Dick Durbin, "open" to trashing Public Option, needs a few phone calls today:

[Faryn Balyncd]

Who is hell does he work for?




Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Assistant Majority Leader
WASHINGTON, D.C.
309 Hart Senate Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
9 am to 6 pm
[phone] - ph
[phone] - fx





Tell Durbin Howard Dean is RIGHT:

"If you're not going to have a public option, don't pretend you're doing health reform"

- - - Howard Dean


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8577137

:kick:

[asdjrocky]

1. Just got off of the phone.

The staffer that I spoke to was very nice and listened to everything I had to say. Remember people, there is no need to be rude to a staffer.

[Faryn Balyncd]

2. Dear SILENT "Unrecommenders": Mind explaining why we should not call our assistant leader?

Could there possibly be corporate trolls on DU?

[Oregone]

3. Who cares? The "public option" is a fucking distraction

And you are distracted.

11 to 12 people covered within a decade isn't significant enough to be pissing bullets about. If you are that pissed about anything, it should be that Medicare for All was off the table.

[Faryn Balyncd]

4. I am.

I've made my thoughts quite clear about Single Payer Medicare-for-All:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Faryn%20Balyncd/6



But what is being decided is whether a bill will be passed which mandates the purchase of insurance from a private-insurance-only system, or whether we will have the option of choosing a public plan. The corporatists are intent or gutting, if not totally eliminating a public plan, and furthermore, if they succeed, they won't be content to stop there. They want nothing less than the privatization of Medicare itself.

Your assistance is needed.

[HamdenRice]

12. Well, now you know who unrec'd. It's the doomers, Obama haters, the Bush=Obama purist mob.

They hate the idea of actually doing something, like calling a Congressman, and getting involved in a solution.

[Oregone]

14. Yeah, non-lock-steppers are evil tyrants raining on everyone's parade

Ive said it before...Id make calls and carry water for anything substantial enough to believe in. The "public option"...not so much.


BTW, no unrec from me.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

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[shellgame26]

22. which side are you on exactly?

because unless you can summon some awesome jedi mind trick powers and convince the authors of the bill as well as the hordes of brainwashed birther nimrods that expanding medicare for all is the only way to go then GET BEHIND THE BILL!

[Oregone]

23. Im sure that Im either with you or against you.

Ill let you figure that out.

But pointing out that the "public option" is merely becoming an inconsequential distraction that is overhyped and overblown (or conversely, under-developed) doesn't really tell you either way. Its a debatable point that makes no one a "FUCKING IDIOT"; a party of intellectuals should encourage debate amongst themselves rather than stifle it.

Personally, my lines in the sand are much more congruent with a country that already has both socialized health insurance and socialized health care (that's right, America). Would I prefer Medicare for All? Absolutely. But Id settle along those lines with merely expanding Medicare incrementally to different segments of the population, or creating a public run catastrophic insurance based on some "affordability" quotient. Those seem like much more incremental and pragmatic approaches than what Im seeing today. In fact, Im not really 100% sure what Im seeing today with this bill; it appears to be a lot of band-aid fixes on a broken system whose goals could be much more easily with other routes. Why aren't those routes being explored? If it really does accomplish its stated goals, why is it more viable politically than other said methods (which are not viable due to their ability to accomplish those goals)? Why is it permissible to allow a broken system to continue allowing people to suffer? If it is possible to completely regulate and hamstring a private insurance company, what benefit is there to allowing it to even exist?

[shellgame26]

24. Please explain to me

how you plan to convince the authors of the bill that hasn't even been completed yet to completely abolish private insurance companies. Because it seems like instead of "band-aid fixes" that's what your proposing. You don't have to like the bill (it's certainly not what I would have wanted) but at some point you are going to have to choose a side. Either you are going to be for it or against it. That's what it all boils down to.

The fact that the insurance companies are fighting tooth and nail to derail this thing should tell you something.

[Oregone]

26. And explain to me....

How incrementally expanding Medicare to other segments of the population (or creating a single-payer catastrophic insurance with an "affordable" deductible) is tantamount to "completely abolish{ing} private insurance companies".

Isn't that another straw-man you are creating?


"You don't have to like the bill (it's certainly not what I would have wanted) but at some point you are going to have to choose a side."

Yes, and believe it or not, there are more than two sides. Its isn't merely the Obamanauts vs Birthers. Unfortunately in America, you see all people under different spectrums being shoved into two separate tents, then half the people in each tent are told told to shut the fuck up or go to the other tent (in other countries, there are a lot of different tents, and some actually have to work together rather than shut up and hold their noses). Anyway, Im perfectly happy with the side Ive chosen (and it isn't the lock-step side or the Palin/McCain lunatic crew either).

[shellgame26]

28. exactly what quixotic universe are you living in?

This is what you said:

"Why is it permissible to allow a broken system to continue allowing people to suffer? If it is possible to completely regulate and hamstring a private insurance company, what benefit is there to allowing it to even exist?"

Did it escape your attention that the msm is completely in the tank for the private insurance companies? They portray the town-hall mobs sympathetically as "concerned citizens for democracy" I don't know how old you are (honestly, I'm not trying to be rude) but don't you understand that in order for anything even remotely progressive to get passed one has to wade neck-deep through a morass of propaganda? It's all about the info wars, soundbytes rule the day and few Americans actually read. SO if the president can't even get a watered down health bill through without being accused of being a socialist tyrant, how HOW do you expect what your proposing to get through?

[Oregone]

30. "how HOW do you expect what your proposing to get through"

Id "imagine" that presenting a sensible, simple and streamlined plan that people could actually believe in, fully understand, and get excited about would produce legions of followers who would carry the water and shout down any opposition.

It is no surprise to me that "a watered down health bill" that stands somewhere in the middle and nowhere at all will get trashed with little push-back.

My quixotic universe is the greatest. Im not even a 30 year old American with a Medicare card in my wallet. Ive seen the grass on the other side and I know what is actually possible and the benefits of it for the society (yet, I also must ration care to my family every time I visit the states--great system you got here).

[shellgame26]

32. "with little push-back"

seriously? Ever heard of Glenn Beck? And he's just one of the 1000:1 conservative:liberal propagandists out there.
Obama never proposed single-payer when he was campaigning, yet he was still elected. What does that tell you about Americans? I have long since come to terms with the fact that America is simply not a liberal country. Theoretically 51% of the electorate voted for GWB. Alors, faced with this fact, the president proposes an exchange which includes a govt.run plan as well as the option to keep the suckie insurance they alreay have. That way, the naysayers can't say that their private insurance is being taken away from them, even though they're already saying it.

BTW. I no longer live in the states. I've experienced many different pastures and NOWHERE have I said that the states has a great system. I think considering where America is now, this bill is that one tiny step towards a better system somewhere down the road.

Peace

[Oregone]

33. The "Push-back" I proposed would be from the liberal side...

Who currently have little to believe in and less to fight for in the current reform. Why do the Democrats insist upon entering a battle without their fiercest allies on their sides, backing them 100%? Its beyond me.

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. I need a break.

purists are hurting the progressive cause than a million teabaggers could ever do.

You won't get single payer in one bite. Never. Never. Never. Not in your lifetime and not in mine. But you know that, purists are simply addicted being Don Quixote.

[Oregone]

10. Ah, quit the "all or nothing" bullshit talking points already

My point really is that a firewalled, self-sustaining "public option" covering a mere 12 million after a decade is so insiginificant it isn't so much as a "bite" for single-payer at all (its not really that important). Why does anyone give a damn about something so fucking inconsquential (which will have no market impact with a regulated base)?

Why is this the litmus for success of the bill, when there will probably be another 1000 pages about the rest of the "reform"? Its a distraction and it is getting silly. In the end, I predict they will throw a bone your way and everyone can feel good about the reform because it will have a shiny pretty "public option" ribbon on top (just like the child whose eyes get huge looking at the shiny shit on Christmas).

And please...about the single-payer in one bite bullshit...its enough already. In a country with socialized health insurance AND socialized health care, we don't need supposed "liberals" trying to disguise the country as a stone-aged throwback. America is already ahead of where your line in the sand is drawn, which makes it do nothing but go backwards during reforms. If you are even concerned about obtaining some goal in the end, you should be also concerned that your starting step will take you anywhere closer. This little step simply attaches people's names to some phony reform, such that they may be immortalized forever in history. But beyond that? Heh. Anything this may end up accomplishing could of been done in much more efficient ways with bold leadership

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

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[Oregone]

27. You are either with us or against us! Smoke em out! The insurers will greet us with flowers!

Seriously. Do you ever worry that you might forget to breathe?

People will continue to die until people get serious about "reform" and look to extend the socialization of insurance. And even in such system, costs will grow to unsustainable levels until people get serious about expanding the socialization of health care to combat costs. Allowing the private market to exist and even gain market share, despite band-aids, will just ensure more people will suffer longer.

[saltpoint]

5. Happily, the line has been very busy so far this morning.

I think Senator Durbin is hearing from one or two of us on the public option question.

Keep those fingers dialing.

[Faryn Balyncd]

6. The corporate trolls are out in force - -SILENT"Unrec's" to keep Durbin's phone # off Greatest Page

[AzDar]

7. Kick!

:kick:

[rurallib]

9. Can't get through - too busy. That's a good sign

[AndyA]

11. K&R. n/m

[AzDar]

13. Let's keep This Kicked, People...

Until Mr. Durbin, and all of the other potential sell-outs GET IT !

:kick:

[Snarkoleptic]

15. k&r

[Union Yes]

16. My wallet will no longer be open to donating to Durbin.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

18. Kick!

[SemiCharmedQuark]

19. and Rec.

[Critters2]

20. I called. Here's a link to the info I was given:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6267013&mesg_id=6267013

[me b zola]

29. Well, that staffer just learned more about me than he probably wanted to know

I feel that I made a compelling case for a strong public option, although I did let him know that single payer is what we really should be doing.

[defendandprotect]

31. "...experiencing high call volume" . . . "call back later" --

[protect our future]

34. Don't just phone the Washington DC office ....

You can also phone Durbin's three state offices, and it doesn't matter what state you are from. Just let whoever answers the phone know you want your voice heard, just like each teaparty townhall disrupter who has their voice heard nationally by getting filmed shouting and yelling at a local townhall meeting for the benefit of widespread TV and internet coverage.

Senator Durbin's three State offices:


CHICAGO
230 S Dearborn St.
Suite 3892
Chicago, IL 60604
8:30 am to 5 pm
[phone] - phone

SPRINGFIELD
525 South 8th St.
Springfield, IL 62703
8:30 am to 5 pm
[phone] - phone

MARION
701 N. Court St.
Marion, IL 62959
8:30 am to 5 pm
[phone] - phone