Thursday, October 22, 2009

CBO:Dem Bill with Public Option Reduces Deficit

CNN reported today, "CBO finds Dem bill with public option reduces deficit,"
A preliminary estimate from the Congressional Budget Office projects that the House Democrats' health care plan that includes a public option would cost $871 billion over 10 years, according to two Democratic sources.

CBO also found that the Democrats' bill reduces the deficit in the first 10 years.
Just more evidence confirming what we already know: offering a public option to small businesses and the uninsured saves the most money.

The argument for reforming health insurance with a public option is that its better for the pocketbook. This is not about ideology, its about saving the most money and reducing the deficit. Anyone who cars about fiscal responsibility should be 100% on board with this reform.

Spread the word high and low!

And in case you are worried, don't be. We ARE going to pass health care reform. And then we will pass every other piece of overdue legislation one by one.

The Republican Party is done. Things will never return to the way they were. By the time we are done with our work, we will be firmly in the 21st Century - with our eyes on the future, not the past.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Defining Our Progressive Coalition

Right now my primary concern as a Dem is keeping our party together amidst so many different factions.

Our ability to stay together as a party will determine whether or not we accomplish the goals laid out the Democratic Party Platform last year: Health Reform, Energy Reform, Equal Rights, Environmental Reform etc....

To that end, what I'd really like to see is some discussion of "Defining Our Coalition."

The Conservative movement grew and thrived by building what they called a "Triumvirate" composed of 3 major groups within their party: Fiscal Conservatives, Social Conservatives, and Neo Conservatives.

Binding these 3 groups together was an unspoken principle: I will trade my cause with your for the moment, if you will support mine then next time it comes down the road.

Dems have always floundered when we gain power, primarily because we have no discipline between our various groups. To make things even more complicated, we have an even bigger tent than before, with moderate conservatives coming to the Democratic Party in order to support Obama (and perhaps because they didn't want McCain/Palin).

How will we define our new coalition? How we answer this question will be critical to how we do in the mid-term and next Presidential elections.

Thanks for everything that you do,
D. Tree

Defining the Progressive Coalition

Right now my primary concern as a Dem is keeping our party together amidst so many different factions.

Our ability to stay together as a party will determine whether or not we accomplish the goals laid out the Democratic Party Platform last year: Health Reform, Energy Reform, Equal Rights, Environmental Reform etc....

To that end, what I'd really like to see is some discussion of "Defining Our Coalition."

The Conservative movement grew and thrived by building what they called a "Triumvirate" composed of 3 major groups within their party: Fiscal Conservatives, Social Conservatives, and Neo Conservatives.

Binding these 3 groups together was an unspoken principle: I will trade my cause with your for the moment, if you will support mine then next time it comes down the road.

Dems have always floundered when we gain power, primarily because we have no discipline between our various groups. To make things even more complicated, we have an even bigger tent than before, with moderate conservatives coming to the Democratic Party in order to support Obama (and perhaps because they didn't want McCain/Palin).

How will we define our new coalition? How we answer this question will be critical to how we do in the mid-term and next Presidential elections.

NEW GROUP: if you are interested in this idea, and if you would like to contribute to the discussion please JOIN the new group Building the Progressive Coalition.

Thanks for everything that you do,
D. Tree