Yes We Did

This morning Barack Obama will sign the Senate version of health care reform into law. The Senate will immediately take up the reconciliation fixes and unless something very unlikely happens that too will become law within a week. We did not get everything we asked for, but when has that ever happened? The Democrats got a taste of victory. Health care still got its most significant update since LBJ was President. If it has any political instincts the party will act like a winner and run on making the system even better.

Take a minute to thank Representatives in conservative districts who took the biggest political risk in supporting this bill before Bart Stupak made it “safe”. This list is based on reader suggestions so there will certainly be names that you agree with more than others. Feel free to to use our link to donate a la carte if you do not feel like rewarding everyone.

Two updates worth mentioning: based on reader suggestions, we added Baron Hill (D-IN) and Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) to the list this morning. Also, please consider giving a little extra to Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) as an F-you to whoever kicked in the glass door of her Tucson office.

Let’s Get Their BackPost + Comments (191)

It’s time to thank Democrats in tough districts who stood up early for Health Care Reform. These guys did not ask for a special deal from their caucus. They risked their career to deliver health care reform for Americans who need it. The RNC will undoubtedly target Reps on this list the hardest.

These are the kind of Democrat that I am proud to have in my Party. Please help make sure that we keep them around this November.

As of right now, here is the list:

*Nancy Pelosi (to re-distribute cash to needy campaigns at her own discretion)
*Tom Perriello
*Betsy Markey
*Jerrold Nadler (for being the first Rep to propose a realistic path out of the Brown miasma)
*John Boccieri
*Melissa Bean
*Henry Cuellar
*Chris Carney
*Brad Ellsworth
*Gabrielle Giffords
*Ann Kirkpatrick
*Debbie Halvorson
*Russ Carnahan
*Alan Grayson

***

Also, if you have not heard about about the role Steve Benen played in keeping HCR momentum alive after the Brown panic, take a minute to read Andrew Sabl’s write-up here at SameFacts. In fact if anything Sabl’s piece, which does not mention the influential strategy memo that Benen wrote, understates the contribution that Benen made. Staffers have told me that Benen’s memo crossed the desk of a number of influential Representatives, so it is perhaps not a coincidence that the memo eerily predicted the pass-and-amend strategy that Pelosi successfully adopted. Major kudos to Steve.

Credit Where Credit Will HelpPost + Comments (115)

Kairol Rosenthal.

I am a young oncology patient and healthcare blogger. Thank you Moses 2317. I posted your congressional call list on my blog and mobilized scored of young adult cancer patients to make calls.

The cancer community is shockingly silent when it comes to mobilizing patients around healthcare issues. Most cancer organizations are more worried about offending the slim minority opposed to healthcare reform than they are about fighting for the interests of their uninsured young adult constituents – many of whom are diagnosed at later more advanced stages of cancer because of lack of coverage. Leading up to the vote (and throughout this entire debate) advocates in the cancer community tweeted about their mocha lattes and walks for the cure, but not a word about reform.

I am again so grateful to Moses2317 and Tim F. at Balloon Juice for posting that targeted call list, which I circulated widely to the young adult cancer community. Today I am flooded with emails, phone calls, and facebook messages from 20 and 30-something cancer patients thanking me for posting that list and enabling them to make calls and make a difference!

Kairol Rosenthal
Everything Changes:
The Insider’s Guide to Cancer in Your 20s & 30s

Comment Of The DayPost + Comments (36)

Many readers have pointed out that perhaps the best way to thank your Rep is through a letter to your local newspaper. This is emphatically correct. Do you know anyone whom the new law will help? Of course you do. Tell their story and commend your Rep for his or her brave vote. Send it in today to catch the news cycle while it’s still hot.

Also, take the poll. This is multiple choice so check every box that applies to you (e.g.: I phoned…my Representative…around once a week).

Letters To The EditorPost + Comments (49)

Following up on the thread here, I want to give you guys one more thread to discuss whom we should include on an ActBlue page to reward Democrats who took a risk to support this bill. The criteria I’m looking for are:

* Voted yes.
* Conservative district or very close call in ’08.
* Announced support before Stupak’s presser last night made it “safe” to do so.
* Pelosi and Jerry Nadler (reason here) will also go in.

A number of Democrats put the well-being of uninsured Americans ahead of their own jobs. In my view that is the ultimate test of a civic-minded legislator and I think they deserve our thanks.

So far I have heard good arguments for Tom Periello, John Boccieri, Betsy Markey, Melissa Bean, Henry Cuellar, Chris Carney, Brad Ellsworth, Gabrielle Giffords and Ann Kilpatrick.

I do not plan to reward liberals who played footsie with firebaggers. Grijalva and Kucinich, for example, risked little with a ‘yes’ vote. Stupak I might just leave alone. His speech that shut down last night’s motion to recommit at least convinced me to stop whipping donations for his primary challenger.

Use the thread to discuss the list. I will post an ActBlue link later this afternoon.

***Update***

Mary Jo Kilroy also.

***Update 2***

Alan Grayson and Solomon Ortiz sound like good picks. I’m agnostic on Steve Dreihaus. He has a tough haul ahead of him, and he did vote yes, but I do not want to reward Stupak’s hard-core supporters who waited until absolutely the last minute to support the bill.

We Will Get Their BackPost + Comments (111)