Senators to Focus On...

The word is mixed from the White House on what President Obama will say in his address to Congress on Health Care next Wedensday. What is clear is that if we really want it to make sure all bills include the Public Option we need to make our voices heard NOW. We have heard over and over again that our Reps Need to hear from us. Especially Dianne Feinstein, our Senior Democratic Senator who is NOT doing anything to help this cause. In fact she is giving cover to Blue Dogs. Its time to call her and the rest of them out: Below is a list of senators to focus attention on for health care reform with a public option. Please email, call, fax, visit their offices... And let friends and family that live in their states know to do the same. Thanks!

Support: Charles Schumer, NY http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm Schumer is currently the most vocal public option advocate on the Senate side and needs encouragement:

Appeal to: Olympia Snowe, Republican, ME http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorSnowe.Email Snowe is one of the “Gang of Six” and now the only Republican Obama is appealing to which gives her a lot of power. She is open to a public option (more so than some Dems) but favors a “trigger” which would only allow for it to commence if insurers failed to self-regulate. Critics argue insurers would make sure to do the bare minimum to avoid the trigger.

Dianne Feinstein, CA http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUS.EmailMe Feinstein announced last week she supports a public option but is open to the co-op idea most experts have dismissed as too complicated and ineffective.

Max Baucus, MT http://baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue Head of the “Gang of Six”, Baucus recently came under some pressure at home when his constituents learned over 90% of his campaign contributions came from insurers. An 18-county coalition put him on the spot and he now says he “personally: supports the public option even though his committee thinks it’s not viable (huh?)

Kent Conrad, ND https://conrad.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm Conrad is a key player going forward. His friend Daschle was the first to proposes co-ops and Conrad has become their champion. He is a fiscal hawk and most concerned about how reform will be paid for and how much it will cost. If reconciliation occurs he will run it. How will reconciliation work if the guy running it is openly opposed to the public option?

Jeff Bingaman, NM http://www.bingaman.senate.gov/contact/types/email-issue.cfm Is one of the “Gang of Six” and earlier this year supported the public option. New Mexico has one of the highest uninsured rates in the country and it would be nice if Bingman came back to supporting it and serving his constituents

Ben Nelson, NE http://bennelson.senate.gov/contact-me.cfm Another Blue Dog on the fence because of all the misinformation being fed to the conservative constituents in his state. Bill Nelson, FL http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Blanche Lincoln, AR http://lincoln.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm Lincoln recently switched positions and now opposes the public option. She’s a Blue Dog in a reddish state and has received over $300,000 from insurers.

Robert Byrd, WV http://byrd.senate.gov/contacts/
Mark Warner, VA http://warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact
Ron Wyden, OR http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/
Jon Tester, MT http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/
Mary Landrieu, LA http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
Evan Bayh, IN http://bayh.senate.gov/contact/
Tom Carper, DE http://carper.senate.gov/contact/
Mark Pryor, AR http://pryor.senate.gov/contact/
Mark Begich, AK http://www.begich.com/contact