So much for that "pledge", eh, Rep. Pascrell?

by: Adam L

Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 10:30:00 AM EDT

So it was both puzzling and disheartening to read this yesterday:

Amid fresh signs that the White House is preparing to back a scaled-down health care overhaul that would only include a public insurance option as a fallback plan, several House liberals told Roll Call that they could support such a bill depending on how it was structured.

The "trigger" approach has been considered a deal-killer by liberals on and off Capitol Hill, and the willingness of some Congressional Progressive Caucus members to entertain it reflects a recognition that a bruising August recess has imperiled prospects for reform and redrawn expectations for what is possible.

"This is a way to get a bill," Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) said. "I believe it's worth listening to because I want legislation that is going to, in some shape or form, expand coverage and bring down the cost of health care."

Let's put it bluntly - single payer was taken off the table before negotiations even started.  And now, the public option, which is the damn compromise is now being compromised?  Before reconciliation even occurs?  A "trigger" will not work.  There will either be too low of a bar in order to avoid the "trigger", too many millions will STILL be out of luck when it comes to coverage, and there is no reason to think that the "trigger" can't be compromised away for some other crap like a "co-op".  

Please call Rep. Pascrell's office and ask for clarification as to why he was standing so strong for a REAL compromise bill a few short weeks ago but is now willing to back what will be a very costly failure in the name of "passing something":

Here is the contact form on his House website, and his phone numbers are below:

Washington, DC (202) 225-5751
Paterson (Main District Office) (973) 523-5152
Bloomfield (973) 680-1361
Passaic (973) 472-4510

When we started the series on the Public Option Whip here at Blue Jersey, we stopped after Rep. Pallone since four out of the five Reps. that "took the pledge" represented districts that we didn't get to yet.  But now, in looking back, maybe we should have - given that one of these four is already wavering.

Why would you keep taking things off the table before even getting to the table?

Let's thank our four NJ "healthcare heroes"

by: Adam L

Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 05:39:04 PM EDT

Before the Congressional recess, I started a series about calling our Representatives about the public option.  And as fast as things were moving, our goal changed as quickly as we started - for a number of reasons.  For starters, we wanted to have our Reps. commit to vote against any health care bill without a public option.  And at the time, there were 2 (Holt and Payne) who committed to do so - Holt even did it on Blue Jersey Radio.  

As bills passed the various House committees and the teabagging restarted, both Pascrell and Sires joined Holt and Payne in Taking the Pledge.  So now, we are here, and we have a bit of a different take on things:

Instead of using a stick and "whipping the public option", a netroots-wide initiative is underway to use "carrots, not sticks", and thank those who have taken the "pledge" in the form of online donations to all members in the House who have taken the pledge.

For starters, here is the ActBlue page called They Took the Pledge that you can click on to show our 4 Reps. some love.  I just donated $20 to each of them.

As my good friend, David Atkins (thereisnospoon) said the other day:

A new initiative organized by Howie Klein, Jane Hamsher, my brother Dante and myself to verbally and financially reward Congressmembers who pledge to vote down any healthcare bill that does not include the public option is catching fire.  The objective is to use carrots as well as sticks to achieve progressive goals.  As I said in the diary kicking off this intiative at DailyKos:

Human beings are psychologically predictable creatures, much like Pavlov's famous canine.  We do respond well to punishment, but we respond just as well if not better to positive reinforcement.  Do nothing but beat a dog with a stick, and the dog is likelier to be aggressive than lovingly loyal.  Do nothing but scream at a child, and the child will eventually fail to respond to her abusive parent.  Senators and Representatives, no matter how elevated, are still just people: the rules of psychological conditioning still apply.  If all we can do is scream at people who don't do what we want, eventually no one will listen to us at all.

From this initiative, one that started 3 days ago, there is already $250,000 raised from over 4,000 donors - all to show that we have the backs of those who have ours.

The media is catching on to this, as there have been a number of articles recently as well.  If you care about real reform, please click here and donate whatever you can and show our 4 Reps. who have stood up for us some love.

ACTION: "Whipping the public option" - Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-6)

by: Adam L

Tue Jul 21, 2009 at 10:43:42 AM EDT

We will be focusing on each of the six other NJ House Democrats and then probably the three republicans (LoBiondo, Lance, Smith), and will go in order of District.  We did a diary on Rep. Rob Andrews (NJ-1) last week, and another yesterday focusing on Rep. John Adler (NJ-3) (if you missed them, please read them and take action there as well).  Today's focus is on Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6).  

We are also coordinating this effort with DFA-NJ, and with your participation, this could be a great way to show how the progressive community in NJ can work together to accomplish great things.  Before I get into it though, I have one request:   Please go to this diary and read the "rules" in terms of some general requests for when you call the Representatives.

What we need you to do

Rep. Pallone's contact information is below:

DC Phone:202-225-4671
DC Fax: 202-225-9665

Please call his office and thank him support for a strong public option and for "Standing with Dr. Dean" on health care reform.  Most importantly, since Rep. Pallone is a strong supporter of REAL heath care reform, and has more of a hand in crafting whatever bill gets passed in reconciliation than most, if not all of the other NJ Representatives, he understands what is at stake here.  Therefore, it is important to make sure that he would not only commit to vote against a watered down bill that may ultimately be produced in reconciliation that will either (1) not include a strong public option (as outlined in either HR 676 or the current House bill) or (2) will include a "trigger", but also to do all that he can to make sure that the ultimate bill includes a strong public option.  A "strong public option" includes the following:

• available nationwide;
• on day one
• and accountable to Congress and the voters

Please report your findings in the comments section below.  Additionally, FireDogLake has a "whip tool" that you can fill out with the applicable information, if you are able to get anything definitive (either good, bad or neutral).  Also, please get the name and title (and whatever other applicable information) from whomever you speak to.

A little bit about Representative Frank Pallone, Jr.

Rep. Pallone was elected to Congress in 1988 and is on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where he is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health. He also serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources, and sits on a number of subcommittees for each of these Committees.  His House Committee is one of those responsible for the current House health care bill, and he, along with Rep. Andrews, is a cosponsor of the bill.

Rep. Pallone is a solid friend of and contributor to the Blue Jersey community, and just last month posted at Blue Jersey and Daily Kos about the importance of a public option.  He is also one of 13 members of the NJ Congressional delegation (everyone except for Rodney Frelinghuysen and Scott Garrett) who have expressed support for a public option, and is also noted as supporting a public option on the Stand With Dr. Dean website.
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And while you are calling, if you could also call Representative Rob Andrews (DC Phone: 202-225-6501) and Representative John Adler (DC Phone:202-225-4765) if you missed the previous diaries, and report the responses at this link for Andrews and this link for Adler, that would be doubly great.

Thanks so much and we really appreciate your help and participation.  I am sure the hundreds of thousands of uninsured and underinsured New Jerseyans thank you even more.

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Our next diary will focus on Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-8).

ACTION: "Whipping the public option" - John Adler (NJ-3)

by: Adam L

Mon Jul 20, 2009 at 11:30:00 AM EDT

We will be focusing on each of the six other NJ House Democrats and then probably the three republicans (LoBiondo, Lance, Smith), and will go in order of District.  We did Rep. Rob Andrews (NJ-1) last week, and today we are focusing on Rep. John Adler (NJ-3).  We are also coordinating this effort with DFA-NJ, and with your participation, this could be a great way to show how the progressive community in NJ can work together to accomplish great things.  Before I get into it though, I have one request:   Please go to this diary and read the "rules" in terms of some general requests for when you call the Representatives.

What we need you to do

Rep. Adler's contact information is below:

DC Phone:202-225-4765
DC Fax:202-225-0778

Please call his office and thank him support for a strong public option and for "Standing with Dr. Dean" on health care reform.  Most importantly, due to his lack of strong statements and his involvement in centrist Democratic policies and coalitions, we really want to try and get his staff (or him) on record to not just support a public option in its current form, but to vote against a watered down bill that may ultimately be produced in reconciliation that will either (1) not include a strong public option (as outlined in either HR 676 or the current House bill) or (2) will include a "trigger".  A "strong public option" includes the following:

• available nationwide;
• on day one
• and accountable to Congress and the voters

Please report your findings in the comments section below.  Additionally, FireDogLake has a "whip tool" that you can fill out with the applicable information, if you are able to get anything definitive (either good, bad or neutral).  Also, please get the name and title (and whatever other applicable information) from whomever you speak to.

A little bit about Representative John Adler

Rep. Adler was elected to his first term last November, is on the House Committee on Financial Services as well as the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, where he sits on a number of subcommittees for each.  None of his committee assignments relate to the health care debate.

Rep. Adler is also one of 13 members of the NJ Congressional delegation (everyone except for Rodney Frelinghuysen and Scott Garrett) who have expressed support for a public option, and is also noted as supporting a public option on the Stand With Dr. Dean website.  Adler is also a member of the "New Democrat Coalition", which describes itself as (among other things) "pro growth", "strong military" and "fiscally responsible" - not too different from the "Blue Dogs".  On his own website, Adler states that he is against single payer, and supports tax credits for individuals and small businesses to purchase health insurance in the private market.  The House bill on health care was HealthcareForAmericaNow.org called a "good bill", and while both Rep. Andrews and Rep. Pallone are cosponsors of this bill, while Rep. Holt and Rep. Payne are cosponsors of the more comprehensive HR 676, Rep. Adler is not a cosponsor of either bill.  

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And while you are calling, if you could also call Representative Rob Andrews (DC Phone: 202-225-6501) if you missed last week's diary, and report the responses at this link , that would be doubly great.

Thanks so much and we really appreciate your help and participation.  I am sure the hundreds of thousands of uninsured and underinsured New Jerseyans thank you even more.

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Our next diary will focus on Representative Frank Pallone (NJ-6).

"Whipping the public option" - first up, Rep. Rob Andrews (NJ-1)

by: Adam L

Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 10:56:54 AM EDT

Over the weekend, I posted a diary that outlines an initiative we are undertaking here at Blue Jersey with respect to the upcoming health care legislation as it relates to the public option.  While most of the NJ Congressional delegation supports a public option, only Rush Holt and Donald Payne have committed to NOT SUPPORT a bill that did not have a public option.

And, as I said in that diary, as well as on Blue Jersey Radio last night, that is why we here at Blue Jersey are going to ask you - the Blue Jersey community - to help whip our fine Representatives into shape.

We will be focusing on each of the six other NJ House Democrats and then probably the three republicans (LoBiondo, Lance, Smith), and will go in order of District, which brings us to Rep. Rob Andrews (NJ-1).  We are also coordinating this effort with DFA-NJ, and with your participation, this could be a great way to show how the progressive community in NJ can work together to accomplish great things.

Before I get into it though,  I have two requests/rules - please please follow them, as they are not difficult at all:

• When you call the Congressman?s (and eventually Senator's) office, please be very respectful.  You will likely be talking to a staffer, and they will hopefully be getting a lot of calls about this issue, so we want to make sure that we are productive.  If you can get a name, that would be excellent too, so we can compile everything.
• Just as important, please keep the topic of the call to the public option and trying to get a pledge that the Representative will vote against a bill without a public option.  I know that many people (myself included) feel that single payer is the best answer, however, President Obama does not want single payer now, nor does the current House bill contain anything regarding single payer.  The Senate bill will most likely be more watered down, and any discussion on single payer, while noble, will only distract from the issue at hand, and will tie up Congressional staffers from receiving other calls regarding this initiative.

What we need you to do

Rep. Andrews' contact information is below:

DC Phone: 202-225-6501
DC Fax: 202-225-6583

Please call his office and most importantly, thank him for the work he and his committee has done in order to bring a strong health care bill to the House floor, as well as his support for a strong public option (if you want to thank him for his support of single payer, that's great too, but not the major purpose here).  Secondly, we want to try and get his staff (or him) on record to not just support a public option in its current form, but to vote against a watered down bill that may ultimately be produced in reconciliation that will either (1) not include a strong public option or (2) will include a "trigger".  A "strong public option" includes the following:

• available nationwide;
• on day one
• and accountable to Congress and the voters

Please report your findings in the comments section below.  Additionally, FireDogLake has a "whip tool" that you can fill out with the applicable information, if you are able to get anything definitive (either good, bad or neutral).  

A little bit about Representative Rob Andrews

Rep. Andrews has been in Congress since 1990, is on the House Committee on Education and Labor, where he is Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions.  

This House Committee is one of the three that put out the House bill on health care, which HealthcareForAmericaNow.org called a "good bill".  Rep. Andrews is also one of 13 members of the NJ Congressional delegation (everyone except for Rodney Frelinghuysen and Scott Garrett) who have expressed support for a public option.  Additionally (as noted last month here at Blue Jersey), he stated that single payer should be "on the table", even though it ultimately did not make it to the House version of the bill.

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Thanks so much and we really appreciate your help and participation.  I am sure the hundreds of thousands of uninsured and underinsured New Jerseyans thank you even more.

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Our next diary will focus on Freshman Representative John Adler (NJ-3).

To quote Devo, let's "whip it good" on health care

by: Adam L

Sat Jul 11, 2009 at 08:48:37 PM EDT

For those of you who missed the Blue Jersey Radio interview with Congressman Rush Holt a couple of weeks back, the good folks at FireDogLake took notice of the fact that he "took the pledge" to not just support a bill with a public option, but also to vote against a bill that did not have a public option.

If you didn't know, FireDogLake has been doing an outstanding job of whipping Democrats in Congress on the public option, and sadly, only two NJ Democrats are on the list of those who have committed to NOT SUPPORT a bill that did not have a public option.  Those two are Holt and Donald Payne (NJ-10).  Now, that is not to say that the other 6 NJ House Democrats (or the 5 House republicans - HAH!) would not only support a public option but would vote against a bill without one, but you can never be too careful or sure.

That is why we here at Blue Jersey are going to ask you - the Blue Jersey community - to help whip our fine Representatives into shape.

Stay tuned - we will be focusing on each of the six other NJ House Democrats but feel free to contact your Representative if he is a republican (other than myself, who knows that Garrett is beyond a lost cause) and let us know how you make out.  We will be posting contact information for the Representatives, as well as information as to their comments and responses.

What we are looking for, as so eloquently stated on FDL, is as follows:

Progressive members of Congress need to draw a line in the sand and demand a public health insurance option -- something 76% of Americans want.

They need to Take the Pledge to vote against any health care bill that doesn't have a public plan which is:

• available nationwide;
• on day one
• and accountable to Congress and the voters

Please call progressive members of Congress and ask them to Take the Pledge now.

At the link above ( this link), there is a space to input what you hear from the staffer or whoever else when you call.

We think this is a great way for the Blue Jersey community to come together and really take action for something that is so very important.  Hopefully, we can do some great things here.