Action Wednesday: We Did It!?

Let's Organize...for Ourselves!

Goodness, gracious!  I got an email from Tim Kaine, who is falling all over himself with delight: 

Chatblu-

We did it. With House passage of health reform last weekend, we took a huge step toward providing affordable options to those without insurance, providing greater security for those who are already covered, and reducing costs for families and small businesses.

There have been many attempts in the last nearly 100 years, but Saturday’s vote was the first time a chamber of Congress succeeded in passing comprehensive health reform. As President Obama wrote after the vote, “This is history.”

But now we need to keep the pressure on — and one of the best ways to show our support is to fill local newspapers across the country with letters about why we need reform now.

Take a few minutes to write a letter to the editor in support of health reform.

http://my.democrats.org/page/speakout/posthouseLTE

Your letter can tell a personal story about why health reform matters to you and your family, or explain how important it is that our representatives stand with their constituents and not the special interests. 

After the House vote, there are three big steps left, and it’s going to be a fight the whole way. Soon, the Senate will vote on its version of the bill, then there will be a round of negotiations to combine the two versions, and finally, each chamber will take a final vote.

It’s going to be an uphill battle, but my experiences as governor have taught me that moments like this weekend’s vote serve to motivate and spark action. When one chamber takes the first step, it encourages the other to quickly follow suit.

This is among the most critical issues facing our country today. I’m sure that years from now, we’ll all look back on this as one of the most important fights of our life.

Let’s make sure we give everything we can to keep the pressure on and win this thing:

http://my.democrats.org/HouseLTE

Sincerely, 

Governor Tim Kaine
Chairman

Anything less than delirious with joy is simply unacceptable to Governor Kaine. In fact, however, the whole damned thing is unacceptable.  I agree with both the Governor and the President:  this is history, but they seem to feel that it’s in the sense of a historic benchmark, while I tend to believe that it is a return to the 1960’s.  (Not that the 60’s were entirely bad –just the part about backstreet and do-it-yourself abortions.)

“But”, says the chairman, “we need to keep the pressure on”.  Happy to comply, Governor.  You should right about now be feeling unprecedented pressure, not only from us bitter knitters, but from disillusioned KoolAid sippers as well.  He urges us to use the link provided to send letters to the editor, and I have taken him up on it.  Now, I can’t begin to tell you if these go directly to the local papers.  If they do, he is a complete fool.  Nonetheless, I would urge everyone to utilize the link (if it doesn’t work, the address above his signature will take you there as well) and write a letter expressing how you really feel about this.  So much the better if some Democratic party clerk gets to read a blue million letters expressing displeasure at the new, improved health care program.

Governor Kaine admits that this will be an uphill battle – oh, yeah.  If we have anything to say about it, it may resemble Mount Denali.  He feels that this should be a call to action.  I vote that we oblige him.  Please pass the word, and let those letters issue forth.  He says that this should “motivate and spark action”.  Make him happy, ladies and gentlemen.  Let’s roll.

This is an open thread.