At the end of May, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed a bill that can put Vermont on the path to single-payer health care. As it stands, Vermont’s plan is to cover every resident of the state for actual health care they can use. But the Green Mountain State’s ambitious plan can only succeed if the Federal Government grants several critical waivers of existing health care laws.

Firedoglake and Physicians for a National Health Plan (PNHP) joined forces to ask Kathleen Sebelius, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, for favorable conditions for all of Vermont’s waivers to implement its plan. More than 26,000 people have signed our petition in just several short weeks – an incredible show of support.

Single-payer health care was pushed out of the health care debate long before Congress voted in 2010. We’re determined to make sure that doesn’t happen again…but Karl Rove is already on the move.

This week Karl Rove’s secretive, multi-million dollar front group filed its second lawsuit against HHS seeking information about waivers. Rove is putting up millions of dollars in undisclosed donations to attack waiver recipients by suing HHS. These lawsuits are part of Rove’s plan to set the narrative early by labeling any waiver request as tainted by political favoritism.

We must set the terms of the debate now, before Rove unleashes his inevitable attacks on Vermont. In order to build up our campaign for Vermont’s waivers early, we need to raise $15,000 before Rove turns his sights on Vermont.

Can you chip in $15 to protect against Rove’s coming attacks?

In order for any state to implement single-payer, they’re going to have to have the same kind of waivers from HHS that Vermont needs to implement its new health care bill. But Karl Rove is already filing lawsuits and attacking the White House for granting any waivers at all.

Everybody reading this post has seen what happens to the resolve of our political leaders when well-funded GOP groups go on the attack. It usually ends up with those leaders hiding under a table, waving a white flag.

That’s why it’s so critical we burst out the gate with a strong show of support. Obviously, $15,000 for our campaign won’t stack up against millions from Rove. But your donation now to our initial goal will help us expand our ranks, run micro-targeted advertisements to key decision makers, and ensure we have early momentum to carry our message of universal health care.

We need to raise $15,000 in early campaign investments to protect Vermont’s right to health care for all. Can you donate $15  to help reach our goal?

Thank you for your support on this issue; be sure to add your name to our petition, and chip in to our early campaign fund if you can.