We need to know their Law.

How?

A ‘public option’ system will have more customers (forming a larger pool of reserves), particularly younger ones (who aren’t using services much), young ones choosing basic plans (which cost less naturally), paying out less (since doctors don’t really charge what insurers claim), taking in the same as private insurers (which is a lot more than is really needed) and being run by a not-for-profit entity (which leaves more money in the reserves).

It doesn’t require trickery (such as price under-cutting) for this to work exceedingly well.

At some point we’re going to need accountants (or somebody to score this) who can show that in hard numbers.

http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/5981

ThatGuy, well, we seriously get to be this generation’s sons and daughters of liberty, a counter-culture, truth to power, evolved and enlightened base camp for each other here at FDL and other aware sites and communities and relationships, insisting on integrity.

Rather be aware than in denial. There is a spiritual breakthru sense of freedom and inner peace, hard won and wonderful, and those who are blocked, like Obama himself, are spiritually stunted, too afraid not to accommodate the patriarchal/authoritarian status quo. On some level he and they are aware of their cowardice. Obama can talk the talk, so there is potential. But can’t walk the walk. We gotta mourn the leader he turned out not to be.

So we have to challenge him and the collective ego-denial-narcissism in this society. And messengers aren’t treated well, no good deeds go unpunished, by those repressing the truth. But some will finally grow if we stay clear and assertive and committed. I’d rather be on this side than theirs. Out of the fog. Much better view. (They say in the dog-sled of life, if you are not a lead dog, the view is always the same. We got the spiritual good view! We are the lead dogs.)

And one more animal metaphor. There is that story about the 100 monkeys. Once 100 monkeys get the truth, the truth ripples quickly and entirely through the whole monkey nation. Takes a lot to get that 100 monkey proportional quota. The people who fought McCarthyism. The people who fought for women’s suffrage. The people who fought for racial equality. The people who fought the wrong-headedness of the Vietnam War. The people who took away the presidency from McCain and (shudder) Palin. The courageous founders of the US who made the blueprint for a just government. They got that 100 monkey quota to alter history for the better.

Our turn for this stage of the good human fight. :)

one day, breath, phone call at a time.

(((ll))) you are very wise. thank you.

It is sad that when you call during the day and are discovered to be outside the constituency you feel like a “second class” citizen and your message is not as “valuable” to them because they do not technically represent you. And many emails for reps won’t allow you to send a note if you are out of zipcode range.

They represent ALL of us. All the time, with their votes and their powerful committee memberships voting for bills that affect everyone in every state. But the message is so QUID PRO QUO even in that. Yes, local issues, state issues, they should listen to their direct constituents, but this stuff, this vote, there is something terribly wrong in being limited to press simply one’s state reps. But it is the way it is. And we can still call and there is still impact from calling. And we should use our industrial strength voice on our own reps at the very least. Let them know we are going to stay vocal and watchful.

4 health care industry lobbyists per representative. $90 million to Dems last election, $65 to Repubs allegedly from health care lobbyists which made the pure universal single payer plan NEVER EVEN SERIOUSLY ON THE TABLE though it is best for the average American sinking fast and who could use that justice, fairness, and security (we are the only industrial country without a universal plan, ranking 37th on the list of best health care … a disgrace for this country).

Thanks to you whipper-snappers, thank you thank you thank you, and I will join today, doing my calling, over and over as much as I can, and this list is so precious. Thanks for doing this leg work and giving us a base camp so that our lone message doesn’t feel like it disappears into the ether, no weight against the corporate-engined toxic to the common good status quo.

Will pass on this site and this list and try to recruit. Time to make these guys walk the walk. The progressive caucus in the Congress that talked the talk and then those who walked away from their anti-enabling of the war pledges. They have escaped unnoticed too long. Talked out of both sides of their mouths too long. Time to tell them we notice and we have long memories and are determined to stay awake and aware. Mike P on Ring of Fire, Air America, referred to the “gutless moderates” the other day. I had that naive hope when Obama came to power, though haunting doubts, that our biggest opponents were obtuse Republicans. Never dreamed the degree of selling out of our own party. Ralph Nader pointed it out long ago. Thought Ralph was being hyperbolic. So not so.

I do still believe in ants moving rubber tree plants and Frank Capra endings. We will prevail eventually if we keep on with the good fight of humanity. Thank you, all.

I’m a constituent of Congresswoman Clarke’s from Park Slope. On May 13, I stopped by your offices to thank the congresswoman for her co-sponsorship of HR 676 and to urge her to hold firm on her support for single-payer health financing reform. Since single payer has been all but shut out of current legislative deliberations, I also called for holding firm against diluted “public option” plans, such as that put forward by Senator Schumer, that would hobble a public plan so as to artificially maintain the competitiveness of for-profit health insurers.

My question is whether Congresswoman Clarke will pledge to vote against any health care reform bill that does not adhere to the CPC principles for a “robust” public option, ie (at minimum), one that is nationally available, available from day one, available to all employers and individuals without limitation, and based on existing successful government infrastructures such as Medicare.

Please don’t say yes unless you are speaking on the authority of the Congresswoman. The public option is already a compromise, and I want to ensure that the Congresswoman is on board as part of a bloc that will vote against any dilution of the CPC’s criteria for the strongest possible version of this already flawed approach.