Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Herding Cats


Last week I told you health care reform will be moving very, very quickly in Washington. The Senate Finance committee, the only committee left holding up the works, passed their version of health care reform yesterday. A bill could come for a vote as early as next week.

We need to move fast. This may be our last, best chance to exert pressure in a way that will have a profound effect on the outcome.

We have 51 votes in the Senate - a majority - to pass a strong public option, yet Senate Majority leader Harry Reid has been sending mixed signals that he doesn't have the 60 votes he needs to overcome a Republican filibuster. He won't even tells us what Democratic Member out of our 60-vote supermajority is threatening to stand with Republican's to hold the public option hostage!

This is unacceptable. We need health care reform - with a strong pubic option - brought to the floor of the Senate for an up and down vote. If there are Democratic Lawmakers in Washington who don't want to vote for it, make them vote for it in public! Don't let them hide behind a filibuster threat so they don't have to go on the record.

There is no point in having 60 votes if you are not going to use 60 votes!



CALL
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (202) 224-3542
Tell him, "You must bring a bill to the floor of the Senate that has the strongest possible public option. No triggers, co-ops or delays. You have 60 votes to overcome a filibuster - USE THEM!"


The White House (202) 456-1414
Tell President Obama, "You must use your power to pressure Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to bring a strong public option up for an up-and-vote. There is no point in having 60 votes if you are not going to use 60 votes!"



SIGN THE PETITION

At least one senator in the Democratic caucus is blocking a public option - but we don't know who. That's because Majority Leader Harry Reid is protecting any senator who wants to join a Republican filibuster of health care reform.

This isn't just wrong, it's deeply immoral. If a Democrat wants to filibuster a public option, make them do it in public.

Harry Reid can no longer allow members of the Democratic caucus to block a public option behind the closed doors of the Senate.

Sign Firedoglake's petition to Harry Reid: force the silent filibuster senators out into the open. It's time for a public count for the public option.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION!

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