Recent news stories suggest that President Obama and the Dems have started to show some backbone.
The New York Times reports that Congress and the President have managed to cancel some military contracts, despite the strenuous efforts of lobbyists and lawmakers to retain the unneeded programs: Victory for Obama over Military Lobby.
Nancy Pelosi is supporting a public option. (See the email attached below; it has positive things to say about the Affordable Health Care for America Act.) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid now supports a public option too:Reid: "The Public Option With An Opt-Out Is The One That's Fair".
President Obama recently castigated banks and the insurance industry. According to Obama Targets Insurance Companies, Banks in New York Appearance, "Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, and other administration officials last weekend went on the offensive against financial institutions as part of an effort to keep up momentum for the regulatory changes. They accused the industry of lobbying to weaken the regulatory plan after taxpayer bailouts helped them restore profits and executive bonuses."
The Nation reports, in The Tide Is Turning on Healthcare Reform, that "momentum on healthcare reform has unmistakably shifted....we've seen a change in strategy, a strong grassroots movement and markedly firmer resolve by the White House and liberal Democrats in Congress. "The article reports that the insurance industry over-reached and Democrats have decided that the insurance industry went too far and needs to be reined in."
Obama used his weekly address on October 17 to blast the insurance industry in words even stronger than he used in his speech to Congress in September. "The history is clear: for decades rising healthcare costs have unleashed havoc on families, businesses and the economy," Obama said. "And for decades, whenever we have tried to reform the system, the insurance companies have done everything in their considerable power to stop us." He charged the industry with "filling the airwaves with deceptive and dishonest ads" and "funding studies designed to mislead the American people." And he suggested that it was time to reconsider the industry's exemption from federal anti-trust laws.See also Obama Attacks Health Insurance Industry.
Obama's pay czar, Ken Feinberg, is taking steps to limit executive compensation at banks that received bailout money: Fed seeks oversight of bonuses at banks.
Of course, it's unclear whether the final health care bill passed by Congress and signed by the President will contain a robust public option and will rein in insurance company excesses. Obama has barely begun to stop out-of-control military spending and imperialism. And the uneven distribution of wealth isn't likely to significantly improve soon.
But glimmers of hope are better than doom-and-gloom.
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Today, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi stood up and announced the Affordable Health Care for America Act, a bill that will ensure good health care is more affordable to Americans and will give us the choice of a public health insurance option.1
This bill is the strongest bill in Congress:
- It has a national public health insurance option that's available on day one
- It makes health care more affordable to families
- It is fairly financed and doesn't tax the middle class to pay for reform
- It asks employers to pitch in their fair share for their employees' health benefits
- It regulates the bad practices of insurance companies like denying care to people with pre-existing conditions.
Click here to send a message to your Representative in the House, telling them you support this bill and asking them to vote for it.
In the coming weeks, bills will go to the floors of each house for amendments and a final vote. A lot will be happening quickly, and we will have to say vigilant to make sure the strongest possible health care bill makes it through both the House and the Senate.
I know I've been asking a lot from you recently, but our collective energy is what will win this fight. There will be a lot more coming in the next few weeks and months, with a lot of urgent things for you to do.
But today, a bill has been delivered to the House that meets our principles for real reform that will give all of us quality, affordable health care.
Click here to email your Representative and let them know you support the Affordable Health Care for America Act and they should vote for it.
We'll do our best to keep you informed and give you ways to help going forward. Keep up your energy and we'll be able to win!
To your health,
Levana Layendecker
Health Care for America Now
