"Lobby For THE Medicare Option In Jim McDermott's Local District Office‏"

ThePen (activist.thepen@gmail.com):

Dear Howard,

We have a very important and extraordinary mission for you, on which
our entire democracy may depend. We are asking all our participants
in WA-07 to personally visit their local congressional district
office to pressure them for what YOU really want in health care
reform, and here's why:

There is a brilliant and simple idea on the table for real health
care reform, which is to let people younger than 65 buy into
Medicare, which would strengthen Medicare, and at the same time give
us all a better deal for our health care dollar as well. It's being
called "The Medicare Option", and we must demand this as an iron clad
condition of the passage of any other health care bill.

Representative Alan Grayson introduced it as HR4789 a couple days
ago, it already has 64 sponsors in the House, and there is a movement
building to pass it NOW, as the REAL fix for the health care
reconciliation they are talking about.

But in particular House member Jim McDermott, YOUR own representative
in the WA-07 congressional district, was one of 60 who had already
signed a letter a number of months ago, not asking, but demanding
that,

"any legislation that moves forward through both chambers, and into a
final proposal for the President's signature, MUST contain a public
option."

The capital letters "MUST" in the quote above are not ours, they are
from the original. And the fact is, there has never been a real
public option EXCEPT for Medicare. And that is why we are asking you
to get out of your chair as early this week as possible, and go down
to one of these offices and press the people's case, and in
particular to press Representative Jim McDermott, to honor the stand
they took on this issue, and to pass a real public option, "The
Medicare Option".

7th District Office, 1809 7th Avenue, Suite 1212, Seattle, WA
98101-1399, Phone: 206-553-7170, Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm (they
suggest appointment)

We called all the district offices and asked them if they had "open"
office hours and when they were. So unless there are some special
notes above you should just be able to drop in and ask to speak to
someone. The most important thing is that we have a parade of people
showing up at their door so THEY know the people are ON this. The
fact that you took the time to go there in person lets them know we
are really serious about this.

You certainly should be able to make an appointment too if you like,
but time is of the essence. We have to make an impact the first
couple days of this coming week. And if they won't give you an
appointment, or try to tell you it's not necessary, you must tell
them politely, no, no, no, it IS necessary, and go down their anyway,
if only to leave a copy of the letter referred to above which they
had endorsed. And you can print out the first page of that letter
from this link.

http://firedoglake.com/files/1/files//2009/08/sec-sebelius-ltr-081709.pdf

If they try to tell you that "they" don't have the votes, you can
politely but firmly say, "Have the member of Congress speak for
themselves. When they take a strong position like this will they
stand by it when it really counts or not? And if not, why would we
believe they would EVER actually fight for us when it matters?"

If they try to tell you The Medicare Option can be passed later, you
must tell them, "No, no, no, we have the LEVERAGE now, a temporary
window through it can be done with 51 votes. Unless it is done now,
it will just sit on the shelf for years like HR676, and it will never
be brought up again, and we the people KNOW it." This is our one and
only chance and we must prevail.

So please print out the letter from the link above as evidence, bring
it with you, and demand The Medicare Option be incorporated
immediately into the reconciliation bill for a fair up or down vote.
Only you as a local constituent in WA-07 can apply the pressure to
hold your representative to account to honor their stand. You and
only YOU can make an incredible difference in the next couple days,
and literally change the course of American political history.

We are the leaders we have been waiting for. When the people lead the
politicians will follow. Round up all your friends and go down there
together. Forward this letter to everyone else you know in the
district so they can do the same thing.

We are the heroes we have been waiting for. Be that hero now, and
make your presence felt in your local district office. We must have
The Medicare Option now!

Please take action NOW, so we can win all victories that are supposed
to be ours, and forward this alert as widely as possible.

If you would like to get alerts like these, you can do so at
http://www.millionfaxmarch.com/in.htm