I was suprised not to see mention in recent days about today's conference call on healthcare. I got an invitation via e-mail from someone at BarackObama.com and filled out the RSVP form yesterday.
My phone rang at 1:05 and the call apparently had been underway for a bit. When I got on Natalie Foster was speaking. I believe she is with Organizing for America (OFA)- which, for anyone not familiar, is a division of the DNC that is built on the President's 2008 campaign infrastructure/volunteers. Her last comments were about the ongoing development of tools at their website for all of us to use on the healthcare issue (for calls, events, letters to the editor, etc.) she closed asking all to sign up to attend or host a June 6th kickoff event.
THIS JUNE 6TH EVENT is an important building block to winning the fight for healthcare - just as the houseparties of 2008 were important to winning the election. EVERY speaker on the conference call, including President Obama, stressed these events.
Next up was Diane Robertson, a volunteer from North Carolina who helped turned it blue last November. She (like me) is a struggling single mom who is self-employed and has been without health insurance for years. She has remained very active and made what I thought was perhaps the most important statement on this call:
PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO FIGHT FOR HEALTHCARE - they are waiting to be asked!
This has been her experience in her neighborhood, at the flea markets her group sets up at and everywhere else she engages people on the issue.
The other very significant comment Diane had was this: EVEN A SMALL MEETING (6/6 kickoff event) REACHES MORE PEOPLE THAN NO MEETING AT ALL.
Diane reached out to her county Democratiic party which in turn sent letters to all precinct leaders, many of whom are now hosting events. She is also involved in organizing a June 27th service event (they will be doing free diabetes and blood pressure tests) - so, if you are still looking for an opportunity to get involved in your community, set your sights on June 27th as a day of service. Doing a healthcare related event serves a double purpose as it focuses on the dire need so many have in this regard.
Mitch Stewart, Director of OFA, briefly came on and introduced David Plouffe. David started out with thanks to all for all their work on the campaign and repeated that our win in November only provided the opportunity to make change - what we worked for then is the opportunity we have now to bring health care to those without and lower the costs for families and businesses alike.
David said that the President is doing his part but repeated a campaign line that real change does not begin in Washingon. He said very bluntly that they want a piece of our lives again to build support for the President's agenda. This may be calls, hosting events, canvassing, writing letters and just talking to neighbors and friends, even strangers at the grocery store or anywhere else - all the things that helped us be successfull in November. He wants us all to be able to answer the questions people have such as 'Can we really afford to do health care reform given the current economy?' The answer is, the current economy demands that we do health care reform - without it, things will only get worse. He could not stress enough the power of person to person discussion of the issue, the worth of which all of us should realize from 2008.
David closed by saying health care reform is in our hands. He knows he is asking a lot and putting the pressure on, but pointed out that this is one herculean battle in which all are needed. What makes our job easier is that this is not some distant Washington debate - there is huge interest across the country in health care reform since it touches every single person's life.
Mitch Stewart spoke briefly again - driving home the power of person to person canvassing and THEN
THE AIR FORCE ONE operator came on, transferred over to REGGIE LOVE, then there was that oh so familiar voice of PRESIDENT OBAMA! (Sorry, I just have to say, even though I could only listen and not dialogue, I found it all rather special that I could possibly be on a call in any capacity with the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!)
President Obama also started out with thanks to all and spoke about the things the campaign ran on - being true to our ideals, bringing a new sense of fairness, a new foundation - to our economic and other foundations. He briefly spoke about progress to date - the Economic Recovery Act and the Budget - both of which he said were successful in part due to our house parties on the former and various forms of support - calls, faxes, etc - on the latter.
Then, he said we now move on to 'one of our biggest priorities' - quality, affordable health care. He re-iterated a couple stories that have come from supporters then said 'WE MUST GET HEALTH CARE DONE THIS YEAR or we may not get it at all!' He re-iterated that we are needed to knock on doors and build support every where we go - 'this is our big chance.'
Questions were then taken, and I am going to just briefly summarize them:
- What exactly does he need volunteers to do to grow this movement?
Pres. O: What we are already doing - stay involved. Re-mobilize (pointed out we have now had time to 'take a deep breath' since the election - God knows we needed that!) - reach out, participate on 6/6 (there is a video available to assist in those events), BLOCK BY BLOCK. His final point was that what we have to do is MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT REAL REFORM CAN HAPPEN - driving home the point that if people have confidence that they CAN make change happen, they will fight.
- Question was about this person's son, a recent graduate with heavy student loan debt, who can't afford health insurance.
Pres. O: talked about the many ways the Administration is trying to alleviate student debt. The Recovery Act makes Higher Ed more affordable (for one, it increases the Pell grants) and includes a tax credit for those paying student loans. President Obama then talked about changes in the works which would eliminate the middle men. He would like health care reform to include a provision that would allow kids to stay on their parents health insurance till age 25.
- A woman from Birmingham, Alabama asked what is the most important goal for those like her who are in very conservative states.
Pres. O: The President first pointed out how many did not think North Carolina and Virginia could be turned blue and that if we all are persistent, surprising changes can happen. Even in conservative communities, people want action from their government. many are concerned about our accumulated debt and the mess of cleaning up our economy - the 'most important thing we can do is rein in health care costs.' Change will come from the bottom up (where have I heard that before?). People trust their friends and neighbors more than the 'talking heads, especially when those on tv are screaming at each other' which they seem to do a lot of these days. His campaign is proof of what we can achieve and we 'can keep being successful.'
The President then signed off and those on the phone were simply given options to sign up for a 6/6 event or get more info on them. Here is a link for all those interested in the same:
http://my.barackobama.com/...
P.S. I wasn't sure how the questions were going to be allowed, and had one ready just in case. My question (actually a statement I wanted a response to) would have been: I am not clear what support the Administration is giving to a public option and how that public option is defined. Now maybe I have not done my research, so anyone that can elaborate on that is welcome. In my defense, I am a single mom who (along with one part timer I have doing some watering on some days) runs a nursery, does landscaping and has two other part time jobs - besides the house, dog and cat to take care of, and the Soc Sec claim , etc. etc. etc! So, please don't hold my ignorance/lack of research against me!
* I put single quotes only around those things I felt I transcribed pretty much verbatim, though they all can be considered paraphrasing as I cannot attest to them being EXACT quotes.