{"id":10684,"date":"2009-12-10T01:56:45","date_gmt":"2009-12-10T01:56:45","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2009-12-10T01:56:45","modified_gmt":"2009-12-10T01:56:45","slug":"fdl-action-health-care-update-wednesday-12909","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/2009\/12\/10\/fdl-action-health-care-update-wednesday-12909\/","title":{"rendered":"FDL Action Health Care Update: Wednesday (12\/9\/09)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" vspace=5 hspace=5 align=left src=\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2536\/3996343323_077bd43f47_m.jpg\">Here are the <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/\">FDL Action<\/a> health care reform highlights for Wednesday, December 9.<\/p>\n<p>1. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/one-voice-for-choice-obama-wont-lose-stupak-if-it-means-losing-votes\/\">Marta Evry points out<\/a> that it&#8217;s far too early to &#8220;fold up our tent and start our Christmas shopping early&#8221; with regard to protecting women&#8217;s reproductive rights in health care reform legislation. Evry notes that, &#8220;so far, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.onevoiceforchoice.com\/\">One Voice For Choice<\/a> is the only campaign going on out there that&#8217;s targeting the Stupak coalition of conservadems&#8221; on this issue. She encourages everyone to <a href=\"http:\/\/action.firedoglake.com\/page\/event\/search_simple\">join a &#8220;One Voice for Choice&#8221; phone bank<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/action.firedoglake.com\/page\/event\/create\">start one of your own.<\/a> Thanks.<\/p>\n<p>2. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/thanks-blanche-lincoln\/\">Jane Hamsher says<\/a> that &#8220;despite the fact that the country wants a public option, the President campaigned on one and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid both promised there would be one in the final bill, the woman who took <a href=\"http:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/politicians\/industries.php?cid=N00008092&#038;cycle=2010\">$763,000 from health care interests for her upcoming Senate race<\/a> is allowed to dictate what happens.&#8221; And that woman&#8217;s name is&#8230;you got it, Blanche Lincoln, who until recently <a href=\"http:\/\/wonkroom.thinkprogress.org\/2009\/11\/21\/lincoln-site-public\/\">claimed on her website<\/a> that she supported &#8220;a quality, affordable public plan.&#8221; And if you believe that one, I&#8217;ve got some awesome, low-priced private insurance I&#8217;d like to sell you. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p>3. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/the-public-option-%e2%80%9cdeal%e2%80%9d-that-does-not-sound-like-it-is-even-a-deal-yet\/\">Jon Walker writes<\/a> that, at this point, &#8220;it is impossible to even evaluate this pile of vague ideas that may or may not be part of this &#8216;deal.'&#8221; Walker concludes, &#8220;Fancy names like &#8216;Medicare buy-in&#8217; sound good, but it could easily be worthless subterfuge, just like the trigger. I recommend everyone stay very skeptical and hold judgment for a day or two until we actually know what we are dealing with.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>4. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/obama-claims-victory-over-this\/\">Jane Hamsher is incredulous<\/a> that OFA is fundraising off of a health-care reform package that she sees as &#8211; to put it mildly &#8211; subpar. <\/p>\n<p>5. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/not-so-fast-howard-dean-medicare-buy-in-might-not-end-up-what-you-think\/\">Jon Walker warns<\/a> Howard Dean that the &#8220;Medicare buy-in&#8221; he is talking about &#8220;might not at all resemble the Medicare buy-in that [he] wants.&#8221; Or it might. The main thing right now is to &#8220;wait until you hear details&#8221; of this plan; until then, &#8220;we are simply chasing vapor.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>6. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/obama-fail\/\">Jane Hamsher urges<\/a> everyone to <a href=\"http:\/\/action.firedoglake.com\/page\/s\/obamafail\">sign a petition<\/a> urging President Obama to &#8220;save the public option and make these statements more than mere campaign promises.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>7. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/pnhp-statement-on-lowering-medicare-age-to-55\/\">Jane Hamsher reports<\/a> that she contacted Physicians for a National Health Program to see what they thought about lowering the Medicare age to 55. The response was that it &#8220;only works if it is mandatory&#8230;Otherwise it becomes the place where all the sickest patients get dumped.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>8. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/why-did-snowe-not-demand-giving-americans-the-freedom-to-buy-cheaper-drugs-from-canada\/\">Jon Walker asks<\/a>, &#8220;Why Did Snowe Not Demand Giving Americans The Freedom To Buy Cheaper Drugs From Canada?&#8221; More broadly, Walker finds it &#8220;very unfortunate that Snowe decided to use her new-found power for evil instead of good.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>9. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/public-option-remains-popular-health-care-reform-not-so-much\/\">Jon Walker notes<\/a> results from a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.quinnipiac.edu\/x1295.xml?ReleaseID=1403\">new Quinnipiac poll<\/a> indicating strong support for a public option, &#8220;even as Senate Democrats look to kill the idea.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>10. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/obama-fought-hard-for-triggers-why-wont-he-own-them\/\">Jane Hamsher provides<\/a> a timeline indicating longstanding support in the Obama administration for a &#8220;trigger,&#8221; stating that this is &#8220;something that Rahm Emanuel has been fighting for all along.&#8221; &nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" vspace=5 hspace=5 align=left src=\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2536\/3996343323_077bd43f47_m.jpg\">Here are the <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/\">FDL Action<\/a> health care reform highlights for Wednesday, December 9.<\/p>\n<p>1. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/one-voice-for-choice-obama-wont-lose-stupak-if-it-means-losing-votes\/\">Marta Evry points out<\/a> that it&#8217;s far too early to &#8220;fold up our tent and start our Christmas shopping early&#8221; with regard to protecting women&#8217;s reproductive rights in health care reform legislation. Evry notes that, &#8220;so far, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.onevoiceforchoice.com\/\">One Voice For Choice<\/a> is the only campaign going on out there that&#8217;s targeting the Stupak coalition of conservadems&#8221; on this issue. She encourages everyone to <a href=\"http:\/\/action.firedoglake.com\/page\/event\/search_simple\">join a &#8220;One Voice for Choice&#8221; phone bank<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/action.firedoglake.com\/page\/event\/create\">start one of your own.<\/a> Thanks.<\/p>\n<p>2. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/thanks-blanche-lincoln\/\">Jane Hamsher says<\/a> that &#8220;despite the fact that the country wants a public option, the President campaigned on one and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid both promised there would be one in the final bill, the woman who took <a href=\"http:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/politicians\/industries.php?cid=N00008092&#038;cycle=2010\">$763,000 from health care interests for her upcoming Senate race<\/a> is allowed to dictate what happens.&#8221; And that woman&#8217;s name is&#8230;you got it, Blanche Lincoln, who until recently <a href=\"http:\/\/wonkroom.thinkprogress.org\/2009\/11\/21\/lincoln-site-public\/\">claimed on her website<\/a> that she supported &#8220;a quality, affordable public plan.&#8221; And if you believe that one, I&#8217;ve got some awesome, low-priced private insurance I&#8217;d like to sell you. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p>3. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/the-public-option-%e2%80%9cdeal%e2%80%9d-that-does-not-sound-like-it-is-even-a-deal-yet\/\">Jon Walker writes<\/a> that, at this point, &#8220;it is impossible to even evaluate this pile of vague ideas that may or may not be part of this &#8216;deal.'&#8221; Walker concludes, &#8220;Fancy names like &#8216;Medicare buy-in&#8217; sound good, but it could easily be worthless subterfuge, just like the trigger. I recommend everyone stay very skeptical and hold judgment for a day or two until we actually know what we are dealing with.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>4. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/obama-claims-victory-over-this\/\">Jane Hamsher is incredulous<\/a> that OFA is fundraising off of a health-care reform package that she sees as &#8211; to put it mildly &#8211; subpar. <\/p>\n<p>5. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/not-so-fast-howard-dean-medicare-buy-in-might-not-end-up-what-you-think\/\">Jon Walker warns<\/a> Howard Dean that the &#8220;Medicare buy-in&#8221; he is talking about &#8220;might not at all resemble the Medicare buy-in that [he] wants.&#8221; Or it might. The main thing right now is to &#8220;wait until you hear details&#8221; of this plan; until then, &#8220;we are simply chasing vapor.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>6. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/obama-fail\/\">Jane Hamsher urges<\/a> everyone to <a href=\"http:\/\/action.firedoglake.com\/page\/s\/obamafail\">sign a petition<\/a> urging President Obama to &#8220;save the public option and make these statements more than mere campaign promises.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>7. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/pnhp-statement-on-lowering-medicare-age-to-55\/\">Jane Hamsher reports<\/a> that she contacted Physicians for a National Health Program to see what they thought about lowering the Medicare age to 55. The response was that it &#8220;only works if it is mandatory&#8230;Otherwise it becomes the place where all the sickest patients get dumped.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>8. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/why-did-snowe-not-demand-giving-americans-the-freedom-to-buy-cheaper-drugs-from-canada\/\">Jon Walker asks<\/a>, &#8220;Why Did Snowe Not Demand Giving Americans The Freedom To Buy Cheaper Drugs From Canada?&#8221; More broadly, Walker finds it &#8220;very unfortunate that Snowe decided to use her new-found power for evil instead of good.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>9. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/public-option-remains-popular-health-care-reform-not-so-much\/\">Jon Walker notes<\/a> results from a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.quinnipiac.edu\/x1295.xml?ReleaseID=1403\">new Quinnipiac poll<\/a> indicating strong support for a public option, &#8220;even as Senate Democrats look to kill the idea.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>10. <a href=\"http:\/\/fdlaction.firedoglake.com\/2009\/12\/09\/obama-fought-hard-for-triggers-why-wont-he-own-them\/\">Jane Hamsher provides<\/a> a timeline indicating longstanding support in the Obama administration for a &#8220;trigger,&#8221; stating that this is &#8220;something that Rahm Emanuel has been fighting for all along.&#8221; &nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4343,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[22],"tags":[8000,6911,855,7464],"class_list":["post-10684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-22","tag-8000","tag-6911","tag-855","tag-7464"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6Pvhz-2Mk","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4343"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10684"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10684\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}