Well, the House is moving health care reform legislation forward.  Waxman, the Blue Dogs and the Progressive Caucus are working it out and apparently will move a decent bill (including public option) out of the Energy and Commerce committee prior to August recess.  All well and good!  But in the Senate - MAX BAUCUS IS STILL DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!  His failure to even get a final proposal out of his tiny "bipartisan" working group to present to the full Finance Committee is inexcusable at this point. 

Max, Grassley, Enzi, Conrad, Bingaman and Snowe are thumbing their noses at us and Obama.  How many hundreds of times now have we heard vague reports that they are "edging forward" or "making progress".  Progress my ass!  These few, powerful, reactionary senators have pitched their obstructionist picnic in the middle of the health care reform highway, and call for more lemonade as we the people sit fuming in a traffic jam of thwarted ideals and stymied enthusiasm.

I would like to walk into that conference room and throw icewater on these six sad sacks, then loudly alert them to their neglected duty.  Failing that, I sent the following fax to Max today.  It may mean nothing to him, but it made me feel better.

I call upon you to please do your part to expedite the completion of your Senate Finance Committee health care reform bill!  We, the American people, have waited a very long time, and we are becoming more and more impatient. 

We have waited many months, as your bipartisan group within the Finance Committee continues to meet and issue vague comments about "making progress".  Meanwhile, the Senate HELP Committee completed a solid bill, and the various House of Representatives committees have done highly commendable work in moving their bills forward. 

The little we know about the bill being crafted by your Finance Committee indicates that it runs counter to the efforts of the bills already advanced in the House and Senate.  The information leaked earlier this week indicates that your proposed bill does not include a public health insurance option, which is one of the key features of health care reform desired by the American people and President Obama. 

Although one must wonder why you would jettison the public option, apparently in an attempt to please Republican Senators with whom you are negotiating, it is your prerogative to do so.  Do as you wish, Sir, but by all means COMPLETE A BILL and move it out of your committee! 

You are becoming public enemy #1 in the perception of Americans who care about moving health care reform forward.  You are seen as an obstructionist who is holding the process hostage.  Your motives are being questioned, and you are widely viewed as being bought and paid for by insurance companies that have contributed massive sums to you over the years.  Is this what you want?  Is this the image you wish to convey?  Is this the way you would like to be remembered?  I think not.  For your own sake as well as the good of the American people, Sir - COMPLETE A BILL and move it out of your committee, and let the process move forward! 

If this means postponing or shortening the August recess, so be it!  We, the people, in our professional and personal lives must postpone or delay vacations when important issues present themselves and demand our time and attention.  We expect no less of our legislators.

The American people want health care reform, and we know that this is a pivotal moment in the struggle to finally make reform happen.  We are watching to see what our legislators will do.  Please show us what you are made of!  Please COMPLETE A BILL and move it out of your committee!

Regards,

Tim Tarleton

We are at one of many crucial junctures in the process of advancing health care reform legislation.  It certainly seems to me at times that events are proceeding without any way for us to influence them.  It takes work to remind myself that this is untrue, and also a convenient cop-out.  We the people continue to have power, when we make our voices heard.  A loud noise made by constituents gets the attention of any elected official, even those who claim otherwise. 

It's important for us to keep asking for what we want in healthcare reform.  To me at this point that certainly includes universal (or near-universal) coverage and a strong public option.  Single payer is my true preference, but I believe a bill with a strong public option is the pragmatic way forward to opening that single payer door over time. 

Some pundits opine that we have enough momentum on our side for reform to survive if the House and Senate do not pass their respective bills prior to August recess.  I'd like to believe that, but I am not confident in it.  Therefore, my current focus and what I recommend to others is to push our reps and senators to complete legislation prior to August recess, even if it means postponing/shortening the recess.

I do believe (as CT - love him or hate him - has insisted many times) that faxing is a fine way to communicate with Congress.  All those pages spilling out of the machines make an impression.  However, if you aren't into faxing, call or Email.  Just make your voice heard!  I think this is of particular urgency if your senator or rep is one of those who is currently holding up the show (House Blue Dogs, Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, etc.)

For what it's worth, here's the text of a fax I just sent to my Dem rep (and to my Dem senator, with the appropriate changes).  I must admit I have given up on my right-wing Republican senator.

I call upon you to please do your part to expedite passage of a House health care reform bill before the August recess.  The primary effect of a delay in the process at this point may be to kill legislative momentum and destroy any real chance of passing health care reform this year, or even for the rest of President Obama's term in office.  Shall we then wait another decade or so, as our system crumbles and the number of uninsured skyrockets further, until we take another stab at it?  Please don't let this happen!

There will be time and opportunity to amend the details of health care reform legislation in the conference committee process.  Delaying progress until after the August recess will kill momentum and make the proposed bills sitting targets for opponents of health care reform, who will mount a well-financed onslaught of smears and fear-based propaganda throughout August.  Please don't let this happen!

If completing and passing a House health care reform bill means postponing or shortening the August recess, so be it!  We, the people, in our professional and personal lives must postpone or cut short vacations when important issues present themselves and demand our time and attention.  We expect no less of our legislators.

The American people want health care reform, and we know that this is a pivotal moment in the struggle to finally make reform happen.  We are watching to see what our legislators will do.  Please show us what you are made of!  Support and fight for health care reform now!  Make us proud!

Regards,

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