Numerous news reports say the White House may cave on the
public health insurance option.
Urgent news: Multiple media reports say that Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid is very close to rounding up the votes
needed for a public health insurance option, but "the White House
is pushing back against the idea" in order to get the support of
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME).
Tell the White House that the support of one Republican isn't
worth a bad bill.
"Every day, insurance companies deny care and let people
die. Getting one Republican senator's vote is not worth delaying
reform -- too many real lives are at stake.We need you to
fightand state clearly that anything less than a strong
public option is not change we can believe in."
Click here to sign the emergency petition. Then,
please send this to others.
The Washington Post confirms that the White House "wants
Snowe on the bill" and is seriously considering Snowe's proposed
"trigger" -- which would delay, and effectively kill, the
public option.
As Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) recently said, "Olympia Snowe
was not elected president last year." Even her own constituents
in Maine support a public option 2 to 1, and overwhelmingly oppose a
trigger! Only the insurance industry supports Snowe's proposal.
We'll deliver this petition to the White House and let the
media know about it.The more people who sign by Monday, the
more powerful a message we'll send. Please sign today -- together, we can have an impact.
Thanks for being a bold progressive.
--Aaron Swartz, Stephanie Taylor, Adam Green, Michael Snook,
Natasha Patel, and the PCCC team
P.S. This petition comes on the heels of some amazing
progress.Days after PCCC members chipped in to air a TV ad
asking "if Harry Reid is strong and effective enough a leader to
pass a public option into law," Reid is now "furiously
working the phones" in support of a public option, according to
the Huffington Post.
The New York Times quotes a Reid aide saying, "There is a
growing sense that we need to lead on this issue...The idea is that
it's better to show some fight." Exactly! Congrats, everyone --
our activism made a difference.
* "Sources: White House Pushing Back Against Senate Public
Option Opt Out Compromise," Talking Points Memo, September 23,
2009
"White House to Reid: We hope you know what you're doing,"
Washington Post, September 23, 2009
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Committee PAC (www.boldprogressives.org) and not authorized by any
candidate or candidate's committee. Contributions to the PCCC are not
deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax
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