Democracy For The Southern Adirondack/Tricounty Area: Tricounty DFA Update: Heathcare votes, Dean, Murphy and more

Democracy For The Southern Adirondack/Tricounty Area

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Tricounty DFA Update: Heathcare votes, Dean, Murphy and more

Hello Everyone:

In this update for September 30, 2009:

1. Heathcare At Critical Passage: TIme To Call

2. Dean Leading The Charge

3. Murphy Deadline

4. Meeting Next Week

5. Back Ground

1. Heathcare At Critical Passage: TIme To Call

Last Night the Senate Finance Committee let down most Americans and almost all Democrats by voting out a healthcare reform bill without a public option.

Outrage is the word of the day. But that means we have to push back by calling our Senators and Representatives and telling them to hang tough on a robust public option. As Dick wrote the other day, silence is acquiescence."

The numbers are:

Also, if you haven't yet, sign the America Can't Wait Petition at http://www.americacantwait.com/activities/3

2. Dean Leading The Charge

The encouraging aspect of all this is the reemergence of Governor Dean as the voice of "the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party" and average working Americans. He's been great--

"If they don't have some kind of public option with Medicare buy-in or whatever, I think this is not going to be a healthcare reform bill and there's going to be an enormous backlash against the Democrats."

See the interview at:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/9/28/787316/-Dean:-Enormous-Backlash-if-Dems-Drop-Public-Option

It's refreshing after the Administration's off and on again, passive-aggressive approach of being against a public while claiming they're for it.

There's also a great dKos post today by Cenk Ungur on Dean vs. Rahm Emanuel, who made $16 million as a investment banker in three years after leaving the Clinton White House. As the saying goes, nice work if you can get it. I guess we should not have been surprised at the way this has turned out. Gov. Dean, by comparison, really does paint his own house.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/30/10432/6899?detail=f

3. Murphy Deadline

The the political financial fundraising quarter ends tonight at Midnight. As we know, Rep. Scott Murphy won last Spring by only 736 votes. It's been reported that Tedesco is planning to run again, so Murphy needs any donations you may be able to afford a lot more than the other big name candidates.

Murphy has come out for a public option, and has been steadily moving in the right direction. There's a weekly chart in the Post Star on local Congressional votes, and Murphy virtually always votes with Vt.'s Peter Welch, who's very liberal. Murphy has proven to be a pretty receptive guy, and he certainly got high marks this summer for his handling of the teabaggers at his town halls. Again, you need to do any donation by Midnight.

https://services.myngp.com/NGPOnlineServices/contribution.aspx?X=UvNS/ml3HYoPpOi/yyjKgEvN0nHVrj3pCEF5eREZ87aOrtRR3P526g==

4. Meeting Next Week

Just a reminder that we'll be having our monthly meeting of Democracy For the Greater Glens Falls Area a week from today, Wednesday October 7th, at 7pm at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, one blick west of the roundabout in downtown Glens Falls.

5. Back Ground Pieces

There's a couple of "must reads" that helps explain where the political currents are running at the present. One is by David Sirota on how Obama is trying to crush Democratic dissent, and how that is actually undermining healthcare reform by protecting Blue Dogs. http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/09/26/sirota_primaries/index.html

The other is by historian Garry Wills on Obama's surprising retention of the Bush's national security state and what it means: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/23110

Thanks everyone! See you all next week,

Larry

Labels: 20th Congressional District, Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, healthcare reform, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, Scott Murphy