The stakes have never been higher. All signs are indicating that our President is doubling down on healthcare. Are you going to up the ante or are you going to fold in one of the most critical moments in our nation’s history? We need “everyone in” to put a halt to this unprecedented attempt of our government to control our lives.
(For background information on the current status of the healthcare bill, see the Resources section at the bottom of this article.)
What can you do to help put a stop to the attempted healthcare takeover?
- Take a trip to D.C. Several protests are being planned at this moment for Tuesday, March 16. Buses are being organized. Visit the OLC Rideshare site to get the most up to date Ohio bus trip information for The People’s Surge Against Obamacare 2.0
- Pay a visit to our President in Strongsville, OH on Monday, March 15. The President will be here in Ohio to discuss health care insurance reform at the Walter F. Ehrnfelt Recreation and Senior Center. The White House also said Obama would travel to northeastern Ohio on Monday for an appearance near the hometown of an uninsured cancer patient named Natoma Canfield, whom the president has made a symbol of the need for reform. More details at the end of this article under Resources.
- Use the OH Congress website to contact at least 3 Ohio Representatives. These are the candidates have some likelihood to be swayed here in Ohio. According to word from a Washington lobbyist with which we have contact, Representative John Boccieri (OH-16) is the “most potentially persuadable” of all of them. OLC is recommending that we focus efforts on Mr. Boccieri as our highest priority.
- John Boccieri (202) 225-3876 or (330) 489-4414 (OH-16, Northeast Ohio)
- Steve Driehaus (202) 225-2216 or (513) 684-2723 (OH-1, Cincinnati area)
- Zack Space (202) 225-6265 or (330) 364-4300 (OH-18, East of Columbus)
- Mary Jo Kilroy (202) 225-2015 or (614) 294-2196 (OH-15, Columbus area)
- Charlie Wilson (202) 225-5705 or (740) 376-0868 (OH-6, Southeast Ohio)
- Betty Sutton (202) 225-3401 or (330) 865-8450 (OH-13, Northeast Ohio)
- Attend a rally. (Submit yours here) We are currently aware of the following protests taking place next week:
- [Akron] What: Rally Against Nationalizing Healthcare When: Friday, March 19, 12 Noon Where: Betty Sutton’s District Office, 39 E Market Street, LL #1, Akron, OH 44308. Click for Google Map. Who: Medina County Friends and Neighbors
- [Canton] What: Rally Against Nationalizing Healthcare When: Friday, March 19, 4PM Where: John Bocierri’s District Office, 300 W Tuscarawas St., Suite 716, Canton, OH 44702. Click for Google Map. Who: Medina County Friends and Neighbors
- [Cincinnati] What: Hands of Our Healthcare Rally When: Tuesday, March 16, 6PM Where: Nathaniel Greene Lodge, 6394 Wesselman Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45248. Click for Google Map. Who: AFP and Cincinnati 912 Project
- [Columbus] What: Kilroy Healthcare Protest When: Tuesday, March 16, 11:30A Where: Kilroy’s District Office, 1299 Olentangy River Rd, ste. 200, Columbus, OH 43212. Click for Google Map. Who: Organized by AFP and Columbus Tea Party
- [Ironton] What: Hands off Our Healthcare Rally When: Wednesday, March 17, 11A-1P Where: Congressman Wilson’s District Office, 202 Park Ave, Suite C, Ironton, OH 45638. Click for Google Map. Who: Organized by One Loyal American
- [Lakewood] What: Rally Against Nationalizing Healthcare When: Friday, March 19, 3p-6p Where: Kucinich’s Lakewood District Office, 14400 Detroit Road, Lakewood, OH 44107. Click for Google Map. Who: Medina County Friends and Neighbors
- [Marietta] What: Hands off Our Healthcare Rally When: Wednesday, March 17, 11A-1P Where: Congressman Wilson’s District Office, 258 Front St, Marietta, OH 45750. Click for Google Map. Who: Organized by AFP and Marietta OH 912 Project.
- [Zanesville] What: Protest against Government Takeover of Healthcare When: Friday, March 19, 12:00PM Where: Zack Space’s Zanesville Office, 17 North Fourth St. Suite A Zanesville, Ohio 43701. Click for Google Map. Who: Organized by Zanesville Patriots
Resources
- The current status of the healthcare bill, according to an article from Bloomberg.com:
Obama is asking House Democrats to approve the Senate bill passed in December and pass another measure to make changes to it under reconciliation. The procedure, designed for budget items, would allow the Democratic-controlled Senate to approve the agreed-upon changes with a simple majority instead of the 60 votes that are generally needed to push through legislation.
But the House Democrats are wary of trusting the Senate. The article continues:
“The House has a right to be skeptical,” Durbin told reporters. “They have almost 300 bills they’ve passed” that are “somewhere lost in the Senate.”
So, aside from the typical emergency mode in which Washington operates in nowadays, what is the rush on ramming this bill through?
Democrats are calling for the biggest changes to the medical system since the Medicare health program for the elderly was created in 1965. Their plan would require Americans to get insurance, with new purchasing exchanges and government aid to help. Insurers such as Hartford, Connecticut-based Aetna Inc. would be required to accept all who seek coverage.
Obama is pushing Congress to act before lawmakers leave for a two-week recess on March 26. Pelosi said the vote “is not something we are going to drag out” and that the lawmakers were awaiting a cost analysis by the Congressional Budget Office. The White House estimated that a proposal Obama put forth last month, which is providing the basis for the reconciliation bill, would cost $950 billion over 10 years.
Pelosi said the legislation will eliminate 80 percent of an excise tax on high-priced insurance plans in the Senate measure and replace the lost revenue with a Medicare payroll tax on unearned income. It will increase Medicare prescription-drug benefits to eliminate a gap in coverage for seniors, she said.
Still unresolved are the amount of subsidies to help low-income Americans purchase insurance and how much extra help to give states such as New York that offer more generous Medicaid benefits, said a House Democratic leadership aide who spoke on condition of anonymity.
- Heritage Foundation has done a comprehensive analysis of the Senate healthcare bill.
- Details on Obama’s Visit to Strongsville (from OLC Member Group Medina County Friends and Neighbors, mcfan.org):
- Based on our experience with Obama’s Lorain visit, they may shut down all the roads at 10:30 for the 1 PM event. Arrive early. Cleveland Tea Party recommends arrival by 9 AM, just to be safe.
- Obama is scheduled to be at the Strongsville Rec Center (Ernfelt Center) on Monday, 3/15/10 at 1:00 PM. This is the same location as a McCain/Palin rally in 2008. A Cleveland Clinic building nearby may also be visited.
- The Howard Hanna office in Strongsville (on Pearl Rd.) is advising their agents that they have heard that Rt 82 From I-71 to Pearl and Pearl Rd. is going to have restricted access from 10:00 AM until Noon, and then be closed from Noon until after Obama leaves.
- Southpark Mall as a suggested parking site has entrances on Rt. 82 and Howe Rd. Howe is accessed by Rt. 82 (watch your timing) and also from Brunswick direction off of Boston Rd.
- Plan your time of arrival and parking with the advisory in mind.
- We have seen a lot of email traffic for sign-making parties being organized over the weekend. We plan to attend at least one.
Thu, Mar 11, 2010