Can you imagine the sense of emergency there'd be in Washington if seven full-fledged 9-11 attacks happened each and every year, year in and year out?"What's the rush to enact health care reform?" is the question being asked by Republicans and conservative Democrats.
What's the rush? Are they serious? Seven 9-11 attacks every single year ... and "What's the rush?" is all we get from these so-called people's representatives!
If anyone needed further proof that conservatives in congress care not for the needs of average Americans but rather for the profits of big-time corporations, this calculated, politically-motivated foot-dragging combined with the fact that as many as 22,000 Americans die each and every year from lack of health insurance is that proof.
We need strong health care reform that puts the lives and good health of ordinary citizens ahead of the financial gain of the parasitic private health care industry and a few ultra-wealthy corporate pirates who profit directly, handsomely, and unconscionably from our needless suffering and dying ... and that means a robust, non-profit public health insurance option (known as the"Public Option") that puts the American people first while saving huge amounts of money ($180 billion per year) at the same time!
But conservatives are doing their best to deny the American people their right to real, quality, affordable health care by stalling and delaying health care legislation in Congress and spending $1.4 million each day on lobbyists in an effort to kill the true populist reform that the Public Option represents.
Only by taking the time (just a few minutes) as often as possible to contact our U.S. senators and congressional representatives can we ordinary people hope to beat back this attempt to pay for the obscene profits of private health insurance providers, drug companies, and HMO's with our good health and the lives of up to 22,000 American men, women, and children each and every year.
Here's the toll-free phone number for the Capitol Switchboard in Washington, D.C.:
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1-800-828-0498.
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After calling the number above, tell the operator you would like to speak with your two senators and congressional representative (you may be asked for your home state and zip code). Tell each of them that you want congress to stop conservative political shenanigans designed to drag out and ultimately destroy health care reform, and insist that he or she work energetically to see to it that a robust "Public Option" is included in any bill sent to the President Obama for his signature. Make sure each one knows that your vote in the next election could hinge on whether or not he or she does this. Be polite, but firm, as you leave your message with the staff person who will take your call.
You may want to do as I've done, and store the Capitol Switchboard number using the speed dial function of your cell phone, so you can make calls while commuting, waiting in line here or there, etc. Calling every day is not too often!
This is not a game. We're talking about life and death, here ... as many as 22,000 American lives and deaths every single year ... along with the life or death of our nation's economy ... unless real health care reform (and that means inclusion of a strong Public Option) is passed into law as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Pass it on.
The Democratic Activist
