Time to fight

Dear MoveOn member,

News out of Washington is that Democratic leaders may be coalescing around a plan to finish health care reform.¹

But conservatives are pushing back hard. The Senate GOP is threatening a "free for all" of amendments to derail the process, while Sen. Chuck Grassley has promised partisan "war." And a handful of conservative Democrats, like Evan Bayh, are echoing GOP opposition.²

It's time for all Democrats to show bold leadership, stand up to the threats, and get reform passed—and they need to know that voters are counting on them to make it happen.

We put together a flyer that sends just that message. Can you stop by Senator Chuck Schumer's office in New York today or later this week to deliver a flyer and tell your senator to fight to finish health care reform?

Get the address and all the details by clicking here:

Yes, I'll drop a flyer off at Chuck Schumer's office

We know from firsthand reports that in-person deliveries like these definitely get noticed and relayed back to the senator in Washington.

There's a clear path to finishing reform, and finishing it right. Through a process called "budget reconciliation," Senate Democrats can fix the health care bill and pass real reform with just 51 votes.³

But opponents of real reform are determined to stop it. Make sure your senator knows you're counting on Democrats to fight, and get health care reform done. 

Can you drop by Chuck Schumer's office in New York today or tomorrow?

Yes, I can drop by Chuck Schumer's office

Sorry, I can't

Thanks for all you do.

–Kat, Wes, Lenore, Ilya, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Democrats quietly working to resuscitate health care overhaul," The Los Angeles Times, January 30, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86355&id=18803-10220574-vPEf9Sx&t=5

"Democrats Hope a Breather Helps Health Care Bill," Roll Call, February 1, 2010
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_84/news/42801-1.html

2. "Hatch Threatens Partisan 'War' If Dems Attempt Reconciliation Strategy," The Huffington Post, January 29, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86353&id=18803-10220574-vPEf9Sx&t=6

"GOP Strategy: Derail Health Bill Reconciliation Fix With "Free For All" Of Amendments," The Plum Line, January 26, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86382&id=18803-10220574-vPEf9Sx&t=7

"Lincoln and Bayh Vow to Oppose Budget Reconciliation," The New York Times, January 26, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86347&id=18803-10220574-vPEf9Sx&t=8

3. "Can health insurance reform still pass?" Congress Matters, January 20, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86383&id=18803-10220574-vPEf9Sx&t=9

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

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PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on February 2, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tomorrow in New York City

Tomorrow in New York City Tell Democrats: Fight, Don't Fold Where: Senator Schumer's Manhattan office (in New York City) When: Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 8:30 AM What: We're holding a news conference to release a new survey showing Democrats risk losing key volunteers and donors unless they fight for and pass real health care reform this year. A crowd will make sure Congress and the media hear our message. Can you make it to the event tomorrow? Click here for more details and to RSVP: I can come. Sorry, I can't make it this time. For more info and to find other events in your area, click here. And don't worry, this email was sent through the MoveOn system, so your personal contact info is kept private.

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

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PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on February 1, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Fight, don't fold

We need Senate Democrats to stand up and fight for real health care reform. Can you send that message to Sens. Schumer and Gillibrand today? Click below to send a free fax: Click here to send a fax

Dear MoveOn member,

On Tuesday, we ran a full-page ad in USA Today, signed by thousands of MoveOn members, sending a simple message to Democrats: fight, don't fold, on health care.

The message seems to be breaking through with some in Washington. On Wednesday, President Obama told Congress to "finish the job" on health care.¹ And on Thursday, Speaker Pelosi insisted, "...we're going to get health care reform passed," saying, "If the gate's closed, you go over the fence. If the fence is too high, we'll pole-vault in. If that doesn't work, we'll parachute in."²

But a huge roadblock remains: the U.S. Senate. Conservatives are pushing hard to delay or drop health care, while Senate leadership is sending mixed signals.³

We urgently need to make sure every single Democrat in the Senate gets the message: it's time to stand up and fight. So we're flooding their offices with faxes telling them just that. Can you send a free fax to your senators, Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, today?

Click here to send a fax now: 

http://pol.moveon.org/fax/?tg=FSNY_1.FSNY_2&cp_id=1242&id=18771-10220574-_.RLv8x&t=4

If the Senate stalls on health care, the whole effort is in jeopardy. And we simply can't afford to wait any longer for real reform—not with millions of Americans suffering from a lack of insurance, sky-rocketing costs, and bankruptcies caused by medical debt.

What's more, there's a clear path for Senate Democrats to finish reform right. Through a process called "budget reconciliation," they can do it with just 51 votes.

The question isn't can they or should they, but will they? So right now, with all eyes on the Senate, they need to hear from voters demanding action to pass comprehensive health care reform now.

Can you send Sens. Schumer and Gillibrand a free fax right away? Just click here:

http://pol.moveon.org/fax/?tg=FSNY_1.FSNY_2&cp_id=1242&id=18771-10220574-_.RLv8x&t=5

Thanks for all you do.

–Kat, Ilyse, Carrie, Wes, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Transcript: Obama's State of the Union," ABC News, January 27, 2010
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=9678572

2. "Pelosi: Obama's Health Care Appeal 'Very Powerful' And 'Helpful To Us,'" The Plum Line, January 28, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86344&id=18771-10220574-_.RLv8x&t=6

3. "Lincoln and Bayh Vow to Oppose Budget Reconciliation," The New York Times, January 26, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86347&id=18771-10220574-_.RLv8x&t=7

"Reid: 'No Rush' On Health Care," The Washington Post, January 26, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86348&id=18771-10220574-_.RLv8x&t=8

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

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PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on January 29, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court last week struck down 100 years of campaign law and opened the floodgates to unlimited campaign spending by corporations. Today, we're launching a huge new campaign to repair the damage. To get started, it'll take  3 donations from Inwood—can you chip in $5? Click here:   Contribute now

Dear MoveOn member,

Last time, far-right Congressman Joe Wilson shouted "You Lie." Last night, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was only slightly more graceful.¹

It's never been more clear that the current Supreme Court is dominated by right-wing partisans, and last week, they issued the most scandalous decision since Bush v. Gore by opening the floodgates to unlimited campaign spending by corporations.²

Today we're launching a massive new campaign to end corporate domination of American politics.

We'll demand a constitutional amendment to directly reverse the Supreme Court decision, and we'll fight for essential changes like the Fair Elections Now Act, to give small-donor-backed populist candidates a chance against the corporate big guns.

It'll be a huge fight and we need to know if we'll have the resources to proceed. It'll take $200,000 right away to start strong, and that'll take 3 donations from Inwood. Are you in? Please help with a contribution of $5 today. Click here:

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/sotu_2010.html?bg_id=hpc5&id=18757-10220574-MiU1XXx&t=3

This new tsunami of corporate money in elections is on top of the tremendous power corporate lobbyists already have on Capitol Hill—just look at health care reform to see what a few hundred million dollars from big corporations can do.³

With this Court decision, Big Insurance could spend as much as they want to support Joe Lieberman in his efforts to keep watering down health care reform. And ExxonMobil or BP can spend millions to elect candidates who oppose clean energy. It's a disastrous decision with a disastrous outcome.

That's why we're launching a major new campaign to break the stranglehold that corporate influence has over our politics, and over all of President Obama's agenda, and we're going really big. 

We'll push Congress to pass a real "fair elections" bill that will make sure politicians rely on money from real people in their home districts instead of major multi-national corporations. We'll fight to kick lobbyists out of the back room negotiations on Capitol Hill. And together we'll tackle the single biggest and best solution to the corporate corruption problem: A constitutional amendment to undo the damage of the horrible Supreme Court decision.⁴

Over the course of the next year we'll:

• Expose the ties between big oil, insurance and Wall Street CEOs and politicians who stand in the way of the change Americans want
• Invest in a major organizing effort to rally voters in every district to hold their representatives accountable for taking corporate money and then watering down critical reform
• Launch tough ads that shine a light on the corrupting influence of corporate interests on crucial public priorities.

This is obviously an enormous challenge and, honestly, it'll take a lot of resources to run a truly strong effort. It's going to take 3 folks from Inwood today to make sure we can kick off the campaign. Can you chip in $5 today?

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/sotu_2010.html?bg_id=hpc5&id=18757-10220574-MiU1XXx&t=4

Nothing less than our democracy is at stake. But together, we can begin to turn the tide.

Thanks for all you do.

–Nita, Kat, Adam, Ilya, and the rest of the team

P.S. Last week, MoveOn.org President Eli Pariser wrote an opinion column for The Wall Street Journal showing how corporate control of politics has dramatically limited progress in President Obama's first year—and explaining how we can fight back. Click here to read it:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86341&id=18757-10220574-MiU1XXx&t=5

Sources:

1. "Justice Samuel Alito Mouths 'Not True' During State of the Union," Politics Daily, January 28, 2010 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86336&id=18757-10220574-MiU1XXx&t=7

"Justice Samuel Alito channels Joe Wilson during State of the Union," Daily Kos, January 27, 2010 
http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002512/

2. "Justices Overturn Key Campaign Limits," The New York Times, January 21, 2010 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86098&id=&t=5&id=18757-10220574-MiU1XXx&t=8

"Lobbyists Get Potent Weapon in Campaign Finance Ruling," The New York Times, January 21, 2010 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86104&id=&t=6&id=18757-10220574-MiU1XXx&t=9

3. "New Lobbying Reports Show Big Business Keeps Spending to Influence Politics," Center for Responsive Politics, January 21, 2010 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86337&id=18757-10220574-MiU1XXx&t=10

4. "The Solutions: Three Ways to Curb Excessive Corporate Money in Politics," Public Citizen, accessed January 28, 2010 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86338&id=18757-10220574-MiU1XXx&t=11

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PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on January 28, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Return of the public option?

We can save health care reform by giving a bill with a public option a fair up-or-down vote in the Senate. Can you call Rep. McCarthy and urge her to sign a letter in support of the public option? Representative Carolyn McCarthy Phone: 202-225-5516 Report your call

Dear MoveOn member,

The best way to rescue health care reform is also the best chance for Democrats to prevail at the polls in November: pass a health care bill with a public option through the Senate using an up-or-down vote.

Reform with a public option has strong support in both houses of Congress, and from the majority of the American people.¹ In fact, the public option is far more popular than the Senate bill that passed without it.² But because of a few conservative obstructionists, it's been taken off the table.

Not anymore. Tomorrow, progressive champions in Congress are sending a letter urging Majority Leader Harry Reid to bring a bill with a public option to the floor through a rule called "reconciliation" that would allow it to pass with a simple majority.³

They need more signatures immediately to send a powerful message in support of a fair up-or-down vote on real health care reform. Can you call Representative Carolyn McCarthy right away and urge her to sign the "Polis-Pingree" letter supporting the public option?

Here's where to call:

Representative Carolyn McCarthy
Phone: 202-225-5516

Then, please report your call by clicking here:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FHNY_04&cp_id=1243&id=18740-10220574-VuBAkVx&t=3

The letter, written by Rep. Jared Polis from Colorado and Rep. Chellie Pingree from Maine, makes the following points:⁴

1. The public option is overwhelmingly popular. A December New York Times poll shows that, despite the attacks of recent months, the American public supports the public option 59% to 29%. And a recent Research 2000 poll found 82% of people who supported President Obama in 2008 and Scott Brown for Senate last week also support the public option.
2. The public option will save billions for taxpayers. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the public option will save taxpayers anywhere from $25 billion to $110 billion and will save billions more when private insurers compete to bring down premium costs.
3. There is strong support in the Senate for a popular public option. It is very likely that the public option could have passed the Senate, if brought up under majority-vote "budget reconciliation" rules—for which it would clearly qualify as budget-related.

Can you call Rep. McCarthy right away?

Representative Carolyn McCarthy
Phone: 202-225-5516

Then, please report your call by clicking here:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FHNY_04&cp_id=1243&id=18740-10220574-VuBAkVx&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

–Kat, Eli, Laura, Michael, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. Final vote results on passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, November 7, 2009
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml

"Senate Public Option Scoreboard," The Washington Independent, September 16, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86331&id=18740-10220574-VuBAkVx&t=5

"Most in U.S. Want Public Health Option: Poll," Reuters, December 3, 2009
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5B20OL20091203

2. "Poll: Public Option Way More Popular Than Senate Health Care Proposal," WhoRunsGov.com, December 10, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86332&id=18740-10220574-VuBAkVx&t=6

3. "House Progressives Push Reid To Put Public Option Back On Table," Huffington Post, January 27, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86330&id=18740-10220574-VuBAkVx&t=7

4. Draft letter to Sen. Harry Reid from Reps. Jared Polis and Chellie Pingree, January 27, 2010 
http://polis.house.gov/UploadedFiles/1-27_Public_Option_Letter_--_Draft.pdf

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

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PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on January 27, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

BREAKING: Passing health care?

Dear MoveOn member,

Breaking news: congressional leaders are presenting a new plan to finish comprehensive health care reform—but it's already meeting resistance from some rank-and-file Democrats.¹

News reports say "it's unclear that they will have the votes to move forward."²

So we're launching a massive nationwide call-in effort today to send an overwhelming message to Capitol Hill: giving up on health care reform is not an option. Voters want their elected representatives to stand up and deliver, and the first step is passing real, comprehensive health care reform this year.

We've set a goal of making 3 calls to Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer from MoveOn members in Inwood today—can you join in?

Here's where to call:

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Phone: 202-224-4451

Senator Charles Schumer
Phone: 202-224-6542

Then, please report your call by clicking here:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FSNY_2.FSNY_1&cp_id=1237&id=18722-10220574-4Q3mlZx&t=1

Thanks for all you do.

–Kat, Carrie, Joan, Michael, and the rest of the team

Calls needed from Inwood: 3

Sources:

1. "Dem Leaders Unite on Health Care Strategy," The Associated Press, January 25, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86321&id=18722-10220574-4Q3mlZx&t=2

2. Ibid.

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

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PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on January 26, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

No to Bernanke

Fed chair Ben Bernanke spent trillions to bail out Wall Street, but he's turning a blind eye to regular Americans. Now he's up for a second term. Can you ask Sen. Gillibrand to vote against confirming Bernanke? Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Phone: 202-224-4451 Click Here

Dear MoveOn member,

With the struggling economy topping the list of concerns for most Americans, it's clear that we need new economic leadership in Washington

Instead, President Obama has renominated Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke, a holdover from the Bush administration, for another term.

Bernanke presided over the biggest Wall Street bailout in history, making trillions of dollars in loans to big banks with no oversight.¹ But after taking extreme measures to save the banks, Bernanke has shown no interest in helping regular folks who can't find jobs, even though ensuring "full employment" is explicitly part of his mandate.²

The Senate is getting ready to vote on Bernanke's nomination. Can you ask Sen. Gillibrand to vote against reconfirming Bernanke as Fed Chair?

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Phone: 202-224-4451

Then, please report your call by clicking here:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FSNY_2&cp_id=1235&id=18698-10220574-UZ9G.ox&t=3

Bernanke has had numerous opportunities to tell Congress and the American people specifically how he'll change the Fed policies that contributed to the financial meltdown and how he'll work to clean up the mess it created. Instead, all he's offered are platitudes and inaction.

When asked what the Fed would do differently next time, Bernanke called for "better and smarter" regulation, without any explanation of what that means. He's also pushed for giving regulators more power over financial firms—but he won't acknowledge that regulators didn't use the powers they already had this time. And he won't admit that the Fed completely missed the real-estate bubble, even though many outside economists were warning of the danger it posed.³

Bernanke has also opposed a cornerstone of the administration's financial reform package: the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. He wants to keep responsibility for consumer protection where it is now: under his authority at the Fed. That idea is ludicrous—it was the Fed that refused to protect consumers from the shady subprime mortgage lenders and ripoff credit card deals that imperiled our economy.⁴

Finally, and perhaps most troublingly, Bernanke has completely ignored his responsibility to help fight massive unemployment. He acknowledged to Congress that there are steps the Fed could take that would "stimulate spending and output" to help our economy start growing again. But he's not interested in taking them.⁵

With views like this, it's clear that Bernanke is more interested in continuing business as usual than helping those who are struggling. We just can't afford to have someone like that setting economic policy. Please call Sen. Gillibrand today and ask her to vote against confirming Ben Bernanke.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Phone: 202-224-4451

After you call, let us know here:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FSNY_2&cp_id=1235&id=18698-10220574-UZ9G.ox&t=4

Thank you for all you do.

–Daniel, Noah, Ilya, Kat, and the rest of the team

Sources: 

1. "U.S. Taxpayers Risk $9.7 Trillion on Bailout Programs," Bloomberg News, February 9, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86293&id=18698-10220574-UZ9G.ox&t=5

2. "Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act," Wikipedia, January 25, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86289&id=18698-10220574-UZ9G.ox&t=6

3. "Fed Missed This Bubble. Will It See a New One?," The New York Times, January 5, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86294&id=18698-10220574-UZ9G.ox&t=7

4. "Bernanke and Geithner clash over consumer protection," CNN, July 29, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86290&id=18698-10220574-UZ9G.ox&t=8

"Why the Fed Can't Do Consumer Regulation," The New Republic, October 18, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86295&id=18698-10220574-UZ9G.ox&t=9

5. "Ben Bernanke and the Pringles Problem," Think Progress, December 18, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86296&id=18698-10220574-UZ9G.ox&t=10

"The curse of Montagu Norman," The New York Times, December 18, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86297&id=18698-10220574-UZ9G.ox&t=11

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

---

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on January 25, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.