Burnt Orange Report: - Recommended Diaries

72 Hours and Counting: Healthcare Reform is coming

colin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:32:38 GMT

On Tuesday night the House Rules Committee released the Manager's Amendment to HR 3962, the "Affordable Healthcare Act for America". This starts the 72-hour clock for consideration of the legislation which means a vote could occur as early as Saturday morning.

It is important to note that the 72-hour layout period is not standard operating procedure in DC. A coalition of members of both parties pushed for this added measure of accountability. This period allows all members, the media and the public the opportunity to review the bill instead of passing huge pieces of important legislation with no layout in the middle of the night like Delay and his cronies did.

72-hour amendment & summary

District-By-District healthcare analysis

Majority Leader’s Clearinghouse for Healthcare Information

The District-By-District analysis is the best weapon against your anti-healthcare opponents that I've ever seen. Any candidate for Congress should memorize these numbers and quote them frequently.

Still a tough vote for lots of Texas Democrats. We need to make sure it is a tougher vote for Texas republicans who choose the insurance companies and HMOs over middle class families.

Moving forward towards November 2010, it is imperative that we arm ourselves and supporters with this information, communicate it frequently, and shutdown misinformation before it can become "fact-like".

Support our delegation by writing letters to the editor, messaging your friends on Facebook, emailing your fantasy football buddies, etc. This is a tough vote that could cost us some seats unless we all dig in and fight shoulder-to-shoulder to breakdown the lies and promote the cause that healthcare reform is necessary AND affordable.

Pete Sessions gets a primary opponent in CD32

youcantgetfooledagain — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:42:27 GMT

Yesterday, David Smith, announced that he was running in the Republican primary against Pete Sessions in CD32. http://www.examiner.com/x-1700...
David, who writes for the Dallas County Republican Examiner, describes himself in his bio as:

David Smith is a Dallas Republican activist and transportation expert. He's spoken from the steps of the Texas Capitol and testified before the Legislature, earning a reputation for asking tough questions of elected Republicans. He got his County Commissioner voted out of office in 2008. Now David is preparing to seek his own elected office in 2010.

He has written many pieces critical of Sessions including this piece written on November 2nd and entitled: "Is Sessions the man going forward"
http://www.examiner.com/x-1700...

Things are starting to get very interesting in CD32. Pete not only faces a very viable Democratic opponent, Grier Raggio www.grierforcongress.com, but now has to contend with a Republican primary opponent who seems likely to tap into the disaffected right wing of the Republican party. It's not going to leave Congressman Sessions much time to make up for the embarrassing loss in NY23 and continue with his NRCC duties.

Make History With Me

hank g. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:25:01 GMT

A few hours ago in Houston, I did something that no statewide candidate in Texas history has ever done: I released a comprehensive policy statement on issues of importance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Texans.

In front of a packed house at a meeting of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, I outlined my plan to repeal the Texas Defense of Marriage Act and all statutory and constitutional barriers to equality for LGBT citizens, as well as ending discrimination in hiring and employment, public accommodations and real estate transactions, insurance, and more.

After The Advocate took note of this policy release, a Texas reader in their comment section said he though, with a policy like that, I don't stand "a snowball's chance in hell," of winning this election because of the reputation Texas has under Rick Perry.

But you and I know different.
You and I know that Texas has come a long way since 2005 when bigotry and hate were written into our state constitution. By and large, Texans recognize GLBT citizens deserve these rights and recognize that the discrimination our state shows to this group of individuals is inappropriate. America's most successful Fortune 500 companies provide domestic partner benefits to their employees yet Texas' universities do not. You see what is wrong with that picture and so do many others. They may not be as vocal as the rightwing Perry/Palin echo chamber, but they recognize this as an inequality.

You and I know that, when the time comes again (and it will when I am governor) to right the injustices done to LGBT citizens in Texas, that Texans will step up to the plate. So, I'm going to ask you to do two things for me: go to Facebook and join the group "I Stand with Hank on LGBT Issues." When you get done there, head over to my website and add your name to the rapidly growing list of Texans who support this policy.

While you are there, you can sign up for my mailing list to keep up to date with my campaign. And, if you have a few bucks to spare during the Rick Perry Recession, campaign contributions through Act Blue are always welcome.