[StBernard] What the opposition is planning.

[Westley Annis]

Click here to sign the petition: 
"President Obama, please pick a progressive champion to head up your health
care reform effort. We're ready to fight for your goal of winning quality,
affordable health care for everyone in 2009."
<http://pol.moveon.org/hhs/?id=15541-10005163-avdz0vx&t=1> 

Sign the petition <http://pol.moveon.org/hhs/?id=15541-10005163-avdz0vx&t=2>

Dear MoveOn member, 

With Tom Daschle's withdrawal as President Obama's nominee for secretary of
health and human services, Obama needs to appoint a new health care point
person. But who?

Most of the people Obama is considering are real health care champions. But
at least one is not.

Obama's getting a lot of flak from Republicans on all fronts right now. If
we don't show support for Obama's agenda now, we could be stuck with a
health care leader who's not up to the job. And that means our dream of
universal health care-MoveOn's No. 1 priority this year-could fade away.

Sign our petition asking President Obama to put a progressive champion at
the helm of his health care reform effort. Click here to sign the petition:

http://pol.moveon.org/hhs/?id=15541-10005163-avdz0vx&t=3

The petition says: "President Obama, please pick a progressive champion to
head up your health care reform effort. We're ready to fight for your goal
of winning quality, affordable health care for everyone in 2009."

How can you tell who's a real health care champion? We need someone who's
going to support visionary progressive health care reform; someone with a
track record of standing up to the insurance and pharmaceutical giants at
the heart of our health care crisis; someone who is 100 percent committed to
giving every single American the choice of a public health insurance plan so
we're not at the mercy of the private insurance companies (just as Obama
promised).1

Obama is reportedly considering several governors and a few senators. Many
of these folks would be great, but at least one would be a bad choice for
health care reform: Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen made his fortune
acquiring and running HMOs. As governor, he gutted Tennessee's public health
insurance program, causing more than 320,000 people to lose their health
insurance. And Bredesen let the private insurance industry pay for his
multi-million dollar redecoration of the governor's mansion.2 


Sign on to make sure President Obama puts a progressive champion in charge
of his health care reform effort. Click here to sign the petition:

http://pol.moveon.org/hhs/?id=15541-10005163-avdz0vx&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

-Eli, Wes, Joan, Noah and the rest of the team

P.S. I wanted to let you know about some exciting news: After close to eight
years as a campaigner and then Executive Director of MoveOn, I'm going to be
transitioning into a role as Board President here at MoveOn.

As of today, we have a new ED: Justin Ruben, who until recently served as
our Organizing Director. MoveOn's leadership has always come from its
members, not its staff, so in some ways this really isn't such a big deal.
But I wanted to take a moment to thank you once more for everything you've
done over the last eight years. Working for you has been the greatest honor
of my life.

Also, please join me in welcoming Justin-you can email him at
jruben at moveon.org. Justin's someone who has lived and breathed
organizing-online and off-for the last 15 years, and he's as smart,
creative, and visionary as anyone I know. 


Sources: 
1. "A Public Health Insurance Plan," Institute for America's Future,
February 4, 2009 
http://institute.ourfuture.org/public_plan 


2. "Phil Bredesen as Daschle's Replacement?," The American Prospect,
February 4, 2009 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51162&id=15541-10005163-avdz0vx&t=5 


"The Puzzling Record of Phil Bredesen," The American Prospect, February 5,
2009 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51163&id=15541-10005163-avdz0vx&t=6

"Bredesen for Health Reform?!," The New Republic, February 4, 2009 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51164&id=15541-10005163-avdz0vx&t=7

"More Reasons Why Bredesen Is a Bad, Bad Idea," The New Republic, February
5, 2009 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51165&id=15541-10005163-avdz0vx&t=8