Nov 6th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Your Statement of Support on Health Care
It’s worth mentioning that if you have time to read political blogs, you have time to pick up the telephone and call your member of congress and tell his or her office whether you support or oppose the health care reform bill. Members of congress, for good or for ill, take this kind of constituent contact seriously. Even if it’s ultimately not decisive in changing their mind, they still note it. I don’t get representation in congress, but if you do you ought to put that fact to use.
25 Responses to “Your Statement of Support on Health Care”
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November 6th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
My Senators and my Rep are Republicans.
Do you honestly think it would make the slightest difference?
Because my district has been gerrymandered (and I know you’re fan of that), I functionally have no more representation than you do.
November 6th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
If you live in Maryland and especially if you live in the First District in Maryland CALL FRANK KRATOVIL.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/health-care/bal-kratovil-health-reform1106,0,4869539.story
November 6th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
call your member of congress and tell his or her office whether you support or oppose the health care reform bill
OK!
November 6th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Ugh, if only I had a member of Congress or a Senator to call!!! But as a federal-taxpaying DC resident, I am a second class citizen with a diminished voice (as you know just as well as I do).
November 6th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Actually, I’m a gay DC resident, so I guess that makes me a third-class citizen.
November 6th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I called mine weeks ago. I don’t know that there’s much point in calling him again. It’s van Hollen, so there is little doubt that he’ll want (and fight for) more than we’ll actually get.
I was checking his site, to make sure he isn’t slipping, when I saw the news about “compacts”. States would have the ability to enter into agreement to allow cross state provision of insurance.
I don’t think this is bad. Politically it defrays a Republican talking point. It avoids the “race to the bottom” dynamic. Any state that would enter into a partnership with a less regulated state would be likely to decrease their own regulation anyway, so there’s no net loss. It could also be used as leverage by states that essentially have a monopoly situation in health insurance. They could find a partner with a similar regulatory regime, and different insurance providers to broaden the supply without scrapping their consumer protection.
November 6th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Any state that would enter into a partnership with a less regulated state would be likely to decrease their own regulation anyway
I’m not sure that follows. It’s much easier to reduce legislation if you can make the excuse that you’re doing it reluctantly to increase competition and consumer choice. It would be much better to force states to rise to a common level of increased oversight, perhaps some kind of certification for eligibility.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I live in Henry Waxman’s district. I’m sure he’s fine, and I trust Boxer. Anybody know if DiFi is a disappointment on this one too?
November 6th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Being from a small state means I get to treat my Senators like Representatives. I always call all four offices. Now that the Rep from the other district is gearing up to run for Gov, I can feel reasonably sure that he’ll note responses from the entire State.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
My rep is Kucinich. He’ll vote yes anyway. Plus he’s a nut. I don’t want to get on his mailing list or anything.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
My rep is Nancy Pelosi, so I’m guessing we can count on her support. Anyone know if DiFi or Boxer could use any nudging?
November 6th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
I did waste a few keystrokes writing Chris Lee. Got a canned robo response.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
If I thought calling up my Idaho representative might have a shot in hell of changing the vote, I’d be all over it.
But in all honesty, picking my nose would be more productive.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Paulie Carbone Says:
November 6th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
My rep is Kucinich. He’ll vote yes anyway. Plus he’s a nut. I don’t want to get on his mailing list or anything.
============================================================
Maybe you’d get lucky and he’d spam you with pictures of his wife
November 6th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Good news: My rep is a dem and will vote for reform.
Bad news: I live in Texas and both senators are crazy.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Ahh. DiFi’s position here. Includes point headings reading “Provide a strong, national public option,” and “Remove the private health insurance industry’s anti-trust exemption.”
And my phone lies dormant.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Hmm. I agree with the sentiment, but I live in DC, so I’ll just go ahead and fuck right the Hell off.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I wish I knew a list of Senators and Representatives who were persuadable on this issue. I live in MD so my congressional representation is Edwards, Mikulski and Cardin. I think all three are pretty firm in favor of a public options.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Why don’t all you DC residents move to Guam or something? The weather is better and it’s not nearly as saturated with assholes as DC. And your representation in Congress will be a wash.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Also MD, good congressperson. Matt, I do much less calling of representatives than I would otherwise, because I feel like my (Democratic) representation is “safe”. When I do pick up the phone, it’s usually for issues that don’t seem to be clearly ideologically defined.
Matt:
1) Do you think that’s usually a safe call?
2) Is there an efficient way to identify when my particular delegation is wavering on an issue I think is important?
November 6th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Sigh, this is the problem with the way Congressional districts are defined. I have two dark blue Senators and a dark blue Representative (I live in Oregon–and while Wyden is being cagey on health care, he’s being cagey in a way that moves the bill to the left). What’s the point?
The same, but for different reasons, would be true if I lived in WY, half of ID, or any number of other true red jurisdictions. The fact of the matter is, less than 10% of Congress is influencable on this, and less than 20% of us have a single Senator or rep who can be gotten off fence.
November 6th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
So I should contact Eric Cantor? Uh-huh. I’ve got a sock drawer that needs reorganizing.
November 6th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I have tried all day to contact my rep, Jeb Hensarling and the line is BUSY! I wonder if it is off the hook? I know my opinion wouldn’t matter to him anyway — so whatever.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Baldwin, Feingold, and Kohl here. Maybe ol’ Herb needs a push in the right direction, but I doubt it. Otherwise I think we’re squared away in the WI-2.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Ordinarily, I’d say you’re right. But my congress people are John Lewis, Johnny Isaakson and Saxby Chambliss. John Lewis doesn’t need telling and the other two are stone cold idiots. You seriously think they’d even notice a positive comment from an Atlantan on a Democratic bill? They both write off Atlanta and run for senator from the rest of Georgia.