maven&meddler

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.

America may be a lot of things, and therefore difficult to characterize in single word terms, but Populist is one that works. We have always been a nation of Populists, in the best and noblest sense of that word. For myself, I’m proud to align myself with the Populist movements of the New Deal, the farmers movements and the civil rights movement. Those movements shaped who I am politically.

As the Senator says, however, this is no time to let down our guard. There is a long way between a final Senate bill and a presidential signing. I’m not thrilled about an ‘opt out’ component in the final bill, but I would be even less thrilled about Sen. Olympia Snowe’s suggestion of a ‘trigger’. 

The naysayers in Nevada would love to be able to opt out, and that would be a disaster here. We have some of the highest rates of uninsured in the country.

I don’t think we should have to settle for either, since both are nonsensical, artificial constructs designed to get a bill past the more obtuse among the opposition. I think that a rational electorate should be able to pass this bill without the fairy dust. Senator Reid: please strive for that. Please.

So, it’s not finished and we still have a long way to go. There’s no time to kick back now.

Here’s the Senator’s letter:

Dear [Maven] :

After many hours of productive negotiations, today I sent a completed health insurance reform bill, with a public option, to the Congressional Budget Office to be reviewed. The CBO will report back soon, and we’ll move to the next step in this process. I want to thank Senator Baucus, Senator Dodd, and the President’s team for all their hard work. I’m convinced we sent a good bill along today.

I’m more committed than ever to fixing our broken health insurance system. Some will say the finish line is in sight - they are wrong. We’ve still got a long way to go. You, your friends, and your family need to know that making your voice heard loud and clear in this debate is more important than ever before.

Health insurance companies and special interest organizations are gearing up to make their final push to derail our efforts. We must keep the pressure on! This isn’t over until I’m standing with President Obama and he’s signing a bill into law that delivers what Nevadans are demanding - real health insurance reform.

It’s time to level the playing field in the health insurance marketplace and stop lining the pockets of corporations that put profits before people. I’ve said for some time now that the best way to do this is with a public option, and that’s why it’s in the bill I just sent to the CBO.

I’m convinced that If we work together, we’ll get this done. Tonight we’re working on ideas for mobilizing and organizing support for the bill I sent along today, I’ll let you know when we’re ready to roll - it won’t be long. There’s no time to waste.

Thanks so much for your support,

Best,

Harry