I posted last night about the counter-protests that were being organized for today, July 9th, against moveon.org’s pro-socialized healthcare rallys that were being held at senator’s offices throughout the country. I’m happy to report that at Kay Hagan’s office here in Raleigh, the turnout for our side was great.
I got there late – got stuck on a job and couldn’t get away until well after the rally’s noon start time – and showed up with sign in hand just as it was breaking up. There were still enough of us there though that people were driving by and honking/shouting in support of our side though, so I made sure to walk around with my sign displayed for a few more minutes before heading back to work.
From what I saw, we had the moveon peole outnumbered. A man I spoke with said there had been maybe 30 pro-socialized medicine demonstrators, and several more than that on our side. However, another conservative attendee reports that that we had the moveon demonstrators outnumbered 4-to-1.
Whatever the actual numbers, everyone seemto agree that there were more of us than them. That’s significant for a couple of reasons:
- This was the middle of a work day with very short notice
- We were coming out against a very well funded, well organized and generally well-oiled machine in moveon
- Raleigh is a college town and has a growing liberal population
As good as the turnout was, I’m under no illusion that we actually accomplished anything today with Hagan. She has at least partially caved to moveon’s threats of airing attack ads if she didn’t come out in support of a ‘public option”, but I still have been unable to find a definitive statement from her one way or the other. When in doubt, continue to hammer away. If you’re a North Carolina resident, keep the pressure on Senator Hagan right up until the vote is closed.
Here is a list of Dem senators who, as of July 8th, still did not support the ‘public option’. I’ve lifted this list from talkingpointsmemo.com and added the D.C. phone numbers and web links to each senator’s individual website (click on the name). Each and every one of these senators needs to hear from us. Let them know that you do not support the public option:
Strongly Opposed (2)
| Landrieu, Mary L. – (D – LA) | |
| 328 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-5824 | |
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| Lieberman, Joseph I. – (ID – CT) | |
| 706 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-4041 | |
Both Lieberman and Landrieu have specifically opposed a public option.
Opposed (9)
| Nelson, Bill – (D – FL) | |
| 716 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-5274 Sits on the Finance committee, does not want to embrace the public option but has avoided openly opposing it. |
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| Carper, Thomas R. – (D – DE) | Class I |
| 513 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-2441 Co-sponsored the public plan-free Healthy Americans Act with Wyden. Wants co-ops. |
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| Warner, Mark R. – (D – VA) | |
| 459A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-2023 Deftly avoiding having to confront the public plan issue. |
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| Pryor, Mark L. – (D – AR) | |
| 255 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-2353 Blue dog senator who has kept quiet on the public option. I’ll take that as secretive opposition. Again, if anyone else has better knowledge on a senator’s position, let me know. |
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| Wyden, Ron – (D – OR) | |
| 223 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-5244 Frequent target of pro-reform ads, sponsor the Healthy Americans Act, which does not include a public option |
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| Begich, Mark – (D – AK) | |
| 144 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-3004 Very little available about his opinion on the public option. He’s from a weird state (sorry Alaskans). His next election isn’t until 2014. I’m going to put his as a conditional tough sell until I learn more. |
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| Tester, Jon – (D – MT) | |
| 724 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-2644 I couldn’t find much on his position, either. Maybe someone more familiar with his political tendencies can fill me in, but I’m going to fill him in as a tough sell. |
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| Bayh, Evan – (D – IN) | |
| 131 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-5623 Fiscally conservative Democrat. Wants to shift the focus away from public option, though he hasn’t openly opposed it. |
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| Feinstein, Dianne – (D – CA) | |
| 331 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-3841 Seems determined to avoid outright opposition to the public option, though it’s clear she does not like it. Gets lots of $$ from insurance companies. Says criticism from left does not bother her. She has reason to worry, though, as her constituency is very liberal and probably very passionate about a public option. |
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On The Fence (9)
| Bennet, Michael F. – (D – CO) | |
| 702 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-5852 Prefers the co-op idea, but said he could support a public option. |
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| Baucus, Max – (D – MT) | |
| 511 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-2651 He’s been trying to compromise with Republicans by offering them compromises that don’t include a public option, but he has said the public option is ‘on the table’, and he said he opposes the public option merely because it won’t get enough votes, not on substance. |
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| Cantwell, Maria – (D – WA) | |
| 511 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-3441 Offered support for a public option, but was vague about what that means. She should be in a position to vote for the final bill. |
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| Conrad, Kent – (D – ND) | |
| 530 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-2043 Main reason for opposing the public option because it didn’t have the votes, not because of its substance. If momentum picks up, I think he’ll jump aboard. |
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| Dorgan, Byron L. – (D – ND) | |
| 322 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-2551 Said he would support public option if it doesn’t put private insurers out of business. [note from Cnation - it will. Make sure he understands that you know it] |
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| Nelson, Ben – (D – NE) | |
| 720 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-6551 Initially called the public option a ‘deal breaker,’ but recently claimed he would not support a filibuster. |
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| Lincoln, Blanche L. – (D – AR) | |
| 355 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-4843 Wrote a column today saying “Options should include private plans as well as a quality, affordable public plan or non-profit plan that can accomplish the same goals as those of a public plan.” The nonprofit concept almost certainly won’t be included in the final bill. |
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| Byrd, Robert C. – (D – WV) | |
| 311 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-3954 Very old and very sick. |
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| Hagan, Kay R. – (D – NC) | |
| 521 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-6342 Recently caved to overwhelming criticism and said she would support some sort of public option, though she was vague on details. |
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Recent converts (2)
| Reid, Harry – (D – NV) | |
| 522 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-3542 | |
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| Udall, Tom – (D – NM) | |
| 110 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 | |
| (202) 224-6621 Said he supports a public health care option. |
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Pressure, pressure, pressure! Don’t let up, we can win this.
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-Cnation