Dear Kos Community,

I was asked by Congressman John Conyers, specifically two of his indefatigable staffers, Joel Segal and Jonathan Godfrey (and one other Conyers hero, who I don't know named Dan), to come to Washington to speak to what they tell me is a large gathering of Congressional staffers about healthcare reform. Yeah, I'd prefer not to go. I know I'm probably much better sitting behind my computer.

They want me to give a picture of exactly what Americans are experiencing across the land.  You see, living in Washington, and having access to Rolls Royce healthcare courtesy of the taxpayers and the FEHBP, probably makes many of these good people less aware of the suffering, than we are.

So I will give them a lesson in human suffering, death and misery. I will tell them what ordinary Americans experience day-in and day-out at the merciless hands of the for-profit insurance industry, and due to generations of official indifference from those we elect to do our business.

Read on....

While Baucus continued to aver that single payer can not pass the legislature, the nurses and doctors pressed him to:
• Hold a hearing in which the merits of single payer can be contrasted with the plans now rapidly advancing in the Senate. While Baucus said the tight timeline made that very difficult, Sanders noted that Sen. Chris Dodd is considering a health committee hearing on single payer, which Baucus could co-sponsor. Baucus said, "let me think about it."