Not even four short weeks ago, I was asked to meet in the living room of one of my neighbors in Rockland County. There were several friends and acquaintances there, and what got us together so early in the morning was our disbelief of all the misinformation and hate mongering associated with health care reform. One person in the room thought that the eight of us and a few friends and family should hold a small rally at a tiny village square in Nyack. But then, we started to dream...what if we had some entertainment...
The resolution might be a little hard to read in the image below, but after the picture I have the full text:
Whereas, The New York State Democratic Committee has numerous resolutions supporting single payer; and
Whereas, any real step toward single payer must include a strong public option (no triggers, no coops, government ability to negotiate with drug companies, rates tied to Medicare rates, and uniformity across the Country); and
Whereas, insurance companies (who seek to retain their profits) are the prime opponents of single payer; and
Whereas, the Baucus Plan will make insurance companies stronger and increase industry profits by forcing everyone to buy insurance from private insurance companies; and
Whereas, it is difficult now to counter insurance companies and pass single payer, making insurance companies stronger will make the passage of single payer impossible;
Therefore be it resolved, That the New York State Democratic Committee urges Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to oppose the Baucus Plan. We must move forward rather than take a step backwards. This bill in its current form will enrich insurance companies and impoverish the American people.
This is an important resolution and a big statement by one of the largest state parties in the country. It states not only support for a public option and health care reform, but also states opposition to the Baucus plan.
It is time for real reform, not bills dressed up as reform that are written by senators like Baucus who was bought and paid for by the insurance companies.
Kudos to the New York State Democrats for taking a clear stand on health care reform.
The first vote came on Senator Jay Rockefeller's (D-WV) amendment. All 10 Republicans and five Democrats voted against it, thus killing the amendment. The five Democrats that voted against it weren't surprises. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT).
The second vote was on Senator Chuck Schumer's (D-NY) amendment. That amendment received Carper and Nelson's support, but Baucus, Conrad and Lincoln still joined the Republicans in opposing the public option amendment.
On a personal level, I don't care what Baucus and Conrad think. They both seem to have it in their head that having a public option in any health care bill would mean that the bill wouldn't pass. They are wrong, but they will continue to believe what they have believed all along.
The big thing is that most of the Democrats on the Finance Committee support some version of the public option, whether it's Rockefeller's or Schumer's. That is good news.
Here are ads that Democracy For America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee are trying to get out on the air.
Yesterday, I wrote a post with a simple proposal in it: Introduce legislation with the public option (what the progressive Democrats want) and medical liability reform (what the conservative Republicans want).
I received more than a few messages questioning why I would support such a move. So here is an explanation.
By itself, I do not support medical liability reform. I believe it is a way for Republicans to get back at trial lawyers and a way for them to deregulate the medical industry and give doctors a little more wiggle room for error. When you are talking about a doctor-patient relationship, there should be no wiggle room. That doctor should make the smartest decisions and the safest ones for that person.
The reason why I made the suggestion was mostly based on political motives. Out of everything the Republicans are proposing, I find this to be their least dangerous proposal. Allowing people to buy health insurance across state lines? That's not something I'm willing to deal with. The deregulation involved in that and the risks involved in that are too great and not acceptable. Plus, it has been shown that premiums would increase and more people would become uninsured. That isn't our goal here.
So that is why medical liability reform is the way to go. And I don't say that to try and sacrifice key components of our bill.
My goal is to put the Republicans in a position where the biggest piece of reform they are pushing - medical liability (or tort) reform - becomes their biggest detriment. We have Republicans talking about medical liability reform all the time. My congressman discusses it as a way to reform our health care system. The Republicans have candidates doing the same. So if it means that much to them, let's see if they can walk the walk.
Include it in legislation and then see what they say. Make sure that legislation has the key element of our proposal (the public insurance option) and then include medical liability reform. If they then waver because of what we propose, then we have the upper-hand.
I saw the reaction last night when the President mentioned medical liability reform during his speech. The Republicans cheered (and the President knew it would make them do that) while the Democrats sat on their hands. I would have done the same thing in that position. I am not a fan. But instead of us being on our heels about the public option, let's put them on their heels about their prized possession in this debate.
If the Republicans are willing to support health care reform with medical liability reform AND a strong, robust public insurance option, then maybe there is hope yet for decreasing polarization in Washington D.C.
Do I think that's going to happen? No, but it's about time we put them on the defensive instead of us having to defend the public option endlessly when all they have are lies and distortions and all we have are nearly 60 votes in the U.S. Senate and a strong majority in the House.
After President Barack Obama's speech to Congress, Louisiana Congressman Charles Boustany, a cardiothoracic surgeon, gave the Republican rebuttal.
You can read the whole speech here. Let's take a look at it one segment at a time.
"Republicans are pleased that President Obama came to the Capitol tonight. We agree much needs to be done to lower the cost of health care for all Americans. On that goal, Republicans are ready - and we've been ready - to work with the President for common-sense reforms that our nation can afford.
"Afford is an important word. Our country is facing many challenges. The cost of health care is rising. Federal spending is soaring. We're piling huge debt on our children. And families and small businesses are struggling through a jobless recovery, with more than 2.4 million private-sector jobs lost since February.
"It's clear the American people want health care reform, but they want their elected leaders to get it right. Most Americans wanted to hear the President tell Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid and the rest of Congress that it's time to start over on a common-sense, bipartisan plan focused on lowering the cost of health care while improving quality. That's what I heard over the past several months in talking to thousands of my constituents.
We all can agree that health care costs are high. It is a fact that the United States spends more on health care than any other nation in the world. Yet, our quality of care does not correspond with the money we are paying for that care and that is without millions of those who are uninsured who do not have access to such care.
Health care reform is about costs. But it is also about improving access to health care and insurance. Not mentioning that shows where the Republican mindset is on this issue. For them, it's all about selective fiscal conservatism. It was okay to spend billions (perhaps into the trillions now) on the war effort in Iraq. But it is not okay to spend that money on your own citizens to make sure they have the best access to health care.
"Replacing your family's current health care with government-run health care is not the answer. In fact, it'll make health care much more expensive. That's not just my personal diagnosis as a doctor or a Republican; it's the conclusion of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office - the neutral scorekeeper that determines the cost of major bills.
Obviously, the Republicans haven't been listening. A single-payer system - which is where we should have started with in this discussion - would create that government-run system they talk about. The public option? Not so much.
The Republicans are trying to scare families into opposing reform. They are trying to say that the government is going to move in and replace your health care. That is not what the public option will do. The public option is there to provide an opportunity for those without insurance to get insurance. That is why the public option will exist and that is why a public option is necessary.
"Let's also talk about letting families and businesses buy insurance across state lines. I and many other Republicans believe that that will provide real choice and competition to lower the cost of health insurance. Unfortunately, the President disagrees.
This was a concept pushed by 2008 Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain. It was dismissed then and it will be dismissed now. The reasons are many. For one, allowing this would create a consumer protection mess. The Republicans wouldn't mind that (see financial crisis) but when you are talking health insurance, it's not a good thing.
Also, as the New America Foundation showed last year, premiums would go up, benefits would decrease and more people would become uninsured over time. So instead of serving as reform, this would create more of a problem.
Altogether, Boustany mentioned lowering the cost of health care five times in his speech. He talked about improving quality. But not once in his speech did he mention increasing access to health care or insuring more Americans. The cost of health care is a problem. The quality is also a problem. But providing more and better access to health care is also a problem and Boustany and the Republicans failed to address that, which was a glaring omission in their poorly constructed rebuttal.
The President's speech was strong. While I would have loved to see him state, unequivocally, that he supports a public option and is a must for any health care legislation, in the end, that's not his job. If a public option is included in health care reform legislation, President Obama will sign it. Period. So it is not his job to make guarantees. It is the job of the Congress to make sure the public option is in the bill.
I am glad Obama highlighted the fact that this is not a new battle. Many presidents before, both Democrats and Republicans, have attempted to reform the health care system in this country. He was smart to address the myths being pushed even if he did get heckled for it. Not the first Democrat to be heckled by a conservative at a town hall meeting or speech. But heckling the President of the United States really means we have reached new lows.
But this was perhaps one of the best points Obama made all night:
We are the only advanced democracy on Earth - the only wealthy nation - that allows such hardships for millions of its people. There are now more than thirty million American citizens who cannot get coverage. In just a two year period, one in every three Americans goes without health care coverage at some point. And every day, 14,000 Americans lose their coverage. In other words, it can happen to anyone.
I found it intriguing that during a number of moments during his speech where Obama made points like the one above, the Republicans stood with the Democrats in the chamber and applauded the President. So they realize the problem. They know that we are the only wealthy nation that allows its citizens to get without insurance and without care. Yet, they choose to use this as a political wedge issue. Instead of doing anything about the health care crisis, they choose to stand in the way of reform. That's not what we need.
What I thought was the best part of the speech was when Obama took on the misinformation. This is when he got heckled, but it was a great moment to bring out the truth.
Some of people's concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple.
There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false - the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up - under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.
My health care proposal has also been attacked by some who oppose reform as a "government takeover" of the entire health care system. As proof, critics point to a provision in our plan that allows the uninsured and small businesses to choose a publicly-sponsored insurance option, administered by the government just like Medicaid or Medicare.
So let me set the record straight. My guiding principle is, and always has been, that consumers do better when there is choice and competition. Unfortunately, in 34 states, 75% of the insurance market is controlled by five or fewer companies. In Alabama, almost 90% is controlled by just one company. Without competition, the price of insurance goes up and the quality goes down. And it makes it easier for insurance companies to treat their customers badly - by cherry-picking the healthiest individuals and trying to drop the sickest; by overcharging small businesses who have no leverage; and by jacking up rates.
There are no death panels. There won't be coverage for illegal immigrants and there won't be federal monies used for abortions. Obama also made it clear what the goal of a public option would be. It is not, as the Republicans say, a government takeover. It is a way to provide competition where there is no competition.
The speech concluded nicely. It would have made Ted Kennedy proud that Obama used the moment to highlight the "Lion of the Senate" and his pursuit for health care reform.
When he mentioned Kennedy, Obama said he received a letter after Kennedy's death. In that letter, Kennedy discussed health care reform.
In it, he spoke about what a happy time his last months were, thanks to the love and support of family and friends, his wife, Vicki, and his children, who are here tonight . And he expressed confidence that this would be the year that health care reform - "that great unfinished business of our society," he called it - would finally pass. He repeated the truth that health care is decisive for our future prosperity, but he also reminded me that "it concerns more than material things." "What we face," he wrote, "is above all a moral issue; at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country."
If that didn't resonate with the folks inside the House, I don't know what will. It is, in fact, a moral issue. It is a critical social justice issue. That is why President Obama believes we need to act. That is why progressives know we need to act.
So it's the day of the big speech, Mr. President, and we got trouble with a capital "T" right here in Health Care City.
What are you gonna do? Do we follow the traditional Democratic Party legislative process of passing...something...at any cost, assuming the entire time that the Left and the Netroots will "go along with the program", or is there a risk that the calculus doesn't work as well today as it did in 1994 and 1996?
Well, lucky for you, I'm a fake consultant, and I know a few things about your "target market", so before you answer that question...we need to talk.
It is clear in the fight for health care reform that a deal will need to be made. Don't get me wrong, I am still fighting for a strong public option and won't stand down from that position. I believe that without a strong public option, any "deal" is a failure and won't represent true reform. This is why we should should have started with single-payer as the proposal and that way, we could have moved to the middle on a public option. But now we are stuck with the public option being labeled as the "left-wing" proposal and the moderates and conservatives are standing in the way.
According to reports this morning, President Barack Obama will back a strong public option, but he will not make it a mandatory part of legislation. He also will appeal to Republicans who argue that tort reform (or malpractice reform) is needed by saying that there is a problem that is worth addressing.
So here's my proposal: As part of any legislation, a strong public option is included. And included in that legislation will be strong tort reform to address the concerns that doctors engage in "defensive medicine" (to borrow a line from my congressman, Chris Lee) that leads to high costs of providing care. While I see the point the Republicans are making, I don't think any medical liability reform should lead to patients receive less care because doctors are then shielded by such laws.
Put in simpler terms, if we get the public option, then we'll give the Republicans tort reform. That way, we all get a key piece to the puzzle. The public option, after all, is the moderate position here. We could have proposed single-payer, which would certainly have brought out Republicans (and the conservative Democrats) who oppose a single-payer system. Single-payer is a progressive idea. Most progressives I know support it, but realize that the chance of single-payer passing is slim to none.
That makes the public option a moderate concept. It isn't a government-run health care system. It keeps the best of the private health insurance system while giving those an opportunity at better health insurance (for the underinsured) or just health insurance in general (for the uninsured).
So why do I support tort reform, as a progressive? Because I'm not necessarily opposed to the idea. I am opposed to the belief (and position that some Republicans have shared) that it is the main problem with our health care system. It is not. That said, it is a problem. I am willing to work with conservatives on the issue and promote tort reform as long as it is within reason. Any reform that leads to substandard care by doctors who think they can get away with anything is not reform. But if we want to shield doctors from frivolous lawsuits, I am in favor of such reform.
There has to be some give and take, however. This doesn't mean that Democrats and Republicans or progressives and conservatives forfeit their positions in favor of the other side's. What it means is coming to the middle.
Let's take the best of both worlds. We, as progressives, want a public option. We believe it is necessary and required in any health care reform legislation. On the other side, while conservatives and Republicans might oppose a public option, they do support medical liability reform. They have advocated for this over and over again. So we should be strong enough to say that, as part of health care reform legislation, we will include medical liability reform.
The Democrats can't have it their way. The Republicans can't have it their way. So we need to take the best of both plans and push it as bipartisan reform.
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter has made it clear why she won't host health care town hall meetings. She believes that the town halls have been nothing but forums for protesters and those who only want to disrupt and misinform the public.
The powerful Democrat said she held meetings during the health care debate of 1993 but is concerned about public safety this time. During a meeting of the Democrat and Chronicle editorial board, she referred to a town hall meeting with President Barack Obama in New Hampshire in which a man brought a gun.
"I think it's a way to disseminate misinformation," Slaughter said. "They're not debating things that are in the bill."
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Reform of the system has attracted great public interest and caused rumors about the bill, many of which are not true.
"The idea that any American citizen would believe that their country would line up old people and do away with them is so, it's embarrassing that Americans would believe that," Slaughter said.
Slaughter remembers the debate over health care during the Clinton administration and said that Democrats are no more prepared for the opposition now than they were 14 years ago.
"We simply can't control any message anywhere," she said. "We are so big on transparency, let's write it all down, let's make sure it's all up on the Internet, knowing full well ... that people are going to pick out something that isn't there."
The right-wing is trying to take advantage of everything Democrats say, even safe ones like Slaughter. In a recent radio interview, Slaughter said the following:
The video was posted on Breitbart, a conservative website. Now, Politico has picked up on the misinformation by pushing the claim that Slaughter saying "won't give these people a forum" was a message intended for her constituents, which is far from the truth and distorts reality. The intent was clear: Slaughter will not give a forum to the conservative lunatics whose only goal is to disrupt, not debate.
Yet, this is an outright distortion that is exactly the type of misinformation Slaughter is talking about. The same people that are responsible for this distortion are also the ones distorting the facts on the health care reform bill and on health care reform in general. Coincidence? Definitely not.
About a dozen conservatives, including Republican Orangetown Supervisor candidate Paul Whalen, attended yesterday's Organizing for America (formerly Obama for America) meeting at the Pearl River Library in Rockland County last night. Many of these right-wingers went on to heckle the Obama group's organizer and disrupt the meeting.
The hecklers interrupted the meeting by shouting down those that support health-care reform, with taunts, and with generally disrespectful behavior. One of the hecklers stood before the crowd with a menacing look and a sign that said, "Obama's healthcare and other policies will take care of us like Teddy took care of Mary Jo."
Not only has Republican Assembly member Greg Ball (who's running for Congress against Democrat John Hall in NY-19) been getting government-paid, single-payer health care for most of his adult life via the Air Force and now the State Assembly, he also fondly recalls how the Kennedy family paid for his health care when he was a child.
From the article in Hindu Business Line a publication in India:
Ball narrates an incident from his childhood that sowed the seeds for his passion. "My godmother was personal secretary to Joseph Kennedy, the father of Jack Kennedy. As an infant I had cat-scratch fever, and Jean Kennedy- Smith, Jack Kennedy's sister, asked my parents to take me to a hospital. When my parents said they couldn't afford it, she said she would take care of everything. And, within five minutes, there were 10 doctors around me. I think those little interactions that I had as a kid with that family in particular showed me how well power could be used."
He feels that people should use their abilities to impact others positively, because there is both good and evil in this world. "Evil exists, and we have to fight it at every turn."
In the video below, a woman who is need of health care reform speaks at a town hall meeting hosted by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK). Coburn, who is known for his anti-government sentiments (while being a member of government, oddly enough), listens to the woman and gives her the usual Republican line.
Since watching the video of the Oklahoma town hall I have forwarded it to thousands of people. Spreading the call for reform has never been simpler.
But by showing the video, we do much more than shine a light on the banality of health insurance evil, we also do our part to tip the narrative towards a more American set of values.
Until now, the health care debate has been pushed a larger story about "government run insurance will take away our freedom." The opponents of reform insist that a public option will lead to tyranny and the end of America. The tears in this video bring us to a new big picture: "Americans are not free so long as they can be deprived of care by a cruel industry." Those who advocate passionately for a public option can now insist with clear evidence that an America without health care reform is an America broken by fear.
One woman's tears and the courage to stand up and tell her story could give an opportunity to us all to push the kind of change this country so desperately needs. And all we need to do is show this video to everyone we know.
There is a Facebook group that Jeffrey started to rally around this video. Once you join (if you haven't already), invite your friends to join. We need to show that there are people out there who go to these town hall meetings with real stories and real problems with their current health insurance plan (or lack thereof).
Let's help get this video to the forefront of the debate. It highlights the need for changing a broken system and the response by Coburn shows the insensitivity Republicans show merely to hold the party line.
I am going to make something clear: I, along with many other Americans, are sick of these "concerned citizens" who stand up and ask questions that are meant to pose as legitimate questions but really are questions fed to them by Republicans, conservatives and the tea party organizers to shift the debate to their side instead of taking a serious look at health care reform.
So, here's the deal: You stand up and ask a question, I look into you. Period.
"On page 30 of that bill, you call it a committee, you call it a commission, you call it a death panel. Somebody is making a decision for my health, and I don't want that."
So who is Ms. Tillinghast?
She is a former Kodak executive who would not be impacted by the health care bill. After all, if she has private health insurance, she can keep that insurance. The goal isn't to target people like Ms. Tillinghast. The goal is to target people who don't have health insurance coverage.
Ms. Tillinghast also is a Republican donor, having given $1,450 to Republican candidates and committees in 2004 and 2006. She gave $200 to the George W. Bush presidential campaign in 2004, $250 to the RNC in 2006 and made two $500 contributions to the NRCC in 2006. Locally, she hasn't given much. She did make a $100 contribution to Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks, a Republican.
It is one thing to be a real, concerned citizen who has serious questions about the bill. Those people do exist. It's another thing when your question is derived from a desire to derail reform for political gain.
There are a lot of myths about health care reform. Part of the problem is that Republicans have made it their goal to oppose President Barack Obama at all costs. They do not care about reform. And to be blunt, they do not care about bettering America.
Unless, of course, they are the ones in power to "better America."
Earlier this week, I asked you to get your respective Democratic city, county or town committees, as well as Democratic or progressive groups to support the public option resolution. By adopting the public option resolution, your committee or group will officially endorse the idea of health care reform with a strong public option.
Because without a strong public option, there is no reform.
Since Sunday, the resolution did change a little bit. Changes were made to make it a little easier to pass.
Here is the text of the resolution that your committee can adopt:
Public Option Resolution
WHEREAS, the heath care system of the United States is in crisis, with almost fifty million Americans lacking any health insurance, tens of millions more lacking adequate coverage, and millions more who do have private coverage paying increasingly unaffordable premiums, resulting in inadequate access to care and premature death, illness, or financial ruin for millions of Americans; and
WHEREAS, public polls show that an overwhelming majority of Americans want health care reform to offer the choice of a robust public option similar to Medicare in order to, in the words of President Obama, "keep the insurance companies honest," while co-ops or so-called "triggers" are inadequate in and of themselves to address the health care crisis by creating significant competition for the medical insurance industry; and
WHEREAS, Republicans and their allies in the health insurance industry have organized and funded groups of extremists to disrupt efforts on the part of the Democratic majority and administration to reasonably discuss the issue with the American people, and have demonstrated an utter unwillingness to compromise in any way to pass meaningful health care reform;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that [insert group name here] urges Democratic members of Congress to vote for only such healthcare reform proposals as contain a robust public option at all stages of the legislative process including conference and reconciliation, and encourages Democratic legislators to use any available parliamentary means to pass such reform;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that [insert group name here] shall send a copy of this resolution to all Democratic members of Congress who represent any of our members.
As of today, I have contacted six county committees in my area about putting the resolution on the agenda for their next meeting. It has been confirmed to me that four of these counties will be voting on the resolution. I have also have confirmation from at least one Democratic/progressive group that they will add the resolution to the agenda and put it up for a vote. I will be doing more targeting today to see if I can get more county committees to vote on this measure.
At Netroots Nation, Gov. Howard Dean hosted a town hall. He discussed the public option throughout the question-and-answer session. Here is a video of Dean discussing the public option:
We need real health care reform in this country. While I support a single-payer system, I also believe that the public option offers our greatest chance at reform. We need to get this done and we need to have the support of the Democratic Party - the same party that holds the White House and both houses of Congress.
The general atmosphere at the Victor Town Hall hosted by Eric Massa was of a rude audience erupting in waves of boos, shouting questions out of turn, and trying to talk over Eric.
Specifically, Eric opened the evening with the pledge, a general recognition of veterans in the audience, and a recognition specifically of Korean war veterans (I'm not sure why he singled out that group).
Then, he asked for ten seconds of silence in memory of Senator Kennedy. The hall blew its top with boos, cat calls, and shouts of "Mary Jo".
He supports a public option and believes that without the public option, a health care reform bill won't pass the House.
"If there is no public option, I don't see that bill passing the House," Maffei said Tuesday at a meeting of The Post-Standard's editorial board. "I would not support a bill that doesn't have a strong public option, just as I wouldn't support bills that don't have private options."
It was the first time that Maffei, D-DeWitt, has said that a lack of a public option would be a deal-breaker when it comes to his vote.
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In the end, Maffei said, both sides should be able to choose to enroll in government or private health insurance programs.
"The key thing is to give the individual the choice," he said. "And I think that's where I'm landing. .. So yes, you have to have a strong public option. I was for that from the beginning. I remain for it -- even more for it now than I was before. But you also have to have strong private options. The public option cannot crowd out private options. That's probably the single biggest thing that I've learned."
I am sure that Maffei has made his position known before, but this is the first clear indication that he supports a public option. He also brings up a valid point about private options. The problem we have now is that there are no strong options (unless you qualify for Medicare or some other government-run system) because employers either provide low quality health insurance or they offer no such benefit. Under the current plan, not only is a strong public option necessary, but a strong private option is needed.
It is good to know where Maffei stands. We need more of these statements from other members of the New York delegation.
"For me, this is a season of hope. New hope for a justice and fair prosperity for the many and not just for the few. New hope, and this is the cause of my life, new hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American - north, south, east, west, young, old- will have decent quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege." - Senator Edward M. Kennedy speaking before the Democratic National Convention in 2008
The words delivered by Senator Edward M. Kennedy at last year's convention came exactly a year to the day of his passing.
On August 25, 2008, Senator Kennedy stood before Democrats of all makes - the progressives of the party, the moderates of the party and the conservatives of the party - and said that health care should be a right, not a privilege. It was something that Kennedy believed in, not just on that night, but throughout his career in the United States Senate.
Senator Kennedy saw the passage of many key pieces of legislation that drastically changed the quality of health care in this country. On his Senate website, there is a long list of accomplishments and goals regarding health care. The list is long and worth mentioning:
Throughout his Senate career, Senator Kennedy has championed the cause of quality health care for all Americans. Among the many landmark laws enacted under his leadership and sponsorship are the Protection and Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals Act of 1986, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act of 1990, the National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993, the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997, creation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the Children's Health Act of 2000, the Project BioShield Act of 2003, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2005, the FDA Amendments Act of 2007 and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008.
You could argue that, single-handedly, Senator Kennedy improved our health care system through his support of the above legislation. His goal was a system of health care where every American is covered and has access to the best quality of care. It was, as he said in his speech to the DNC last year, to be a right for all Americans, not a privilege.
The fight for health care started a long time ago for Kennedy. In a profile by the Boston Globe, the story was told about health care reform attempts in the early 1970s. Then-President Richard Nixon proposed a plan that would have covered nearly every individual through their employer and then covered the poor through government subsidies. But that's not the type of reform Kennedy wanted. What he wanted was more of a single-payer system. What he wanted was a true national health care system.
Unfortunately, neither the Nixon proposal or Kennedy proposal became reality.
Kennedy was at the center of the fight for health care reform in 1993 when President Bill Clinton was working to install universal health care. And he was, until his death, a central figure in the reform fight going on right now in this country.
For Kennedy, this was one of the most important missions of his time in the Senate. The irony is that a draft of a bill discussed earlier this year was similar to that of the Nixon proposal he had stood firmly against. Such an act isn't surprising. Even though he is known as the "Liberal Lion" and will long be remembered as the quintessential Democrat, he believed in talking with the other side to reach reform. It was what made him liked by Republicans. In Sen. John McCain's words today, if Sen. Kennedy was around for this health care fight, we would have had progress and there might even be a Republican or two willing to support such legislation. That is the type of impact Sen. Kennedy has had in Washington D.C.
So what will we do now that Senator Kennedy is no longer with us? We need to pass real health care reform this year. The great thing about Senator Kennedy's legacy is that while he was willing to talk with people, he did not make concessions that would take away from the key elements of legislation. His goal was health care for all. Our goal should be nothing less.
Two key elements of health care reform that Senator Kennedy stressed were a strong public option and more employer responsibility. After all, the public option exists so that if you aren't happy with your health insurance, you can then choose to receive a national health care plan. That is something Senator Kennedy wanted.
But Senator Kennedy also wanted more responsibility from employers who provide coverage. If an employer didn't offer health insurance, they would be charged a fee per employee. Considering the cost of health insurance is greater than such a fee per employee, that is not a bad move.
Health care reform is not a new issue. It is something that has been needed for a long time. Out of everyone in government, no one knew that better than Senator Edward M. Kennedy. He was at the forefront of the fight. In his honor, we need to pass landmark legislation that will fix a broken system and allow the 47 million Americans without insurance to have the right to the same health care that many other millions of Americans enjoy.
It is a right, not a privilege. We need to honor Senator Kennedy's memory by doing the right thing.
The fight for a public option and true health care reform is still very much alive. We have seen the attempts by the Republican Party, conservatives and insurance industry to turn aside reform. They don't propose alternatives or their own version of reform. They just fearmonger and distort reality so they can stand in the way of change.
This is why we must set our own tone and encourage our leaders to support health care reform and most importantly, a public option.
WHEREAS our heath care system is in crisis with almost fifty million Americans lacking any health insurance and hundreds of millions more lacking adequate coverage ; and
WHEREAS both the uninsured and insured alike regularly face the risk of financial ruin from health costs; and
WHEREAS millions of Americans live sicker and die younger due to inadequate access to health care; and
THE NEED FOR A PUBLIC OPTION
WHEREAS insurance companies are driven to maximize profits by reducing benefits while increasing premiums, often without regard for the health of consumers; and
WHEREAS an overwhelming majority of Americans want health reform to offer the choice of a robust public option similar to Medicare in order to, in the words of President Obama, "keep the insurance companies honest;" and
WHEREAS a public option must, by definition, be accountable to Congress and the voters to correctly be called "public" in any meaningful way; and
WHEREAS the establishment of non-profit cooperatives in lieu of a robust public option will not "keep insurance companies honest," and
WHEREAS the proposed co-ops would be accountable only to their membership and not accountable to Congress or the voters, and therefore not "public" in a meaningful sense; and
WHEREAS proposals to delay the implementation of a public option until some contingency is reached (known as a "trigger") are without merit given the need for immediate action to remedy our health care system; and
THE NEED FOR INDEPENDENT ACTION
WHEREAS the Republican members of Congress have demonstrated no desire to reform health care and their leaders will not negotiate in good faith toward the passage of meaningful reform; and
WHEREAS the Republican Party and insurance industry lobbyists have organized extremists to disrupt efforts by Democratic Representatives and Senators to honestly discuss the merits of health care reform, therefore;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT Democratic Representatives and Senators in Washington should accept no more delays in passing health reform and must use "any available legislative means," including the reconciliation process in the Senate, to pass by the end of the year health care reform legislation which includes a robust public option; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Democratic Representatives and Senators should vote against health reform that does not include a robust public option; that seeks to substitute inadequate alternatives like the non-profit cooperative scheme in place of a public option; or makes the implementation of a public option contingent upon a trigger; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this expectation covers all votes on this issue, whether procedural or not and regardless of whether they occur before, during or after the reconciliation process.
This resolution allows more than just bloggers to get involved. If you are a member of a local Democratic committee or are a chair of such a committee, show this resolution to other members and make sure your group signs on. If you have your own chapter of DFA or have another progressive group you are a member of, get them to sign on to this resolution.
We have some great representatives in the health care fight on our side. We have plenty of activists who want to get involved. This resolution allows you a way to not only get involved, but to get a group of people involved.
The Republican Party, along with the conservative movement, is united in its opposition to health care reform. Their idea of reform is to keep things the way they are. That's not reform.
The Democratic Party and progressive movement should be united in its support of health care reform and a public option. Anything less than a public option is not reform. The leaders of the Democratic Party and progressive movement at all levels, whether it's in Washington D.C. or Washington County, New York should stand united for a public option.
This week is another crucial week for the public option and the road to reform. Rally your party leaders and progressive groups to get behind this resolution and to support a public option.
Watching this will not make you proud to be a New Yorker. Former Lt Gov, inventor of the "death panel" nonsense and long time professional liar extraordinaire Betsy McCaughey tries to bamboozle the Jon Stewart and the Daily Show crowd. The results are not pretty.
About a dozen conservatives, including Republican Orangetown Supervisor candidate Paul Whalen, attended yesterday's Organizing for America (formerly Obama for America) meeting at the Pearl River Library in Rockland County last night. Many of these right-wingers went on to heckle the Obama group's organizer and disrupt the meeting.
Senator Kennedy saw the passage of many key pieces of legislation that drastically changed the quality of health care in this country. On his Senate website, there is a long list of accomplishments and goals regarding health care. The 
