Bob - this is EXACTLY what today's video is going to be about. Funny, because I flipped over to BobCesca in middle of researching it.

I've already got the picture of Bauchus downloaded and everything.

The other guy who drafted this is Kent Conrad.

"Consumer owned cooperative plans?" Can anybody explain to me what this is?

"as many as 10 Senate Democrats have protested the idea as unfair to private insurers."
"Unfair" to private insurers? In what sense?

"The give and take, the back and forth of different ideas -- you may call them snags, we call them the legislative process." -- Nancy Pelosi. You may call her a spineless waste of space, but she prefers the term "compromiser." Seriously....for this (and many other reasons), Reid and Pelosi need to be ousted from their so-called-leadership positions as soon as possible.

Bob what the hell can we do about this? They won't listen to the polls, the people, the voters.....writing our congresspeople isn't working. I've tried. This is a nightmare. If the dems fail on this, that's how they lose in the next election. It's not the deficit. That needs to come down but it's gonna be huge whether we pass health care or not. May as well get it right.

Reading Ezra Klein made me feel a little better. This isn't the endgame yet. They could pass something that is better than the current system. Still, without a public option, it's a defeat any way you look at it.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/06/the_finance_committees_compreh.html?hpid=topnews

I agree with eljefejeff
I always wondered why there isn't other insurance companies sprouting up, ones that reward good habits and penalize bad ones.

I haven't had insurance in 8+ years. I hope I don't need trauma care such as when you Bob, were hit by a car. But that's all I want insurance for anyways - somebody else's fuckup.

Do I want insurance to be treated by crappy healthcare? Do I want to subject myself to another near death experience? I have had two already, both by the same type of "treatment". My warnings meant nothing.

The first time nearly killed me and made me deaf. Plus I had to learn how to walk, talk and read again. The second time nearly killed me if it wasn't for a nurse who figured out what was wrong while the others came in to bitch at me (man, I wish I had video of that! It would have made Sicko for sure). The third time wasa charm but I spent hours pleading with an administrator at the hospital and finally convinced her to let me see the doctor. When he walked in he said "Oh, you." He smiled and told the administrator to write up how my surgery was to work.

I did and it went super smooth for once. I still had issues but they weren't life-threatening. Moral to this story: you really can take control of your body and health. You know it better than anyone, so why is it so hard for you and doctors to believe it?

I meant he told the administrator to let me write up how the surgery was to work.

No, Bob, you are not wrong.

Why would we want universal medicine when we can get racketeered medicine for more money?

eljefejeff,

What can you do? Well, do you have $10 Billion dollars? 'cuz if you did, you could buy this issue, and tell our elected officials what you wanted, and they would give it to you.

This one issue has the potential to damage our system of government like no other. I cannot believe the disconnect that our elected officials have with us, even as they watch an Iran that seems like it is getting ready to do some lynching.

These people are absolutely patricians. Don't they get that this issue is the one issue that completely exposes how BRIBED they are? I know I've been humping on about our politicians and political parties, but jeez, do you think they could make it any easier for me?

The temperature is rising in this nation.

When Nancy Pelosi was interviewed by Ed Shultz a couple of weeks ago she said that if the plan in the House doesn't have a publicn option it wouldn't make it out of the House. I'm really sick of the double talkers and whores for the insurance industry. Perhaps would should start calling and emailing them with a new message. IF THERE IS NO PUBLIC OPTION, WE ARE NOT GOING TO VOTE IN 2010 OR 2012. They need to know that we feel so strongly about this that we're willing to just stay home. We won't vote for the Republican. We'll just stay home and hand it back to them. If the crooked ass Dems are going to be bullied by the party with a 25% approval rating then we'll be more than happy to help the Republicans get back the majority by staying home. They need to know that we're not going to tolerate any watered down bullshit plan. Period!

roxsteady,

A better protest would take place right outside their personal home.

Rox
Unfortunately they know when it comes down to it that we'll vote for them. Some may stay home, but when faced with the alternative, we'll show up. I can threaten all I want, but I know I don't want the republicans in power and I'll do my part. I'm a sheep and they know it.

You're probably right eljefejeff but, if they waterdown healthcare or scrap the public option and it doesn't work, the administration will be seen as a failure and we could still end up losing by bleeding some Dems like me who would be willing to stay home and independents who may run back to the Repblicans anyway. I'm serious though. I will not vote at all. I've fuckin had it!

I'm wondering if we should attempt to do an internet fund-raising campaign, and specifically describe it as a grassroots effort at "influencing" our elected officials. How much effect do you think $10 million would have? $30 Million?

I guess it's just an experiment, but I really would like to see what MONEY would buy, at this point. They sure as hell aren't listening to our calls or emails.

It may be a good idea to threaten them anyway. Those of you who would still vote don't have to let them know that. Just keep repeating it anyway. They have to be told that there will be consequences even if you don't really mean it. We can just do to them what they've done to us. Look them in the eye, and lie through our teeth! We have to do something!

I just wrote my Senator and Congressman using this quote stolen from a washintonmonthly.com commenter: "Any bill without a strong public option represents cowardice in the extreme."

I think we need to keep the bombardment up as the process moves along. Baucus may just be sticking a bought and paid for finger in the air to see if a wind is blowing, it needs to be a gale!

Clearly polls are only observed and acted upon around election time. He will always be elected in MT as he is a good ole boy rancher with meadow muffin boots.

The next time you write them, inform them of a growing movement that is organizing on the internet to sit out the upcoming elections if they won't show up for us, we're not going to show up for them. If they start to hear this multiple times from fellow Senators it might scare them. Particularly in light of the fact that it was the internet that helped get the vote out for Obama. Like I said guys, even if you don't mean it, just keep saying it and help create a rumor that will hopefully begin to scare the shit out of them. A few emails a day or phone calls is one thing, but if thousands of emails and calls are coming in with this same message it might get their attention.

Here is Howard Deans page and you can sign up through it to contact your Senators and then let them know how you feel. It is a very easy form and then you let Dr. Dean know what they say.

It also has a lot of other info on it and they are talking about being there next Thursday, Edie Falco and others to meet with Senators and others about the Public Option and get something done.

Stand with Dr. Dean

roxsteady
That's not a game changing strategy, which is what I think this issue needs.

Clearly our reps don't listen to us at all. I think the best threat is to turn off the TV, even more so around election time. After all, these cowards are banking on TV to parrot their spin and influence the sheople.

CONRAD???? Why is he drafting such a ridiculous bill? Where are his coops? Why is he lazying out on a good idea (I liked the coop idea as a baseline to build from - sorry to disagree with everyone on that one).

QT

I still think protesting outside of where they live would be most effective. Most people don't like their personal space being invaded, and their neighbors would like it even less.

FWIW, I wrote to both my Senators and my Congressman asking them to not let special interests derail a public option.

It's not much, but it is a start. Oh yeah, I tied it into fixing Tricare and the VA health system.

>>>But principle doesn't put us back together when we're sick

Yeah, but your health insurance won't either, if they can help it, so...

>>>Generally, cooperatives allow small businesses and individuals to “realize the advantages that large employers enjoy because of their size and bargaining power.”

Is it just me, or are large companies not also being crippled by healthcare costs?

Oops... meant to link that quote. It's from Think Progress. I think the quote within a quote is from the NY Times... I think.

go sign Patrick Leahy's petition at:
citizensforapublicoption.com