MoveOn.Org Comes Out Against Senate Health Care Billl

WASHINGTON — The liberal group MoveOn.org is opposing the Senate health care bill and urging Democrats to block it.

In a letter to members Friday, MoveOn.org complained that the legislation has no government-run insurance option and no expansion of Medicare.

It urged its members to sign a petition saying, "American needs real health care reform – not a massive giveaway to the insurance companies."

The letter also called on members to send a message to Senate progressives such as Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Roland Burris of Illinois and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin to "block this bill until it's fixed."

MoveOn.org says it has 5 million members. Liberals such as Howard Dean have widely criticized the Senate bill.

Comments

[pons1595]

We have been played like a one string banjo, pickin' that deceptively simple ditty, "Belief we can change in."

[edejan]

Well, I'm going right now to support MoveOn. It's time to get out there and get radical.

[Carolyn LeBeauf]

MoveOn gets no more money from me. They knew change was coming and they knew it woud be a hard fight. We can't get everything we want at once, but this bill is a start. It can and will be a building block. I am sticking with the president. He is the only one in this fight with the brains to changr this corrupt country.

[FaceReality2]

How bad is the Senate bill?

1. Forces you to pay up to 8% of your income to private insurance corporations -- whether you want to or not
2. If you refuse to buy the insurance, you'll have to pay penalties of up to 2% of your annual income to the IRS
3. After being forced to pay thousands in premiums for junk insurance, you can still be on the hook for up to $11,900 a year in out-of-pocket medical expenses.
4. Massive restriction on a woman's right to choose
5. Paid for by taxes on the middle class insurance plan you have right now through your employer, causing them to cut back benefits and increase co-ays
6. Many of the taxes to pay for the bill start now, but most Americans won't see any benefits -- like an end to discrimination against those with preexisting conditions -- until 2014 when the program begins.
7. Allows insurance companies to charge people who are older 300% more than others
8. Grants monopolies to to drug companies that will keep generic versions of expensive biotech drugs from ever coming to market.
9. No reimportation of prescription drugs, which would save consumers $100 billion over 10 years
10. The cost of medical care will continue to rise, and insurance premiums for a family of 4 will rise an average of $1000 a year -- meaning in 10 years, you family's insurance premium will be $10,000 more annually than it is right now.

[mwbob]

Thank you!

[zest]

So the senate has finally exposed the football. Well, atleast now the opposition to this legislation has a clear picture of what it is fighting. Conservatives are going to have a difficult time defending this piece of legislation to middle and lower middle class Americans. It does little if nothing to help them obtain portable federally controlled healthcare, which is what is expressly needed in these trying times of uncertain employment and necessity of relocation for employment. Get ready; the opposition has identified the target and preparations are under way to strike.

[DeadPhish]

WHERE IS OBAMA????

WHY IS HE NOT SPEAKING UP FOR WHAT HE WANTS????

We need more Dems with a spine, like Franken, Weiner, etc.

Dems with a spine scare the heck out of Republicans...

[stat3man]

I'm also done with MoveOn. I'm about as tired of the left right now as I am of the right. This bill is a good first step in tackling the nation's healthcare issues. Anyone who thought that insurance companies would be disbanded or otherwise eliminated is simply delusional.

[DeadPhish]

This bill 'was' a good step, now it's just a step in dog doo.

[Nonamnesiac]

Any meeting of organized crime leadership has more honesty, integrity and decency than any meeting of either House of Congress or any meeting of any Congressmen and/or Congresswomen. It was obvious from the health care debate that all of Congress (both parties) and the White House are simply corrupt self-servers, not worth any respect from any US citizen.

Added to that, Obama has now given US troops the wholly dishonorable mission of being the front line in defending the harvesting, manufacturing and distribution of illegal narcotics. As Afghanistan is the center of poppy production for making heroin, and the corrupt drug-pusherocracy we put in place and have US troops defending at the cost of depression-sustaining, deficit-meteoring hundreds of billions and the blood of our troops over the past 9 years is the leading force in the illegal drug trade, our troops are now actively promoting and defending illegal drug traders.

Obama has made enemies of all Afghans (the vast majority) who are fighting to overthrow a brutal, wholly corrupt, drug-pusherocracy and made our troops the warriors for defending illegal drug trafficking. Congress and Obama have made enemies of all honest, caring US citizens who are not partisan Obamaniacs (the vast majority). Throw out all the bumbs in both Houses and throw out Obama. They're all thieves.

[Bardmess]

I'm done with MoveOn.

[StopTheDems]

Oh yeah! We have ourselves an all out war within the party.

The party is burning down in front of our eyes...............sorry, there is no water at this hydrant, they taxed it all away!

[Leigh49]

MoveOn.org has lost my support. They won't get another dime from me.

[Hallucinocynic]

Leigh, someone else will pick up the monetary slack... I'm assuming that you are in full support of the current senate bill? Even though it leaves between 15-20 million with NO HC protection? You support the implementation of forced mandates with no price ceiling in place? You support the health care cabal's move to commercialize what should be a social concern? You would settle, and fight for, a small bone with no meat rather than fight for legitimate and reasonable health care coverage?

MoveOn is involved on many political fronts, some of which you might actually support. But it's your buck, and your vote...

[wonketteRAWKS]

Funny how when MoveOn comes out against the healthcare bill they do it so quietly.

[Hallucinocynic]

Perhaps that's because they don't turn their rallies into three ring circuses and because the MSM doesn't rely on them for entertainment value.

[edejan]

Maybe because the MSM doesn't give them the air time it gives the teabaggers.

[onegandolf1]

Any bill containing mandated enrollment without containing a Public Option or the opening of Medicare to everyone is a non-starter.

MoveOn should begin a campaign of civil disobedience. Tens of thousands of American Citizens refusing to purchase mandated coverage would be very hard to jail. If we don't have room for former Bush Administration crooks, we certainly can't find room for thousands who refuse to be ripped off by this monstrocity.

I say drop this turkey , elect a slate of pro- single payer congressmen and come back and pass single payer insurance either in the form of opening Medicare, or some other form such as Canada's system.

[dhinds]

With or Without MoveOn, I will not buy Health Insurance from a For-Profit entity and doubt that I could be forced to do so. Constitutional Issues are involved.

[edejan]

Yes!!! Let's organize better and get this burden removed from our backs.

[ptay09]

What the Huffington Post failed to discuss

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/obama-confidant-podesta-says-lieberman-threat-will-renew-push-for-51-vote-health-care-bill.php

[dhinds]

The wrong people are getting bailed out. That's all there is to it.

[boston999]

No one should be getting bailed out !!!!

[mancoff]

So now move on runs the government?????

[dhinds]

Move On and the Obama Campaign shared offices. Move on had a lot of people out knocking on doors. Move On was an instrumental member of the Obama Team. And Move On has a lot of experience combating swift boaters, birthers and other incorrigible liars.

[dhinds]

And right, I belong to Move On! Why don't you?

[mancoff]

So if you supported Obama or rang doorbells for him or worked on his campaign or belong to Move On or support move on, the President has to do just what you want or else? I don't think Obama is right 100% of the time but he is the President. I also don't think Move On is right all the time and they need to take that into consideration also. I am a contributor and a supporter of Move On, but once a decision is made by the President, it's his decision and time wil tell whenther it is a right one or a wrong one. John Dean was loyal enough to say he did not support the health care bill but he would continue to support the President. Move On, who I also support, turned their disatisfacion into a veiled threat. They also pretty much ignored the actual politicians who were really the ones who killed a public option or a medicare option. To lay the final bill at Obama's doorstep was a bit of a stretch especially since he had a predetermined Republican Congress who long ago decided they would go for health reform in anyway shape or fashion.

[dhinds]

Apparently, Rahm Emanuel is running the government.

[livesimply]

Move On is the voice of the people. The people are the government. We support the public option. The Teabaggers don't. They are the people too, but they are also paid and supported by big pharm, insurance companies, and lobbyists. Move on is the people. We want affordable healthcare unencumbered by the middleman insurance companies.

[michellbrow]

Move On and The Tea Party are both Voices of the people.

and we want affordable healthcare unencumbered by the middle man too.

Fixes to the cost of healthcare---------- not just health insurance.

Don't count out your Fellow Americans that could be allies for the right cause.