"Progressive Standard Bearer" MoveOn.org Also Opposes Senate Bill

MoveOn opposes Senate bill


Progressive Standard Bearer MoveOn.org is opposing the Senate bill and asking its millions of members to sign a petition calling on liberal Sens. Bernie Sanders, Roland Burris, and Russ Feingold to block the bill's passage until it can be strengthened.

From the email:

Dear MoveOn.org member,

The latest Senate health care bill has no public option. No expansion of Medicare. And it does too little to guarantee that uninsured Americans will actually be able afford the coverage they'll be required to purchase.

Former insurance executive Wendell Potter put it best: the bill is "a big bailout to the health insurance industry.

But it's not too late to fix the bill. And as Joe Lieberman has shown, just one senator willing to stand in the way can force legislation to be changed dramatically.

Senator Bernie Sanders, a strong proponent of the public option, has already made clear that he's opposed to the legislation in its current form—and he could decide to block it until it's fixed.

But there's enormous pressure from all sides to pass a bill quickly, no matter how weak it is. Let's show Bernie and other progressives that we're counting on them to block this version of the bill—and we'll get their backs if they do.

Can you sign our petition opposing the current Senate health care bill? Clicking here will add your name:

http://pol.moveon.org/block/o.pl?id=&t=3

The petition reads: "America needs real health care reform—not a massive giveaway to the insurance companies. Senator Bernie Sanders and other progressives should block this bill until it's fixed."

Despite this latest setback, we can still win the health care fight. The House has already passed a strong health care bill with a real public option. It would cover millions of uninsured Americans, offer real competition to the insurance companies, and reduce costs in the long run.

MoveOn members overwhelmingly support the House bill. But it's clear from member feedback and surveys that the majority of MoveOn members oppose the Senate bill as it now stands.

And recent polls showing growing opposition among grassroots progressives generally—the very folks Democrats in Washington count on to volunteer and donate to their campaigns.

One found that one-third of Democratic voters will be less likely to vote next year if Congress doesn't pass a public option.

So to get real reform, we need to immediately send a powerful message to Senate progressives like Bernie Sanders, Roland Burris, and Russ Feingold that we're counting on them to block this bill until it's fixed.

Click here to add your name to the petition:

http://pol.moveon.org/block/o.pl?id=&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

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


Sources: MoveOn.org, Politico, The Nation, Wikipedia