feel it's for real and Harman will support Public Option at the rally,
likely because of Marcy Winograd running against her. As I got
another email saying that Obama will drop the public option in next
Wednesday's speech, we need all the help we can get. -Ed
From: "Facebook" <notification+zz1ioree@facebookmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 11:48 AM
Marta Evry sent a message to the members of Tell Congress: Let's Get It
Done - Health Care Reform NOW.
--------------------
Subject: JANE HARMAN BREAKS WITH BLUE DOGS, STANDS WITH PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS,
"I SUPPORT THE PUBLIC OPTION."
At a rally being held tonight in downtown Los Angeles, Rep. Jane Harman
(CA-36) is expected to stand with the whip of the Progressive Caucus, Diane
Watson (CA-33) to voice her support of a strong public option.
"The reason I favor a robust pubic option," stated Harman, "is it's a
forcing mechanism to require private sector options to compete with each
other. I haven't heard a co-op idea that makes sense to me....I did make
that commitment, in writing, that I would vote against a bill that did not
have a strong public option in it."
Harman has broken very publicly in the past with the Blue Dog caucus over
health care reform, but this is the first time she'll be appearing in public
with members of the Progressive Caucus, 65 of whom have written to President
Obama and stated they will refuse to pass any bill that doesn't have a
strong public option.
Today's rally, sponsored by HCAN and Organizing For America, will feature a
number of local leaders as well as congressional lawmakers. Besides Harman
and Watson, speakers include (but are unconfirmed at this time), Henry
Waxman, Laura Richardson and Maxine Waters.
COME OUT TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT !
Today, Friday, Sept. 4
"Let's Get It Done" Rally
5:00-7:00PM
1245 North Spring Street LA, CA
Cornfield Park in Chinatown (1 block from the Chinatown metro)
Marta Evry
Community Organizer
310-850-7836
veniceforchange@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.veniceforchange.com
follow me on twitter: @venice4change
***
http://www.counterpunch.org/landau08142009.html
Health Care and the Seeds of Disunity
By SAUL LANDAU
Counterpunch: Weekend Edition August 14-16, 2009
President Obama has a rough task promoting health care that will provide
coverage for most Americans and reduce the cost of this basic service so
that it doesn't bankrupt the economy.
In selling this obviously beneficial idea, he and his congressional allies
have already made many compromises - to insurance companies and
pharmaceuticals. But Obama must also pretend he runs an indivisible nation
with liberty and justice for all, not one of warring classes, races and
ethnic groups, most of whom identify as Americans only by sharing a common
spiritual life centering around shopping, TV and NASCAR watching,
car-washing and lawn mowing. He must also act as if he presided over a
republic, not a world-wide empire in which 800 military bases "guarantee"
security for our people - meaning, of course, large corporations and banks.
Indeed, teachers don't encourage American school children to question words
in the pledge of allegiance - "to the republic for which it stands." The
adult TV-watching public also shares uncritical assumptions, virtual
cultural axioms that no longer apply to the once greatest and now declining
empire. At sporting events, unseen announcers express gratitude to the
service men and women, the imperial canon fodder who find themselves in Iraq
and Afghanistan; during the seventh inning stretch, baseball fans now
routinely sing "God Bless America," an arrogant demand on the Supreme Being
that He "stand beside her and guide her." How should He treat other nations,
presumably lesser entities, morally inferior to Americans who can order God
to bless them?
Judging by TV show popularity, however, it appears that "blessed" liberals,
right wingers, Latinos, blacks and evangelicals all remain fixated on
criminals and cops, not God's ordained emissaries -- preachers, priests and
rabbis - unless they become criminals and thus attract public attention.
Unity through common TV dramas, however, remains screen deep. The far right
eschews political unity. Rush Limbaugh and acolytes want Obama to fail. They
want power to cut all taxes on the rich, except those that provide police
and fire protection for property owners and, of course, unlimited military
spending on imperial adventures under the false label of defense.
This perverse "conservatism" spawns murderers of abortion clinic personnel
on the grounds that "human life is sacred." It provokes hatred of gay
marriages - and gays - and all those who attempt to regulate gun use.
Affirmative action and government help for the poor, the young, the old and
so-called minorities gets labeled "socialism."
Those in isolated utopian realms - Berkeley, California, Madison, Wisconsin,
Ann Arbor, Michigan - don't routinely listen to extreme right wing radio
talk shows. I do. I consider it slightly less painful than wearing scrapers
between my thighs. The Rush Limbaughs, Sean Hannitys, Glen Becks, Ann
Coulters and Michael Savages teach the use of verbal and visual sneers as
bonding mechanisms with millions of apparently angry (frightened) and
desperate members of their audience.
The American dream has eluded their listeners, just as it has arrived for
their messengers. Rush and company became multi millionaires by imitating
religious charlatans whose sermons inevitably end with: "Give me your money
and I'll ask God to save your sinful, miserable soul." Rush fans the flames
of their disappointment, channels their energy into hatred and profits. But
right wing radio mountebanks, don't address the issues facing their
listeners. Rather, they substitute a snide tone of voice to blame
"liberals," those villains who have caused the current state of unfairness
that favors less worthy people - blacks, Hispanics and women - in the great
game of "Success."
The predominantly white listeners catch the barely hidden racism, which
appeals to their deep discontent. The liberal government has used their hard
earned tax money to give away to black welfare cheats who use it to buy evil
drugs and vodka. But like his evangelical preacher cousins who regularly got
caught practicing what they preach against -- money laundering, naughty
women, underage girls and boys - Rush also got caught with illegal drugs. In
2006, cops nabbed him with quantities of oxycontin (rural heroin). In that
same year, Rush flew into the country from the Dominican Republic with a
phony prescription for Viagra. Police did not file charges, according to a
CBS story, because he "cooperated" with authorities. This grandiloquent
preacher of traditional values has married and divorced three times, has no
children and could earn a good living posing for "before" in a before and
after diet commercial.
Rush, miserable in bloated body and still unrealized sexual identity, does
communicate with others whom "life" has let down. Callers compliment him:
"You say words I want to say. Thank you, Rush." A "Dittohead" praises him
for attacking liberals who have unfairly taxed him to pay "lazy people,"
which is similar to how Rush and company characterize the proposed new
health legislation.
"It's socialism," intoned Bob Grant, subbing for Sean Hannity on July 29.
"The government will choose your doctor," he warns, as if your current
health plan didn't choose your doctor and limit what he (not she) can do to
help you.
Grant, nee Gigante, declared proudly on one talk show that he was "a white
man," as if identifying himself in a nation where darker skinned intruders
had invaded a once unique place not designed for them. Grant chortled over
the "socialistic" health plan being designed by Henry Waxman (Chair of the
House Committee on Energy and Commerce). Grant repeated, slowly: "Wax,"
pause, "man" - in case you didn't know he was Jewish.
Grant's voice sneered over the absurdity of the proposition that "a Waxman"
could have any real interest in the health and welfare of genuine Americans.
Members of that right wing audience need health care - including mental
health. Over 27 million Americans took antidepressants in 2005, twice the
number in 1996, according to USA Today, citing the August 3, 2009 Archives
of General Psychiatry. But most anti-depressant users had not gotten
treatment for depression because their health plans don't cover "mental
illness." Regular doctors prescribed these medications not for the
depression reported by patients, but for back and nerve pain, "fatigue,
sleep difficulties or other problems." (USA Today, Aug. 3)
How many of these depressed souls listen to Limbaugh et. al? Right wing
bellowers of bombast feed bold-faced lies to their unhappy and often
unemployed or underemployed listeners. Sean Hannity scares his audience: "If
you don't have private insurance the year that this bill is passed, you
can't
get that later on from your employer." Limbaugh avers that the bill would
"outlaw individual private coverage." Republican National Committee Talking
Points claim "Democrats are proposing a government controlled health
insurance system, which will control care, treatments, medicines and even
what doctors a patient may see."
None of the statements are true, but the liars profit by helping divide the
nation in the name of patriotism. Indeed, they hate collective health
insurance but raise to the sacred the collective singing of "God Bless
America." Obama will need serious rhetorical weapons to sell health care to
those whose American dream turned into a nightmare.
Recent videos show right wing hecklers breaking up congressional Town Hall
meetings. The goons serve the health insurance monsters, the pharmaceutical
ogres and other narrow corporate interests that have bought a significant
percentage of Congress. The issue is simple: Health, representing a need of
the vast majority, versus profit, for which a small minority claims God,
"traditional" values and white skin. Hey, why would anyone want to unify
with those people?
From April through June of this year, the pharmaceuticals and health product
industries spent $67,959,095 on lobbying, the insurance industry forked over
$39,760,477. Lobbyists for hospitals and nursing homes spent another
$25,552,088. The three month total: $133,271,660 -- not counting what the
Chamber of Commerce and professional associations kicked in for their
lobbyists. (Center for Responsive Politics)
It worked on some legislators. After receiving some $4 million from health
insurance lobbies, South Carolina Republican Senator Jim DeMint associated
socialism with the Devil. DeMint, of course, like all Members of Congress,
enjoys a fabulous health plan paid for by the government. Center for
Responsive Politics.
The forthcoming health plan will have problems that a single payer national
health plan would solve. I detect a maturity in the tones and textures of
the right wing callers' voices. I put that together with unemployment data
for those over 55. They "are at their highest level since the Great
Depression" for whites (6.5%). Those above 55 also spend more time than ever
between jobs (27 weeks).(USA Today, July 31, 2009).
Right wing radio natterers will seek new listeners in this disappointed
group of aging middle class whites. For Obama, their sense of desperation,
added to the growing list of misery, should induce him to fight harder, not
compromise, and keep repeating the facts - like single payer is better -- to
the people.
Saul Landau's A BUSH AND BOTOX WORLD was published by CounterPunch / AK
Press.
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