Taking stock - and a deep breath - on health care reform

The last few months have really provided many opportunities to get all emotional and riled up over the roller coaster ride of proposed House, and then Senate bills that woulda, shoulda fixed our broken disaster of a health care system and insurance in America. The idea was that with Obama’s election, a real world, modern health care plan for all Americans would ride the groundswell of good vibes that seemed to follow the young, energetic new president.

It didn’t exactly happen that way. Perhaps a lot of us were being unrealistic in our expectations - at the worst, which doesn’t exactly seem too terrible. We want the best for the citizens of our country. How bad is that?

I think a lot of our idealism and energy was, unfortunately, deliberately redirected by the vociferously evil opponents of any sort of reform and their nitwit teabagger cheering section. I got caught up in it with a lot of my progressive compatriots when it seemed like the dirty money of the lobbyists was, indeed, taking over the process. I’m still very wary that they might have.

Anytime emotions take over, the rational thinking processes are compromised.

I believe I might even have said unkind things about Harry Reid. Shame on me.

I still think Nancy Pelosi did her best, too. 

This bill that has passed out of the Senate isn’t completely evil, although it is more stingy than the House version. With a little bit of luck, some of the House bills provisions might make it into the final compromise.

Alas, the ‘public option’ is the least likely to be one of those provisions that survives the final pass through the meat grinder. It’s sad, but the focus on the public option has only served to divert everybody’s attention from the real meat and potatoes parts that will really help a lot of Americans.

I still believe that a public option, or at the least - and extension of Medicare to people 55 years and up, would have been the best choice. That’s said only because I know Americans - when led by the Fox ‘guvmint is bad’ machine would have nothing approaching actual ‘universal coverage’.

Here’s the bottom line on the joint bills that we can look at in the coming weeks:

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Get the facts from Senator Harry Reid on healthcare reform

Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, (D-NV) has crafted a concise new e-newsletter for anybody wishing to get the latest information on healthcare reform, the myths and mythbusters, links to the bills themselves (in case you want to get the information for yourself rather than radio dittoheads) and much more.

I encourage everybody who is interested in this important issue ( and if you’re breathing you should be interested … this is of vital importance to us all) to sign up, regardless of whether you live in Nevada.

Whether or not you like or support Senator Reid, I can tell you that the information regarding the healthcare debate on his website is accurate. Think about it… if it weren’t Progressive Dems like yours truly would be all over it, pointing out the inconsistencies or mis-steps.

Sign up today.

PLAN lauds Sen. Reid and senate vote

Statement from PLAN State Director Regarding Senate Health Reform Vote

                       

CONTACT: Bob Fulkerson, State Director, PLAN

OFFICE: (775) 843-2218 (c), (775) 348-7557 (w)

EMAIL:  bfulkerson@PLANevada.org

WEBSITE: www.PLANevada.org

 

For Immediate Release

Nov. 21, 2009

 

Statement of Bob Fulkerson, State Director, Progressive Leadership Alliance, regarding the Senate vote to proceed with debate on health care reform legislation:

 

“Nevada’s working families can take comfort in this historic breakthrough on health care reform. Sen. Reid has demonstrated tremendous leadership in getting to the 60 votes necessary to move this landmark bill forward. It is unfortunate that his colleague from Nevada, Sen. Ensign, has chosen to side with the insurance companies and against consumers.  We are about to enter a new era in achieving affordable, accessible health care for all.”

 

—30—

 

Reid brings home $22 million in Interior projects to Nevada

This is where the rubber meets the road, folks. Nevada is one of the hardest hit states economically during this recession. Putting Nevadans back to work is paramount to getting this state back on track, and not as some sort of service industry follower, but as a top notch, infrastructure and technology rich leader.

Maybe you’ve still got your job and your home. Maybe you’ve been one of the lucky ones like here at Rancho Maven. But I’ll bet you can drive around your neighborhood like I can in mine, and find too many houses sitting foreclosed and sad. They won’t sell until the economy picks up and it drags the price of my nice home down.

Here’s just another $22 million that Senator Reid has brought home for critical Interior Department projects that need doing around this state. Notice that, again, these jobs are outsourcing proof.

Here’s a list of those projects (I’ll wait to see how Sue Lowden manages a negative spin of this):

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Join Senator Harry Reid NOW ... Don't delay!

Okay, now it’s ‘put up or shut up’ time. Get off your ass if you want the public option to be a viable part of the health insurance reform bill as it leaves the Senate.

Give Senate Majority Leader Reid the ammunition that he needs to make it so! Reid needs the support of each and every one of you that believe the public option to be the only way to level the playing field for American’s when it comes to health insurance.

He needs your voices, and signatures, to throw in the faces of the naysayers. Do it now!

Read below and TAKE ACTION!:

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Public Option alive with Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid

As I unfurled the ever shrinking Reno Gazette-Journal this morning I had to smile. There it was in bold letters on both the A and B sections …. the public option is, indeed, alive and well. We’ve come a long way from the life support drama days of just a few weeks ago, and that is due in large part to the progressive Democrats across the nation that weren’t going to just bend over and take ‘whatever’.

Senate Majority Leader, Reid, also deserves some credit here for listening to the voices of concerned Democrats … and I am referring to real Democrats, not the Blue Dogs and their pack.

There was also a great letter to the editor in this morning RGJ that had a line something like this: “… social justice isn’t the same thing as ‘socialism’ “.

Senator Reid knows this. The more Populist among Democrats also know this.

If you don’t, then you’ve spent too much time listening to Rush Limbaugh or the rightwingers next door.

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I support Harry Reid, but he needs to support the public option

I just got an email from Firedog Lake, encouraging Nevadans to call their neighbors and ask them to contact Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office, telling hime to stand up and stand strong for including a robust public option in the Senate’s health insurance reform bill.

Then earlier today, when I should have been working, I happened to glance at The Las Vegas Gleaner. Sigh. It was all too true. Harry Reid is perceived, perhaps rightfully so, by far too many Nevadans as Mr. Nice Guy. I know that I’ve anguished over the same nagging doubts. The polls do indicate that he tries too hard to build consensus and make nice while the other side has absolutely no intention of returning the ‘favor’.

Amid all the varying measures by pollsters, it’s all too clear that Nevadans are not sure whether Harry Reid is their guy on the tough issues and not just the guy who brings home the bacon - sorely needed these days - of jobs, jobs and more stimulus money.

We’re gonna need two or three of those jobs when our health insurance fails us, Senator.

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Reid brings in $57 million in 'green' jobs for Nevada

I’ve been waiting for the end of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository for a long time now, and apparently the time is now thanks to Senator Harry Reid. Yucca Mountain was a money pit and boondoggle of the first magnitude, taking lot while giving Nevada nothing in the way of sustainable job growth in return.

I hate to harp on this sort of thing, but Senator Reid is bringing home the bacon while cutting out the pork (ha!) for Nevadans, despite the biggest national economic disaster in recent history. For this reason alone, I can’t understand why his numbers are so far down around the state.

Aren’t folks paying attention, or are they just that caught up in party politics?

Here’s a guy who isn’t totally beholden to special interests, is as ethical as politicians come, treats rural and urban/north and south with equal concern, and there are still those out there who would replace him with some well meaning but very wet behind the ears junior senator.

And, they would take the chance of replacing Reid while Nevada’s economy running on fumes?

WTF?

Take a look at what Senator Reid has delivered to Nevada in projects as part of the Energy and Water Appropriations conference report. The goal here is to make Nevada a national leader in renewable energy jobs and projects :

Energy Projects - $19.25 million

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Breaking news: Sen. Reid to host Wednesday teleconference with breast cancer patients and survivors

I’m contacting Reid’s office right now, as should you. Senator Reid is hosting a conference call tomorrow - Wednesday, September 30, 1 p.m. PDT - with breast cancer survivors and cancer research advocates to talk about the importance of breast cancer awareness and the urgent need for health insurance reform.

To obtain your call in information, contact :

http://reid.senate.gov/services/townhall.cfm.

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Health insurance reform Tele-Conference on Thursday, Sept. 24th

Nevada Senator Harry Reid will be hosting a tele-conference for everybody - including the media - interested in making their voices heard on health care reform.

The online registration for this tele-town hall on health insurance reform is now available at http://reid.senate.gov/.  This call will be toll-free and open to any Nevadan who would like to participate in the September 24 discussion.

Nevadans from all parts of the state and all political affiliations will receive a phone call inviting them to join Senator Reid’s live tele-town hall meeting, including those who register online.  After clicking the town hall button on Reid’s website, users will then be asked to provide their name, number, and email.  Only those with Nevada numbers will receive calls to participate in the tele-town hall.  The deadline to register is Wednesday, September 23, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. PT.

This is your opportunity to express your support, objections and concerns, while getting sound, accurate information on what the Obama administration and Congress hope to achieve.

“Our work to reform America’s broken health care system has been many months in the making and has involved input from thousands of people in Nevada and millions around the country,” Reid said.  “As Congress gets closer to passing health insurance reform, it is important for me to continue getting input from Nevadans to ensure the final product represents their needs.” said Reid.

It’s also an opportunity to shed the mis-information, rumors and lies so we can move forward toward real action.

I would like to suggest a couple of things: if you are opposed to the current reform measures being floated, try to - just for a few minutes - reframe the debate vis a vis how ‘broken’ the current ‘system’ really is …. we can’t go on like this as individuals or as an economically strong nation. Secondly, please remember that this debate is about health INSURANCE reform, and NOT about how you and your doctor address or carry out your or your families health care needs.

The tele-conference is scheduled for Thursday, September 24th at 1:00 p.m.

The time for health insurance reform is now. Why are Senate Republicans putting insurance company profits over people? http://democrats.senate.gov…

BTW: on a late breaking, sort of, note. Sen. Max Baucus went back to the drawing board on the health insurance reform proposal from the Senate Finance Committee, and came back with some more sensible language in regard to Medicaid … courtesy of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Following efforts by Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, Senator Max Baucus revealed his updated health insurance reform proposal with major improvements for Nevada.  The state will receive a full 100 percent match for those added pursuant to the Medicaid expansions for five years.  Furthermore, federal funding for Medicaid increases by 30 percent while Nevada will only have to increase funding 1.6 by percent.

As I say, it’s not perfect but it’s better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

$3 million headed to Washoe County

Nevada Senator Harry Reid today announced more $3 million in economic recovery funding for the Washoe County Regional Transportation Commission.

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