DFA's Last Ditch Push for the Public Option

I spent today on Capitol Hill, tagging along with a group of Democracy for America volunteers from around the area. They came to speak on behalf of DFA members from all across the country and urge key legislators to sign on to the Polis-Pingree letter. That letter, which you can read in full here, calls on leadership to include a public option through reconciliation. You can also view the full list of legislators who support this path forward.

The group I stuck with visited some 15 offices today. At most offices, we found the Legislative Assistants that would normally take health care meetings to be unavailable. The few Legislative Assistants we did speak with came across very supportive yet tired. I got the sense that they are ready to get this fight done.

It is impossible to say what, if any, effect this last minute action had. No new members signed on to the Polis-Pingree letter. They did, however, get verbal confirmations from several folks, including Representatives Charles Rangel, Robert Andrews, and Henry Waxman.

This is an all-hands-on-deck week, with most people predicting legislation to be signed into law by the end of the weekend.