt

[Mass]

18. I dont think calling senator centerfold would be useful and Kerry has already signed.

Good for him.

My congressman signed too (Markey), but I see that Lynch and Neal have not. No surprise.

[polichick]

19. Guess Sen. Centerfold doesn't realize he got elected because voters want a public option. :)

[vegiegals]

21. call him anyway (brown) and call Kerry to say thanks we have his back.

[mascarax]

24. I like the name "Sen. Centerfold" - plus it's a nod to Boston's J Geils Band

"my blood runs cold / my memory has just been sold / my Senator is a centerfold"

(Hmm...is the middle correct...need lyrics.)

Nah nah na na na nah...

[ClassWarrior]

86. It's ALWAYS useful. If nothing else, to let 'em know someone is breathing down...

...their red little necks.

NGU.

[vegiegals]

20. Lots of 'progressive' senators still on that list. Call call call.

[polichick]

22. Thanks - welcome to DU! :)

[vegiegals]

42. Thanks.

[politicasista]

26. Kick

:kick:


Me sens can't be bothered. Boo!

[asdjrocky]

28. DiFi is in now.

I don't believe it. I sure it was my phone call that put her over the top.

Now, on to Boxer.

[polichick]

29. Just saw that - good on ya! :)

[asdjrocky]

30. No Boxer yet.

Just gave her another call.

[polichick]

31. Maybe she'll be next!

[asdjrocky]

33. Well, you know, I am a very persuasive man. nt

[polichick]

36. That's a very good thing - maybe you could pretend you're from...

...a bunch of other states too and call all these jokers.

[asdjrocky]

38. Don't think I haven't.

:eyes:

[yurbud]

32. Feinstein will sign sign!

[asdjrocky]

34. I'm pretty sure my call did it.

:eyes:

[yurbud]

41. no, it was mine!

[asdjrocky]

43. You win.

I'm so easy.

[yurbud]

45. it's nice to be able to fight over a Democrat doing something right.

[davidpdx]

35. Called Wyden's office this morning from my comfy couch here in Korea

[polichick]

37. Cool - thanks!

[polichick]

39. Keith is talking about this now with Ezra Klein...

Klein says Harry Reid is a vote counter and will go for it if he gets enough signatures.

[Fire1]

40. Marking for tomorrow. n/t

[maryf]

44. Sincere question, why are so many really excited about this???

the bill is horrible, will cover virtually very few more, won't start for years, and will penalize those who can't affor to pay the profit mongers outrageous costs... plus being taxed on your bennies, up to 40%...Why so much excitement? Does nobody here really know what this bill entails? I will call my senators and tell them that...

Profit over people is the status quo... :(

[ProSense]

46. Don't look now, but

there is a lot of excitement.

[maryf]

51. almost all single payer supporters at the one I attended...

None of the calls, signs said Public Option, tons said Single payer, medicare for all...

[Beaverhausen]

47. this is about the Public Option

[maryf]

50. There is no REAL public option!!

Mandates, taxes, only about 1 quarter of those not covered now would be covered, the money comes from Medicare and other social programs, does no one get this at all??? :cry:

[polichick]

55. That's the old public option - not necessarily what we're dealing with now. nt

[maryf]

73. It really is what we are dealing with now...

the spin is amazing...Keeping the private insurers in there at all defeats the whole purpose of a Medicare for All, the costs wouldn't be sustainable as the poor and sick would be the only ones to go public, its bound to fail...I think many legislators are sincere, but Universal health care can never be achieved with any profit base...No other industrialized country has private "for profit" insurance; there are private insurers, but not for profit only. Private Health Insurance Must Go!! www.PHIMG.org

[polichick]

53. Right - without that the bill is a giant giveaway to insurance companies. nt

[patrice]

49. I will call again tomorrow.

[Vinca]

52. I emailed Shaheen. I fully expect she'll sign on.

[asdjrocky]

56. BOXER IS IN!

As of 9:05 am pst she is signing the letter.

[polichick]

59. Wow, you really are persuasive!

[asdjrocky]

61. You should see me on the dance floor.

Don't stop til ya get enough baby!

[polichick]

62. LOL - a man of many and assorted talents. :)

[yurbud]

57. If your reps and senators are on board, contact friends in states that aren't. This is what I sent

my friends in Oregon (I live in California).

If you've got your friend's zip code, you can find both of their senators and rep here:
http://www.contactingthecongress.org
and make it easier for them.

16 senators have signed a letter calling on Harry Reid to pass the public option through reconciliation, a maneuver that only requires a simple majority instead of two-thirds, so the Democrats could have enough votes to do it.

Jeff Merkley was one of the guys who started it, but Wyden hasn't committed yet.

Call his office today. This website will give you a short script. It will take less than a minute.

http://whipcongress.com/

I'll give you an even shorter one:

"Hi, has Senator Wyden signed the letter to Harry Reid demanding that the public option be passed through reconciliation?"

If they say YES say:

"Thank you. Tell him I'm glad he did."

If they say NO say:

"Could you tell him that I want him to sign it and I'm an Oregon voter?"

and that's it.

His digits:

DC: [phone]
Portland: [phone]

Pass this along to any other Oregonians who would prefer we have a health insurance system a little more like the rest of the civilized world.

[polichick]

67. Thanks - great idea! nt

[polichick]

58. We're up to 16!

[tabbycat31]

60. just looked at the latest

and one of my senators (Lautenberg) signed on (I'm rather surprised he committed this week because he's been in the hospital)....

I will still work on Menendez

[polichick]

63. That's pretty good, working from the hospital when Republican Senators...

...don't even bother to work from their offices.

[polichick]

64. Neither of mine has signed on yet - just called again...

Guess we have to keep calling until they sign.

(The hold wait is longer today than yesterday.)

[polichick]

68. Keep calling - 17 now! :)

[Beaverhausen]

69. What about Harkin and Feingold?

they should be on board with this

[polichick]

71. Good question!

[tabbycat31]

70. Jeanne Shaheen now on board

per whip congress

[polichick]

72. Woohoo - we're getting there!

[beac]

75. Called their DC & local offices! n/t

[polichick]

76. Excellent - thanks!

[polichick]

77. I see we've still got a ways to go - maybe too many were never serious about it. nt

[polichick]

78. So glad Specter signed - I promised to call every day until he did...

One less call to make. Now where is Casey?!

[Hutzpa]

81. Cardin, Dodd, Feingold, Durbin

I believe would all sign up.

[polichick]

83. self-delete, wrong place

[Hutzpa]

80. We should be keeping the Blue dogs on a leash

on this one.

About time we get them on a leash.

[davidpdx]

82. Wyden (Oregon) is a no

We need to keep the pressure on him.

[polichick]

84. Ezra Klein reporting (with Keith) that Dem leaders are terrified of this...

...public option movement - he says there is a failure of leadership at the WH right now. They still want to be seen as bipartisan.

[mascarax]

85. Saw it too -- there IS no "bipartisan"

How can they want to be bipartisan when the other team will not play? At all.
Not one Repub is going to help the ENTIRE COUNTRY with health care reform (unfortunately, "insurance reform").
Not one.

Enough of that nonsense.

[polichick]

87. I know - it's CRAZY! nt

[gkhouston]

95. They are convinced that "the American people" want bipartisanship because "polls"

have shown that. I'm guessing that if they did some neutrally worded polls asking whether bipartisanship is more or less important than cutting the cost of health insurance, people wouldn't give a shit who was writing or voting for the bill.

[polichick]

89. 20 and counting...

[zulchzulu]

90. Senator contact list!

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[polichick]

91. 24 - still have work to do. I'm picking up my phone. nt

[mstinamotorcity]

92. No problem

got your back will be emailing my Senators and Congressmen today as i did yesterday.

[polichick]

93. Thanks! :)

[freddie mertz]

94. Done and done. WTF is up with Casey?

YES, he is a jerk.

But he claimed to "support" it before...