African Americans for Barack Obama Digest, October 29th

Dear friends,

The Senate is closing in on a health care bill with a public health insurance option, a key ingredient of meaningful health care reform.

But conservatives and insurance companies are fighting hard against the public option, so Senate leadership has compromised by including an "opt-out" clause, which would allow individual states to choose not to participate in the program.[1]
There's a real danger here. In the stimulus fight, we saw Republican governors and legislators refuse federal dollars for political gain. The same thing could happen with health care reform, with everday people in states like Lousiana, Alabama, and South Carolina -- states with large Black, poor, and working-class populations -- left out.[2]
That's why I've joined ColorOfChange.org's campaign calling on Congress and the White House to make the public option available everywhere. Please join me:
http://www.colorofchange.org/healthcare/?id=2376-660064
I understand the need for compromise and negotiation, but I also want to make sure that no community gets negotiated away in the process.

Including "opt-out" may be the best way to get a bill through the Senate with a public option--but that won't be the end of the process, and it doesn't mean "opt-out" will be in the final bill. The House still needs to decide exactly what will be in its health care bill. And once both the House and the Senate have passed legislation, they'll have to negotiate with each other, and the White House, to reconcile the differences between the two bills.
That's why we need to make it clear that we're watching and that we will demand a public option that's available in every state. Please join me in sending this message to Congress and the White House, and ask your friends and family to do the same:
http://www.colorofchange.org/healthcare/?id=2376-660064

Thank you.



References:
1. "So what is the 'opt-out' compromise?" Talking Points Memo, 10-26-2009
http://tinyurl.com/yjffquq
2. "Public option opt out denies help to those who need it most," Fire Dog Lake, 10-8-2009
http://tinyurl.com/yks5sxz

There's an important election taking place for governor in Virginia. Election Day, Tuesday, November 3rd, is less than a week away and President Obama just visited the state yesterday to rally support for the Democratic candidate, Creigh Deeds.

We made history when we won Virginia last year, and we did it by talking to people one at a time and bringing new voters into the process. But to really change the way democracy is done in this country, we have to ensure what we started continues to grow. And right now, that means we've got to make sure those new voters we reached stay engaged.

To make sure this movement keeps growing, we've got to follow up. This Saturday, we'll be kicking off our final push straight through Election Day to talk to voters and make sure they know when and where to vote. I need you to come to Virginia in the final four days of this election to build support for Creigh Deeds and turn out voters.

Creigh Deeds's opponent, Bob McDonnell, is offering up the same divisive, cynical politics and failed policies that we fought so hard to put an end to. His record shows a history of backwards views on women's rights, and he's offering the same policies that are to blame for the problems we face. We've got to show that this kind of politics has no place in Virginia or anywhere in the country.


We worked too hard last year to bring new voters into the political process, and we've got to make sure they keep making their voices heard.

As a candidate, Creigh Deeds has embraced this movement by speaking directly and honestly to Virginians about the challenges they face. It's up to you to make sure they know about the choice they face in this election.

Come to Virginia and talk to voters in the final stretch:

http://va.barackobama.com/finalfour

Thanks,

Jeremy

Jeremy Bird
Deputy Director
Organizing for America

"Every Day"