PUBLIC OPTION WEBSITE!!!! Please keep this kicked!!

[FourScore]

I never ask for people to kick and rec my posts, but I will grovel this time. It's that important to me...

Schumer, Leahy and Durbin Launch Website - A Call To ACTION !!
by thenekkidtruth
Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 07:23:09 AM PDT

Senators Durbin, Leahy and Schumer just created citizensforapublicoption.com, which already has 69,722 signatures as of 7am PST.

http://citizensforapublicoption.com/

Full text of the petition:

With nearly 50 million Americans lacking health insurance, and premiums rapidly rising, it's time to address the health care crisis in our country. All Americans deserve access to affordable, quality health care -- and today, nearly one-in-six of us don't have it.

I join Senators Durbin, Leahy, and Schumer in their efforts to pass strong health care reform legislation this year. In particular, I support the creation of a public health insurance option that would foster greater competition in the marketplace, create more choices for consumers, and lead to lower costs and better quality for all.

Please reform our health care system this year!

Signed by:
(Your name)

This is WAR, my friends. The results of inaction may well be that we're no better off than we've been since Richard Nixon, while Max Baucus enjoys years of gracious lunches with healthcare lobbyist cockroaches at Olive Garden.

Can you just imagine Senator Leahy before the cameras announcing a million signatories after only a few short days?

Make it so !!!!

UPDATE: Some commentators have mentioned that this website may well have been up for a while. I have responded as follows:

If so, it damm sure should have more than
70k signatories.

Might be the case, but I'll mention that the number just went up by a thousand since I published this diary 10 min ago. Stephanie Miller's morning show is currently promoting this petition site.

With more than 72% of polled Americans favoring the Public Option, I don't see why this number shouldn't reach one million.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/28/758733/-Schumer,-Leahy-and-Durbin-Launch-WebsiteA-Call-To-ACTION-!!

[David Zephyr]

1. Well, I'm kicking it because this will be our waterloo.

We really need to draw the line on this. Thanks for your post.

[tosh]

15. Done...

77,141

[Kaleko]

74. Sign it, Digg it, kick it.

Digg for more exposure: http://digg.com/politics/Want_a_Public_Healthcare_System_Sign_Here

[pinstikfartherin]

2. Kick.

[robinlynne]

3. k&r&signed.

[beaglelover]

4. kick n/t

[Iwillnevergiveup]

5. K&R

74,643 signatures PST

[corpseratemedia]

6. if we don't get a public option

we're screwed

kicked and signed

[Maru Kitteh]

7. KICKING!

and recommended.

[Maru Kitteh]

26. wrong place.

[FourScore]

8. 74,643

[Iwillnevergiveup]

9. Wish the numbers would get updated

But here's another kick!:kick:

[UrbScotty]

10. Almost 77,000 now - keep it up!

[calimary]

11. Kicking!

Already signed this one, though. But it doesn't mean I can't kick it up!

[hwmnbn]

12. kicked.. up to 76,920..... nt

[PatSeg]

13. K&R

[SeeHopeWin]

14. Done: 76919

[Sebastian Doyle]

16. Sorry.... can't sign this one.

I signed Dr. Dean's petition, but I don't trust Schumer. I don't believe he's really going to support a TRUE Public Option.

[FourScore]

17. I trust Leahy. n/t

[Iwillnevergiveup]

18. Schumer's name threw up a red flag for me, too

but Durbin and Leahy - well, I trust them. Huge numbers on this might convince Chuckie boy to get with the program in word and DEED! So, now you'll sign, right, Sebastian?

[Iwillnevergiveup]

19. 77,363 now - n/ t

[Iwillnevergiveup]

20. Grassley quote

"The government is a predator."

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[tomm2thumbs]

21. K&R

thanks for posting it

[Union Label]

22. Signed and done!

thanks for the link.

[t0dd]

23. k&r&signed. nt

[Iwillnevergiveup]

24. 77,575 n/t

[Mojorabbit]

25. Same number comes up for me after I signed. nt

[kevinbgoode]

36. Me too. . .

maybe it doesn't get refreshed automatically. . .

[Maru Kitteh]

27. Current Signature Count: 77,575 - they must refresh the count every few minutes.

[Maru Kitteh]

44. Current Signature Count: 80,207

[Iwillnevergiveup]

28. 77,988 n/t

[Iwillnevergiveup]

29. 78,351

Moving a bit slowly for my taste.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

30. 78,864 n/t

[Lifelong Protester]

31. keep it kicked, folks

signed it, but numbers are not being instantaneously updated as the number count now is what it was 5-6 minutes ago, before I signed it.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

32. 79,015 n/t

[TahitiNut]

33. Current Signature Count: 79,161

:kick:

[JTFrog]

34. k&r

[kevinbgoode]

35. k/r

And. . .I agree...there is no reason that this cannot reach one million. Spread the word!

[Blue_In_AK]

37. I'm very happy to oblige.

:)

[lunatica]

38. There you are! Kicked and rec'd

signed and passed on to friends

[mirrera]

39. Damn I all ready signed it. Can't find one I haven't. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

40. Done, not that I fear it will do a fucking difference

gotten to the point that I think the ballot box might not be effective anymore. We need more than just petitions, but just my opinion.

[downeyr]

84. REVOLUTION!!! n/t

[ChiciB1]

137. We NEED REVOLUTION!!!! The People In D.C. ARE NOT LISTENING!!!

And that includes the POTUS!!!

Flame away if you want, but I think most there just want to pas "SOME" kind of Health Care Reform just to say THEY DID!!

Seems NOT to matter what's in it!!! This plan DOES NOT seem to be "THE PLAN" that is as good as it NEEDS TO BE!!!!

[Iggo]

41. Kicked.

[glinda]

42. Kick

[femrap]

43. k and r nt

[drm604]

45. K&R

With some reservations. I wish the petition was worded a little stronger.

• It should state that it should be available to anybody who wants it.
  
• It should state that it should not be dependent on any trigger of any sort.
  
• It should state that providers will not be able to refuse patients because they are on the public plan.
  
• It should state that the plan can negotiate prices with providers, especially the pharmaceutical industry.
  
• It should state that the plan should not be required to keep it's premiums artificially high, have high co-payments, or any other restrictions simply to create a "level playing field" with the insurance companies.
  

[KoKo]

46. My hopes are wearing thin...but a Big Kick & Rec...Yes..I've contacted my Reps. n/t

[Lebam in LA]

47. 81,229

It says I already signed the petition. Sent link to everyone in my address bok.

[mzmolly]

48. Tried to sign the petition and there was a glitch?

But, I'll K and R anyhoo...

[ancient_nomad]

49. KnR!

It is now almost 82,000!

[proReality]

50. K&R n/t

[varelse]

51. K&R

:kick:

[mecherosegarden]

52. K&R N/T

:kick:

[Maru Kitteh]

53. kicky.

[pinstikfartherin]

54. K&R

[Ranting_Wacko]

55. K&R. -nt-

[Digit]

56. Signed, now KR

[Piewhacket]

57. I'm in. K&R

[bkkyosemite]

58. Done

[bkkyosemite]

59. It says count is 69,644. There must be a glitch or a hack..maybe?

[Iwillnevergiveup]

61. Noticed that, too

after kicking this a couple hours this afternoon. I don't get it - the Diggs number has increased, but the signature number has dropped??

SO GLAD it made it to the Greatest Page, though.

[bkkyosemite]

63. I went to their privacy link and emailed them that the tally was higher now lower.

[Iggo]

60. Kicked again.

[onestepforward]

62. Done! Now at 69714

[GreenTea]

64. Kick!

:kick:

[handmade34]

65. we need to fight

[MilesColtrane]

66. "You have already participated in this advocacy campaign."

DAMN!

[annm4peace]

67. I want single payer

[NYC_SKP]

68. k

r

[KT2000]

69. Kick!

(signed a couple days ago though)

[Iwillnevergiveup]

70. 69,834 at 10:15 p.m. PST

Questioning over at Daily Kos why numbers dropped. It's gotta be much closer to 100,000.

[sabrina 1]

71. K&R

[Union Yes]

72. Proud of my Sen Durbin! Leahy and Schumer too! recd

:patriot:

[Undercurrent]

73. Thanks for the link.

Current Signature Count: 82,515

[wroberts189]

75. A kick and rec you wil have +98 nt

[wroberts189]

76. and a .. +69,932

[wroberts189]

77. This is weird ..now it says 82,555

It said 69,932 a second ago .. then I saw previous posts and reloaded.


I have never been to this site before.

[FourScore]

78. The numbers keep changing, but I am pretty sure the higher number is the correct one.

Just keep signing!

:fistbump:

[wroberts189]

87. I will toast to that :) nt

[Iwillnevergiveup]

79. 82,597

Looks like they "picked up" thousands of votes that were somehow glitched.

KICK

[nilram]

80. 82,654. Finally, a kick request I can rec as well. -nt

[byronius]

81. K&R.

[JDPriestly]

82. K, R and signed the petition

Current Signature Count: 82,689

[AllenVanAllen]

83. One more name

k&r too.

[DesertFlower]

85. K&R and signed.

[Enthusiast]

86. Signed and recommended. nt

[csziggy]

88. K&R

[anniebelle]

89. Signed. Thanks. n/t

[proud patriot]

90. done

there's also a facebook poll on healthcare if anyone is a member.

[liberal N proud]

91. K&R

[a kennedy]

92. kick

[BigBearJohn]

93. I tried to forward this link to about 30 people in my address book and got "mail refused by policy"

What gives?

[bread_and_roses]

94. Done. I don't trust Schumer, but it can't hurt

At least he doesn't say "a public option that is guaranteed to fail because it protects the private insurers more than it serves the health of the public" so I figure it can't hurt. I'm curious too about when it was put up - anyone here know how to find out?

[sandyj999]

95. Signed and Kicked!

[TheUnspeakable]

96. done-k&r

[indimuse]

97. K*R n/t

[ejbr]

98. Signed, Kicked, Rec'd & Forwarded!! n/t

[POAS]

99. signed kicked and rec'd

[florida08]

100. did and done

Current Signature Count: 83,128 :kick:

[Number9Dream]

101. Signed & forwarded to 6 friends n/t

[WillyT]

102. Big K & R !!!

:kick:

[Orwellian_Ghost]

103. K&R

[sallyoh]

104. kick

[sallyoh]

105. Public option recommendations buried? This is insane.

The Washington Post
July 22, 2009
Research Firm Cited by GOP Is Owned by Health Insurer
By David S. Hilzenrath

The political battle over health-care reform is waged largely with numbers,
and few number-crunchers have shaped the debate as much as the Lewin Group,
a consulting firm whose research has been widely cited by opponents of a
public insurance option.

****

Lewin's clients include the government and private groups with a variety of
perspectives, including the Commonwealth Fund and the Heritage Foundation. A
February report contained information that could be used to argue for a
single-payer system, the approach most threatening to private insurers,
Sheils noted.

But not all of the firm's reports see the light of day. For example, a study
for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association was never released, Sheils said.

"Let's just say, sometimes studies come out that don't show exactly what the
client wants to see. And in those instances, they have option to bury
the study -- to not release it, rather," Sheils said.

Asked to comment, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association spokesman Brett
Lieberman said, "We're still working with Lewin on a study, and, you know,
we don't talk about our studies until they're done."

In testimony last month to a House committee, Lewin disclosed its
affiliation with UnitedHealth and Ingenix in its written submission, but in
his oral testimony he did not bring it up until asked, according to a
transcript.

****

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/22/AR2009072202216.html

[greyghost]

106. The line must be drawn here! eom

[Imalittleteapot]

107. Signed and sent to friends. K&R. nt

[HillbillyBob]

108. petition signed

and forwarded to some friends

[Christa]

109. K & R nt

[crazylikafox]

110. signed & forwarded.

[femmocrat]

111. Signed, sealed, delivered.

K&R

[Dinger]

112. Kicking Till We Get It! (nt)

[Duval]

113. K&R n/t

[trayfoot]

114. DONE!

[Soylent Brice]

115. .

:kick:

[NoSheep]

116. Done and kicking

[goclark]

119. Current Signature Count: 83,991

Let's go! K

[newfie11]

117. K & R

[nolabear]

118. Late K&R

These days in Seattle I'm afraid of heatstroke and Swine Flu at the same time. This is carzy; we NEED health care!

[druidity33]

120. i'm not sure

how i feel about this:

"In particular, I support the creation of a public health insurance option that would foster greater competition in the marketplace, create more choices for consumers, and lead to lower costs and better quality for all."


I signed anyway, but i just wish the word "insurance" didn't give me a queasy feeling...

:(

[goodboy]

121. Kick...

:kick:

[AllyCat]

122. Signed, kicked, recd

[colsohlibgal]

123. Details

I'm troubled by the dearth of detail, and doubly troubled when they say they want a plan to "compete" with the for profit companies. Just competing with them doesn't sound so good to me - does that mean that instead of a 23,000 bill you would get a 21,000 bill? We don't need a system that can compete, we need a system that puts these leeches out of the picture totally.

[ensho]

124. kick

nt

[Juan_de_la_Dem]

125. K

Edit = Signature complete.

Thx for this

[Iwillnevergiveup]

126. 84,437

Hi ya, FourScore!:kick:

[chiffon]

127. 84,437

[Liberal_Dog]

128. Kick

[bluescribbler]

129. Signed, kicked and recommended

[fascisthunter]

130. Current Signature Count: 84,437

I added my name and that number did not change.

[Reeta77]

131. #84,437

KICKED!

[steelmania75]

132. K&R

[Iwillnevergiveup]

133. 84,935 n/t

[valerief]

134. THANKS!!!! nt

[Anwen]

135. 84,935

signed & passed it on!

[Hutzpa]

136. K&R

signed up and looking forward to my own little contribution on this fight.

This is our Waterloo, not just the President but the American people.


Thanks for posting and I will continue to kick this thread until health care pass
with a single payer or public option.

its now 84,935 signature en counting....keep it going folks.



:thumbsup:




:kick:

[udbcrzy2]

138. Did it

Current Signature Count: 84,935. That does not sound like very many.
I wonder how many it will take to get some attention?

[Iwillnevergiveup]

139. 85,217 n/t

[L. Coyote]

140. Sen. Max Baucus 2003 - 2008 = Campaign Cmte & Leadership PAC Combined

Small States, BIG Bucks is the corporate strategy to derail Health Care for All Americans!!

Sen. Max Baucus 2003 - 2008 = Campaign Cmte & Leadership PAC Combined

Pharmaceuticals/Health = $855,813
Health Professionals = $848,141
Insurance = $784,865
Lobbyists = $461,574
Hospitals/Nursing Homes = $481,826
Health Services/HMOs = $481,350

SUM: ............ $3,913,569

by comparison: 59601 HELENA, MT $49,106

source: opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?

[BeatleBoot]

141. 200th Rec !!!

[graywarrior]

142. Kick

[Iwillnevergiveup]

143. 85,436 n/t

[FourScore]

146. Wow! This is my first chance to get online today

That's 15,000 more signatures than when I posted this yestrday!!

:applause: :headbang: :fistbump: :woohoo: :grouphug: :toast: :party: :hi: :thumbsup: :D

[Fendius]

144. es kicko

and recccccoed!

[kittykitty]

145. kicky-kicky

[Synnical]

147. Back to the top n/t

[Iwillnevergiveup]

148. 85,730

At high noon PST

[Iwillnevergiveup]

149. Just sent this link to Randi

reminding her of how she got the numbers racing in the draftgore.com poll. Remember that?

[Greyhound]

150. K&R

[Iwillnevergiveup]

151. 86,184

Randi: The 6 Senators who have health care in their hands represent less than 3% of the population!

Kent Conrad, Olympia Snow, Max Baucus & Grassley are 4 of them - didn't get the rest.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

152. Oh....they are

Mike Enzi from Wyoming and Jeff Bingaman from New Mexico.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

153. Just saw this. Done.

And :kick:

[tilsammans]

154. 86,246!!!

Thank you!

:kick:

[Iwillnevergiveup]

155. 86,246

Damn it - go ahead, call me obsessive about this, but I'm sure glad I have computer work to do today to keep an eye on this.:kick:

[Iwillnevergiveup]

156. 86,783

We gotta keep this kicked.:kick:

[Vidar]

157. done

[Iwillnevergiveup]

158. 87,618 n/t

[FourScore]

159. You are awesome.

Just awesome.:pals: