Mad Max: Progressives Go After Baucus on Health Reform

[marmar]

via AlterNet's PEEK:



Mad Max: Progressives Go After Baucus on Health Reform

Posted by Digby, Hullabaloo at 10:34 AM on July 21, 2009.

Poor Max. I'm sure he's not going to like having his constituents know that he's one of the insurance industry's very special friends.




Meet the winner:

Progressive groups are launching a new round of advertising against Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, (D-Mont.), in an effort to persuade him to support a public option.

The Montana Democrat was the (unfortunate) winner of a contest sponsored by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Democracy for America, in which the groups allowed members to choose which senator to target in an ad campaign. Baucus has, at times, indicated he supports a government run plan but it is not certain if the proposal will make it into the final version of his committee's bill.

For this, 15,000 progressive voters determined that he should get an additional bit of political pressure. The ads being run against the senator, which will air in three media markets in Montana -- Billings, Butte-Bozeman, and Helena - are duplicates of an old PCCC spot. Only it is customized for Baucus, pointing to the $3.9 million he has taken from "health and insurance interests."

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Poor Max. I'm sure he's not going to like having his constituents know that he's one of the insurance industry's very special friends. But it's important they know that so that if his committee doesn't manage to get that bill out before before the August recess they can have some nice long visits with him about it while he's back home. Somehow I doubt Montanans are any more fond of health insurance companies than are the rest of us.


http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/141461/mad_max%3A_progressives_go_after_baucus_on_health_reform/

[FiveGoodMen]

1. Good!

[John Q. Citizen]

2. Baucus was the first to mention a public option. It was in his White Paper from last January

But he also says he wants to pass a bill with 70 votes.

Most Montanans know Baucus is the number one recipient currently (He knocked Hillery out of #1) of health care industrial complex dollars.

In fact Montanans for Single Payer are holding state wide demonstrations/follow the money rallies at Blue Cross Blue Shield offices on Friday July 24th across the State. Then we are going to Baucus' constiuent offices and presenting his staff with a giant check to "Buy Back Baucus.


http://montanansforsinglepayer.org/?page_id=321
ACTION ALERTS
Action Alert!

Rally at Blue Cross/Blue Shield
and
Max Baucus Offices
Around the State

Friday, July 24, at Noon
First, some good news for single-payers from the action on Capitol Hill in D.C. If you have been watching the D.C. developments, you (and nearly everyone else) may have been wondering if single-payer health care would still have a chance.
Here’s the good news: It has! At 9:45 a.m. on Friday, July 17, the members of the House Committee on Education and Labor voted 25 to 19 to pass Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s amendment to the health care reform bill in that Committee. The Kucinich amendment allows states to create single-payer health care systems. It garnered a number of Republican votes because of their support for state’s rights.
If we can keep this amendment alive through the process (a big challenge), Montana could set up its own single-payer system. If the Kucinich amendment had been defeated, single-payer might have been a lost cause at this point – but the amendment passed and single-payer health care is still alive in Congress! There will be more to come on this topic in the future. Now on to the Montana rallies.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield Statewide Rallies
WHEN: Friday, July 24, Noon.
WHERE: Beginning at Blue Cross/Blue Shield Offices and ending at Baucus office.
WHAT/WHY: “Follow the Money” Rallies. Blue Cross is the largest insurance company in the State of Montana. We want the public to know how much influence insurance companies have in the health care reform debate. The “Blues” are by far the biggest contributor to lobbying efforts.
LOGISTICS: Local coordinators need to design a rally plan suited to their community.
1. Bozeman/Livingston: Margarita McClary & Rick Meis, Coordinators. [e-mail]
Blue Cross/Blue Shield office: 1283 N. 14th St. (In between 19th and 7th, north of downtown)
Baucus office: 32 E. Babcock (downtown)
Since the BC/BS office is located a distance from the Baucus office in Bozeman, we’re suggesting a handful of folks meet at the BC/BS office with the 3’ by 5’ check in hand.
Most participants would gather at the Baucus office where the two groups will meet. Media to be at the BC/BS office and “follow the money” to the Baucus office.
2. Helena: Gene Fenderson, Coordinator (406-431-6657; [e-mail])
Blue Cross/Blue Shield office: 560 N. Park Ave. (former telephone building)
Baucus office: Great Northern Town Center
Supporters will gather at the BC/BS office, 560 N. Park Ave. Jonathan Matthews will be the rally MC and speaker. From there, supporters will walk to Senator Baucus’ office in the Great Northern Town Center. Supporters who cannot or do not want to walk are welcome to use their vehicles to travel between these two locations. Some signs will be available but, like the last rally, any signs you make and bring will be a great addition to the event.
Music by Adam Nordell & Johanna Davis:
Speaker: Jonathan Matthews
3. Missoula: Bill LaCroix, Coordinator (406-363-1329; [e-mail])
Blue Cross/Blue Shield office location: Suite 202, 3819 Stevens (39th and Stevens/south end of town)
Baucus office location: 200 block of East Front St., downtown.
Main rally will take place on sidewalk on NW corner of 39th and Stevens in front of BCBS office. Lots of signs will be available and there’ll also be a sign-making station. People are encouraged to make and bring their own favorites. Songs and chants, interspersed with selected comments from the professional healthcare community. Within an hour, as big a contingent as wants to will drive to Baucus’ office and ‘deliver’ the 3’ by 5’ “Buy Back Baucus” checks (we’ll actually give his staff an 11”by 17” laminated copy of it).
4. Butte: STILL LOOKING FOR A COORDINATOR!
Blue Cross/Blue Shield office: 49 N. Main St. D Suite
Baucus office: 27 N. Wyoming St.
5. Great Falls: STILL LOOKING FOR A COORDINATOR!
Blue Cross/ Blue Shield office: 1st and Park Dr. (by river)
Baucus’ Office: 113 3rd St. (2 blocks east of BCBS)
6. Billings: Contact William Crain of Peace and Justice Forums for details on their events. [e-mail]
Office locations are the same. Same situation as Bozeman. BC/BS office located in industrial site (2180 Overland Ave) Media are close-by.
General information:
1. Provide rally signs, chants, speakers, music where possible. Provide handouts and press packets, which Montanans for Single Payer can help with.
2. Gene Fenderson will be issuing a statewide press release about the rallies. Bill LaCroix will get 3’ by 5’ “Buy Back Baucus” checks to all organizers. Individual communities are urged to do local media work as well. A notice about the rallies will go out on Montanans for Single-Payer email list.
If you’re willing to be a coordinator in a city which does not yet have one – or to share the coordinating – contact: Bill LaCroix 406-642-6400 or 406-363-1329; [e-mail]