Progressive Groups Team Up To Keep Health Care Ad Pressure On Dems

A progressive ad campaign pushing a public option for health insurance and calling out Democratic senators for their ties to special interests is getting a potentially major boost.

Three weeks ago the Progressive Change Campaign Committee released a television ad, targeting key Senate Dems who stood on the fence when it came to a government-run health insurance plan. The spot provoked negative feedback from those lawmakers who were singled out, who felt that the progressives should have targeted Republicans instead.

Nevertheless, the spot hasn't gone away, with continuous fundraising (roughly $70,000) allowing the PCCC to keep airing it on mainstream cable. Now, the organization is getting a big-time partner, with promises of even more money, right at the time that the health care debate is hitting its most crucial moment to date.

On Thursday, the progressive organization, Democracy for America, sent out a petition to its million members urging them to endorse the PCCC ad. In the letter, the group -- started by former DNC Chair Howard Dean after his '04 run for the White House -- pledges to air the spot 100 times in the Washington D.C. area, on major cable news stations and the Daily Show. There are plans to continue airing the ad as long as the money holds out.

As for targets, Adam Green of the PCCC says that both organizations will announce, "a 10-day vote where people can choose which senators we target first."

The alliance of progressive groups was not unexpected news. But what makes the PCCC-DFA partnership compelling is the possible ripple effects it will have on health care reform in the weeks before Congress recesses. On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid bemoaned the idea of Democrats targeting Democrats in television ads. His reference point was the White House's new round of advertisements through its campaign arm, Organizing for America. Now, however, the airwaves are going to be even more crowded. And it's going to be telling to see just how influential -- or damaging -- the extra pressure is on the Democratic Party's moderates.

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Comments

[cliffhammond]

Progressives should start courting third party candidates. As he stands now, Obama is not that different a choice than a moderate Republican. It seems "Democrats" and "Republicans" are pretty much the same party of Lobby-kisser-upers when they are not playing sheer partisan games. Playing hardball is the only way to force Obama to the left. But really I think he's not in charge anyway until he learns how to deal with the '63 coup that remains inside the Shadows of the government beast.

[sc300nc]

The government will bungle this program. That is what they do. Look up inefficiency in your funk and wagnalls....It's got a picture of congress.

The last thing we need is a bunch of bureaucrats deciding our health care needs. Remember, you can sue your insurance company, try suing the government.

[rollingdivision]

Obama's comparative effectiveness review that can judge not only the effectiveness but also the cost-effectiveness of various treatments, and give the federal government authority to use that data when deciding reimbursement rates. It's in the bills.

In other words, a medical treatment can be more effective than the alternative but the government will still try to prevent you from getting it if it's expensive. Yikes. So if your wife and 3 young childrens' mother's life saving treatment is costly it will be denied.

[rollingdivision]

Obama said Obama/Democrat plans would bend the cost curve down. Instead they increase costs. The status quo would be better than your plans on costs. Obama said Obama/Democrat plans would bend the cost curve down. Instead they increase costs. Why should we believe anything else you say?

[Nonamnesiac]

Although I agree with the sentiment in this post, it portrays the issue incorrectly. Progressives are not pressuring the Democratic Party on the health care issue. The vast majority of the country, including most Democrats, believe in single-payer, universal health care based on tax increases on the wealthy that reverse the nearly 40 years of tax cuts the wealthy have been getting.

The pressure on Democrats is to pass some fig-leaf type health care reform that preserves the cynical, murderous policies of health insurers so that they remain absurdly profitable by compromising the health of the American public. The pressure on Democrats is by health insurers who will be forced to provide health insurance to all Americans and on the wealthy who never want to pay their fair share of taxes, acting as if the bailout is simply money with which they can pad their wallets at taxpayer expense.

All pressure on the Democratic Party is coming from the right and their politician servants-o­f-the-weal­thy from both parties to pass fig-leaf, non-governmental, no-added-t­ax-on-the-­wealthy health care, not from progressives to pass what the people, and especially Democrats, want.

[sc300nc]

It's just another welfare program afterall.

[rollingdivision]

Net profit margins in the health care insurance business run about 3 percent, only slightly above the median for all industries. Not exactly absurdly profitable.

[biabouman41]

How can we stop pressure on the Dems when they surrender critical elements of health care reform. I understand they had to give up single payer, but why have they not written in the legislation that we can import cheaper drugs from CANADA? Did big Pharma get to them on that? Why have they accepted Bush's position that Medicare cannot negotiate for better prices for drugs? Why not? When you have these parts missing from the bill you begin to realize that this bill is just a shell game. No wonder the CBO is talking such very high figures for health care reform. We need to fight this.

[PhilipTaylor]

The Public Option reduces costs more than the other Options Evaluated, says the CBO!

How can any reasonable Reform Option NOT cost LESS than the "Do NOTHING" Option?

We know the US has the 37th best quality of care, on Par with Cuba and Slovenia but we also know we pay over Double what the median is for rated countries at 134% over the Median!

So we should easily be able to save 50% of the "Cost of Doing Nothing" and only 15% of our people are not covered and costing us Emergency Room Rates.

Certainly 50% is much larger than 15%!

But lets say we only save 25%! That still is larger than 15% so NO COST over "DOING NOTHING!"

Let's requested the CBO look at the COST of DOING NOTHING plus the COST of SINGLE-PAYER so we could have an UPPER and a LOWER Benchmark to compare all the options.

There is almost NO WAY with even Moderate Reform that the cost of any plan could exceed the "COST of DOING NOTHING!"

So saying the cost is Greater than the "Do Nothing Option" is invalid, right CBO? CBO Get to WORK!

[PhilipTaylor]

Senator Reid want these Finance Committee guys to hurry up! So our Healthcare Reform is in the HANDS of these Senators and we

AMERICANS are in BIG TROUBLE if they decide our FUTURE!

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) Insurance > $1 Million. Healthcare > $1 Million
Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) Big Pharma >$1.25Million, Insurance > $600,000 Healthcare > $500,000
Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) Donors: Big Pharma #2, Healthcare #4, Insurance #5
Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) Donors: Insurance #1, Healthcare #2, Big Pharma #4
Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) Donors: Healthcare #2, Insurance #2
Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) Donors: Healthcare #2
Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) Least paid OF BUNCH: Healthcare $534,000 Insurance $374,000

Bunch of MOSTLY PAID OFF SENATORS by Insurance, Healthcare, and BIG Pharma Companies and Lobbyists!

[PhilipTaylor]

The FACTS are:

1. US ranks 37th, on PAR with CUBA and below Chile and Costa Rica

2. US pays 134% over the median other rated countries pay

3. We live shorter lives

4. We are less Healthy

5. We have a higher rate of Infant mortality

6. Medicare has a 2.1% Administrative Cost while Insurance Companies range from 13% to 30% or 600% to 1,500% Higher

7. Our services are geared towards making MONEY NOT HELPING PATIENTS STAY WELL OR GET WELL

[BUTCHER111]

My only complaint with just focusing on the Dems, which they should be targeted if they start siding with special interests, it lets the GOP off the hook. Republicans should be targeted too, at least the ones up for reelection in 2010. Although one targeting Ensign, up for 2012, by hitting him while he’s in the spotlight would be good. Maybe say something like, “During the time Ensign was cheating on his wife with a staff member and good family friend, X Nevadans lost their health care. Tell Senator Ensign that Health care reform is needed now. Not everyone can go to their parents to give them money when they get in trouble like Senator Ensign can.” It’d get plenty of attention. Maybe that or something like, “Tell Sen. Ensign that while he’s dividing his time running for reelection and running to Mommy and Daddy to bail him out of messes to vote for Health Care Reform.” Either or something similar would get plenty of attention.

[unite4change]

Exactly, keep the pressure on. Did anyone see Baucus whinning today that he needs more help from Obama? He need to tell the insurance and healthcare lobbyists, sorry but I must pass healthcare reform with a public option.

[whodoyouvoodoo]

The Taxpayers Express Card. Never Leave Home Without It.

[kmorri107]

Does anyone here care the head of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said health reform bills moving through Congress won't reduce long-term health care costs! This is HUGE. Our Congress needs to stop trying to revamp healthcare in a few weeks and use real study to design a plan that wiill be the envy of the world. Wise up, everyone!

[LemonMeringue]

I want health care decoupled from employment.

I want to work where I want to work, where it is best for my career - not where I have to get the right insurance plan.

I took a $14,000 pay cut to get the right insurance plan and I'm none too happy about it.

[marxmarv]

It could be argued that you paid $14000 for the right insurance plan. With the costs obscured by that coupling to employment, you may never know...

[drkazmd65]

Why should we Democrats target the Republicans? They aren't going to vote in favor of a Health Care Bill with a strong Public Option anyway.

It's the (alleged) Democrats, especially those Bozos in the Senate that need to be reminded who it is they answer to,.... and it ain't the For Profit Health Care guys.

Keep on Keepin' On Progressive Groups!

[CanadianBeef]

I am going to explain this once, for people like Daniboy, who think Medicare is a disaster and an indication that government can't run health care. It's very simple, actually.
Medicare pays much lower rates to providers and has lower management fees than private insurance, by far. The reason that it still costs so much is that it covers only seniors, a high-cost group that private insurers won't touch. If it were up to THEM, your granny wouldn't see the inside of a doctor's office unless her shaky wrinkled hand was holding an American Express Platinum Unlimited Card.
The existence and expensiveness of Medicare is PROOF that private insurance is not working. Private insurance has dumped your granny.
As for Medicare going broke, well, maybe if Americans dug a little deeper for grandma, her health plan would be in better shape. It's not expected to make a profit, now or even. It is a social program, a radical notion, I know.

[LemonMeringue]

Medicare may have its problems but my father-in-law, who has cancer, cannot say enough good things about it.

Everyone should have this.

[BeasleysMom]

Every one I know who has medicare loves it. They all say it is better benefits for a whole lot less than what they paid for private for profit. The gops p!ssed and moaned about that, Medicaid and Social Security, too. They have been obstructing health carefor all Americans since the 1930s. FDR had included universal health care in his SS bill. But, the gops made such a fuss that the Democrats felt they would lose SS too if they did not give in on the healthcare part.

[BeasleysMom]

Thanks. Good post. Folks posting here tonight are mustly tro//s who are either getting paid to post, are Fox l ie saturated or just plain stoooooooopid. I am .si c.k of reading their BS. Ask them for a link and they go away.

[sarabono]

You obviously don't know that private insurance company's are prohibited by law, since 1965, from offering plans that would replace or compete directly with Medicare.

Private insurance can only offer plans that provide additional coverage not covered by Medicare. These are called Medicare Supplements.

[ErnestineBass]

Seriously...is there really one iota of difference between the stance of Democrat Ben Nelson and, say, Republican Mitch McConnell, when it comes to health care reform?

At the end of the day, neither one gives a rat'srump whether Americans have access to quality, affordable health CARE or not. All they're interested in is not rockin' the private insurance gravy boat.

As far as Reid's whining over the Progressive ad campaigns goes...pff­ffffffft..­.if he'd been doin' his damjob in the first place, those ads wouldn't be necessary!

We're tired of excuses, Harry. Time for you to either lead, follow or get thehell out of the way.