In a teleconference today sponsored by Healthcare For America Now (See,
www.healthcareforamericanow.org), Senator Al Franken of Minnesota urged citizens to notify your Senators and House Representatives to FINISH HEALTHCARE REFORM NOW!
Senator Franken also informed those participating that by year 2019, healthcare will out-pace the national growth and will adversely affect all families' ability to afford basic healthcare. "No, is not the solution!" says, Senator Franken when describing the Republicans' attitude towards passage of real healthcare reform.
Further, Senator Franken explained that a "Pledge" and "Pass" strategy can allow for the passage of the healthcare reform bill. Senators and Republicans must pledge budget reconciliation support for the healthcare bill and then pass it to strengthen subsidies to low-income families and fix taxes on healthcare plans, and cap what expenses a person pays for healthcare each year, among other benefits. He emphasized that the chances of passage of healthcare reform is very good, but constituents must not, NOT ease up on urging their Senators and Representatives to pass the healthcare reform bill. "Congress must be held accountable!"
One of the major activities that U.S. citizens can participate in for a showing of wanting healthcare reform is to write letters to your local newspaper E ditor. To do this, simply write a letter telling your newspaper why healthcare reform is important to you and that you expect healthcare reform to be passed with no more excuses. Senator Franken agreed that Congress is too, TOO close to passing a healthcare reform bill to give up now. Citizens wanting healthcare reform are more than those who do not; however, the citizens who want healthcare reform are too, too quiet! Healthcare lobbyists just poured another 20 million dollars into defeating healthcare reform. They can be defeated if people start raising their collective voices for healthcare reform.
Senator Franken also explained the power of a "Political Will." This is the driving force necessary for Congress to pass the healthcare reform bill and it cannot be defeated. In short, the Congress has the political votes to pass healthcare reform and now they need the "will" to do it. The "will" must come from the U.S. citizens to push Congress to pass it.
Lastly, it is unfortunate that the public option feature of the healthcare reform was defeated. However, even though the public option was taken out of the bill, it can work itself into the healthcare reform process over time by way of the other clauses of the bill. This is similar to what happened to Social Security when it was first passed. Initially, Social Security did not include domestic workers, children, or farmers. Over time, these categories of citizens were gradually included by the nature of the Social Security appropriations and processes.
So, while it is true that the media is still unfairly showing the opposition to healthcare reform ahead of the fight for healthcare reform, the truth is that U.S. citizens have the might and power to push Congress to finish passage of the bill now!
Healthcare For America Now is in need of more people to help get the word out to urge Congress to finish the job! Please visit
www.healthcareforamericanow.org and click on "Help." There are many convenient ways to help.
Please visit
www.Senate.gov to urge your Congressperson to pass healthcare reform now!
Also, visit
www.House.gov to urge your Representative to pass healthcare reform now!
Do something different - WRITE your local newspaper Editor and tell him/her/them "why" you want healthcare reform. Real stories make a huge difference and your Congresspersons read newspapers, too.
If you want special help to write to your Editor, please contact me at coolingwellwater@aol.com and I will assist you at no cost!
Passing the peace,
Posted By: agnes levine
Friday, February 5th 2010 at 5:44PM
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