Re: Medicare Buy In. Just heard Alan Grayson on Stephanie Miller.

[gateley]

They currently have 80 co-sponsors on his proposal, and he feels with 100 they might be able to move it forward.

Here is the list in case you (like me) need to harangue your Congressperson to hop on as a co-sponsor:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:4789:./list/bss/d111HR.lst:@@@P

:hi:

[pinto]

1. Thanks for the heads up.

:kick:

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Thanks for this info. Grayson is soooo my hero.

My Congresscritter, Jerold Nadler is on the list.

[mucifer]

3. Thanks! Looks like all the Chicago congresscritters signed on.(except lipinski of course)

[Ian David]

4. Rep. Stephen Lynch (Douchebag-MA) still hasn't co-sponsored it.

Rep. Stephen Lynch is not yet a co-sponsor of The Medicare Buy-in Bill
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=158x15879

[mucifer]

5. Did you notice when Stephanie interviewed Congressman Clybourn after Grayson he said

they need to wait for more time until they work on strengthening the bill. Very disappointing but I kinda expected him to say that. I'm not too optimistic that Grayson will make this happen soon. But, he is great and I'm hoping for the best.

[vaberella]

12. Neither am I. He needs a strong number of people & 100 co-signers when he needs 216 is not enough.

nt

[gateley]

14. Yeah, I was disappointed, too, but these people understand how

things work far better than we do so I'm sure he's right.

I actually heard Grayson on another show say something about "next couple of years", which sounds more realistic than NOW (when we want it!:7). But I don't want this idea to die and be forgotten, so we have to keep hammering our reps.

I KNOW I was probably projecting into Rep Clyburn's response, but I interpreted it to mean he thought it was viable, just not right now.

[daa]

6. And they had 50 Senators for the public option

at what point do we quit falling for this crap? Obama wanted no drug importation, no public option. We got his health plan and all these things that we wanted and thought he was for are not happening.

[gateley]

8. "...things that we wanted and thought he was for are not happening."

Which is exactly why we have to keep fighting and doing what we can to help those in Congress who are trying to help us.

What else would you suggest we do?

[POAS]

7. Glad to see my Rep.

Betty Sutton is on the list!

[flpoljunkie]

9. The House has 141 cosponsors of the Fair Elections Now Act. Last major action in 7/30/2009.

1. H.R.1826 : To reform the financing of House elections, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Larson, John B. (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (141)

Committees: House Administration; House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 7/30/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee Hearings Held.

http://thomas.loc.gov Enter Fair Elections Now Act in the Search box.

[4lbs]

10. Yay! My Rep, Bob Filner, has signed it!

:D

I would expect a founding member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus to do nothing less!

[vaberella]

11. Wait until you get 200 co-signers and we'll talk. n/t

[gateley]

13. Surely you aren't addressing that to me, unless you're on the phone

and e-mail right now contacting every congressperson who is not a co-sponsor. Or did you just want to wait until Grayson gets 200 before doing anything?

[vaberella]

15. My advice is for Grayson to wait until he gets 200 co-sponsors before going to vote.

I think 100 is too little and not a safe cushion to make this get to the Senate.

[tabbycat31]

16. my rep (Frank Pallone) has not signed onto it yet

but I sent him a letter last week about it. I know that he was one of the strongest supporters of a public option in the House bill despite the teabagging nutjobs that are always trying to influence him.

[Mimosa]

17. I hope it happens. n/t

[Cha]

18. KickR

[damonm]

19. Pete Stark, to my surprise, isn't aboard yet...

just sent him a note urging him to do so.

[gateley]

20. I was surprised my guy Inslee isn't, either. I'm sure he'd vote for

it, but I thought this was something he'd like to be affiliated with. I'm going to call his office tomorrow and ask if there's a reason why he wouldn't be a co-sponsor.

It's gonna take some time, but I think (to me, anyway) it's such a good solution, we can't let it die.

[Lorien]

21. K & R

This HAS to move forward!