Is any pro-Obamacare action going on in DC?
September 21, 2013 9:08 AM Subscribe
I imagine a lot of people are angry about what the House is trying to do in de-funding Obamacare. This combined with other recent actions seem likely to lead to some kind of protest, but I can't find information about any event like this.
Even some kind of "call your congressperson" drive, or some instruction on the best kind of individual action would be interesting, but I'm surprised not to have found some kind of "show how angry, strong, and numerous we are" event going down.
Is there some reason this isn't the right time to do this? Or have I missed something?
Even some kind of "call your congressperson" drive, or some instruction on the best kind of individual action would be interesting, but I'm surprised not to have found some kind of "show how angry, strong, and numerous we are" event going down.
Is there some reason this isn't the right time to do this? Or have I missed something?
The reason we're not all being told to call our congresspeople is because almost all of our congresspeople are already against this nonsense. The Ted Cruz coalition is a relatively small minority. They're going to make a big, giant mess, but there's not really anything we can do to stop it right now.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:02 AM on September 21, 2013
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:02 AM on September 21, 2013
Obamacare, while well intentioned, is a mess in terms of cost and implementation. I don't think that a lot of the Democrats with elections approaching want to go on record fighting for it although they will vote to support Obamacare.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:02 AM on September 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:02 AM on September 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
The Affordable Care Act was signed into law more than three years ago and was ruled as constitutional more than a year ago. It would be a moot point if not for a small faction of the GOP intent on holding the country hostage over it. The reason there aren't any rallies is because the writing is arguably on the wall.
posted by kat518 at 11:55 AM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by kat518 at 11:55 AM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
I just read in the LA Times that the Funny or Die folks volunteered to do a pro support campaign for Obamacare since Obamafolks had not covered that angle. The article said they had some hilarious things lined up but did not want to spoil the message. You may find some useful links on their site.
posted by effluvia at 11:55 AM on September 21, 2013
posted by effluvia at 11:55 AM on September 21, 2013
They've wasted the people's time and money voting (and losing) to repeal Obamacare over 40 times; they've had their hand slapped down by the Supreme Court... at this point, most everyone who isn't in their ever-thinning little pity party knows they're basically Mortimer Duke at the end of Trading Places.
President of Exchange: Mortimer, your brother is not well. We better call an ambulance.posted by blueberry at 12:24 PM on September 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
Mortimer Duke: Fuck him! Now, you listen to me! I want trading reopened right now. Get those brokers back in here! Turn those machines back on!
[shouts - it echoes pathetically throughout the trading hall]
Mortimer Duke: Turn those machines back on!
The House has tried to de-fund Obamacare approximately 800 times. Everybody knows by know that it's not happening.
posted by equalpants at 12:25 PM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by equalpants at 12:25 PM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Most party leaders on both sides of the recognize that the Defund movement is bad politics for Republicans. It also won't be successful.
There are no counter protest because it is deemed unnecessary. To the extent there is opposition, it is focused on opposing the government shutdown, which is the component of Republican actions that will actually have negative consequences.
posted by alms at 2:18 PM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
There are no counter protest because it is deemed unnecessary. To the extent there is opposition, it is focused on opposing the government shutdown, which is the component of Republican actions that will actually have negative consequences.
posted by alms at 2:18 PM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
The best kind of individual action is to get involved by supporting candidates and getting out the vote in 2014, so that those House Republicans who don't believe in governing are no longer able to block most everything and hold the same pointless vote 40+ times.
posted by citron at 7:12 PM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by citron at 7:12 PM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Well, the main push is coming through the Organizing for Action (OFA, formerly Obama for America, i.e. the presidential campaign) people, with the Enough Already call-in campaign. I was at the hospital the other day and saw one of their ads on CNN about half-a-dozen times.
The SEIU is also a key partner in the pushback. I would expect them to get some Congresscritter home office protests going. Also, maybe some of the health care unions -- I know they've been active in Wisconsin.
But for the most part it's going to be unnecessary, as senior Senators have already indicated they know it will not pass their chamber. In fact, the GOP is already in quite an internecine dust-up because the House Republicans feel that Senate fellow-travelers like Ted Cruz rooked them by encouraging them to vote it down, then when they did, Cruz basically blew them off. Since the freshman Senator, due to his favorable optics (i.e. being Hispanic when the GOP knows it needs Hispanics, and being Tea Party), was already being talked up as a presidential candidate, rank-and-filers are suddenly taking one big step away from him.
Basically, the Democratic CW right now is that the Republicans have started asking for rope, and the inclination is to give them plenty. A big game of chicken, in other words. The numbers seem to be on their side, so that's why this story is being treated as a bit of political theater instead of an urgent call to action.
I would concentrate your volunteer efforts on building awareness of the health exchanges and maybe actively working to sign people up. It's still needed, and it will have concrete benefits.
posted by dhartung at 12:00 AM on September 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
The SEIU is also a key partner in the pushback. I would expect them to get some Congresscritter home office protests going. Also, maybe some of the health care unions -- I know they've been active in Wisconsin.
But for the most part it's going to be unnecessary, as senior Senators have already indicated they know it will not pass their chamber. In fact, the GOP is already in quite an internecine dust-up because the House Republicans feel that Senate fellow-travelers like Ted Cruz rooked them by encouraging them to vote it down, then when they did, Cruz basically blew them off. Since the freshman Senator, due to his favorable optics (i.e. being Hispanic when the GOP knows it needs Hispanics, and being Tea Party), was already being talked up as a presidential candidate, rank-and-filers are suddenly taking one big step away from him.
Basically, the Democratic CW right now is that the Republicans have started asking for rope, and the inclination is to give them plenty. A big game of chicken, in other words. The numbers seem to be on their side, so that's why this story is being treated as a bit of political theater instead of an urgent call to action.
I would concentrate your volunteer efforts on building awareness of the health exchanges and maybe actively working to sign people up. It's still needed, and it will have concrete benefits.
posted by dhartung at 12:00 AM on September 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
I work for a nonpartisan health care advocacy group in my state. While we were leaders in putting together public events like you describe during the rush up to passing the law, now that it is in place, we are one of the groups that got a federal grant to enroll people in the new marketplaces that open Oct 1, and that's what we are concentrating on right now. The training has been intense, we had to hire new staff to take on some of this work and have been getting them ready - there is a lot to do to prepare for this. We have been urging our members to call their member of congress, but we just do not have the staff capacity to do a rally or anything with ten days left until enrollment starts, and I would imagine that groups like mine in most states are in the same boat.
That said, if you are an independent advocate for Obamacare and you want to organize a any kind of action, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. Or even if you didn't want to organize something but called your member of Congress about this, no matter how they voted on Friday, that would be awesome too. If you are not sure who your member of Congress is, check here.
I have the phone numbers for my US Senators, my Congressman, my state rep, state senator, and my alderman (city council member) on speed dial and I use them frequently. I am confused by people who do not participate in our democracy. We SHOULD be pissed off by what has been happening in Washington, and the way to show it is to get in touch with the people who will do something with knowing how we feel. It DOES matter to them, calls matter, emails matter, all of it. if they don't hear from us, then they assume it doesn't matter. So, please, yes, go ahead and call.
posted by deliciae at 12:08 AM on September 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
That said, if you are an independent advocate for Obamacare and you want to organize a any kind of action, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. Or even if you didn't want to organize something but called your member of Congress about this, no matter how they voted on Friday, that would be awesome too. If you are not sure who your member of Congress is, check here.
I have the phone numbers for my US Senators, my Congressman, my state rep, state senator, and my alderman (city council member) on speed dial and I use them frequently. I am confused by people who do not participate in our democracy. We SHOULD be pissed off by what has been happening in Washington, and the way to show it is to get in touch with the people who will do something with knowing how we feel. It DOES matter to them, calls matter, emails matter, all of it. if they don't hear from us, then they assume it doesn't matter. So, please, yes, go ahead and call.
posted by deliciae at 12:08 AM on September 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
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- It's not being covered by the media that much.
- Outrage fatigue
- Most people realize that those House crazies are always pulling this kind of inconsequential BS and are pissing in the wind. Including their fellow Republicans in the Senate. This is not the time to worry. The time to worry is when the next Republican president comes in. posted by bleep at 9:48 AM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]