i figure that as things evolve, the message can too.

Otherwise, why not? It’s not going to pass. Let it get to the floor. No danger.

If you’re looking for a way to leverage it onto the floor, however, it would be the same mechanisms. Cosponors would have to band together to hold up something that leadership wants. But it’s a lot of anxiety to go to for something that doesn’t have the votes, and I can’t see any member of Congress doing that.

I am much happier with the fact that I’m seeing the HR676 and Public Option supporters working together instead of mutually recriminating.

Obamacare a ‘rotten fish,’ says Broun at town hall

His doc doesn’t address some of my special concerns – like no particular/specific reference to the public option, much less HR 676 option, or the need to incorporate HR 2002 to provide for greater and easier access for IVIG treatments for neuropathy and other patients to correct for present legislation. But his long legislative health care reform history and his specific concerns for which he’s worked as an active HWMC member were encouraging. I hope that any FDL readers in his district will thank him for his courageous actions and thus repudiating the other blue dogs who are fighting reform.

Tonight I attended what was billed as a prayer vigil, but was actually an interfaith pep rally for health care reform now. There was only one reference to HR 3200 and no references to HR 676, etc. The event at the federal court house building featured a big sign thanking Rep. Doris Matsui for her support for health care reform. The speakers were clergy and lay persons, some of whom were old personal friends and colleagues, and some local political leaders who have long been present at SacACT political action gatherings. (SacACT stands for Sacramento Area Congregations Together, an interfaith org representing some 40 institutions in our area that have been working together for years on many issues, including health care, concerning socio-economic justice issues of concern to families. They’ve been quite successfully, I might add.

It was a low-keyed, pleasant, and occasionally inspiring experience that was such a contrast to the televised town hall meetings. Rep. Matsui was not present, but will be at one of the sponsoring churches later in the month. The event was not publicized to the public and the hundred or more attending were mostly white, although hispanic and black congregations were represented and their clergy were featured speakers. Another of the speakers was a young high schooler recently diagnosed with Type I diabetes; she was fairly newly enrolled in a state program (whose funds I think have been cut by the Schwarzenegger budget) and whose dad is also diabetic. While he works 14 hours a day six days a week, he doesn’t make enough money to pay for insurance for the family, or his much needed meds. She worries about his life and potential death for lack of proper care. Youth speakers are common at SacACT events.

SacACT is part of a national network of local community organizations (one might consider them a “conservative” ACORN org) and that network is doing a lot of local events and DC lobbying work for health care reform.

I’m glad to have been told about the event being provided the means to attend, and most of all being enlivened and encouraged to get back in to the process.

Maybe there’s a SacACT type organization in your area that’s mobilizing the faith communities in your area to work for health care reform at the local, state and national levels.

Blessings,

i don’t actually know that right now, and have to admit that i was assuming weiner was planning to do the same thing he had planned in the e&c committee: offering an amendment that would essentially substitute hr 676 for hr 3200. i’m going to have to make some phone calls tomorrow.