Congress Has the Ball - Health Care Now

I had to swallow hard first, but this is the text of the note I just sent to my Congressman, Earl Blumenauer:

Rep. Blumenauer, Please vote FOR the Senate health care bill. While far from perfect -- 'single payer' is the best way to go -- the current bill makes significant improvements over the costly, unjust mess we have now.

I realize you committed to vote against any bill that doesn't include a public option. I urge you to side with the good against the perfect. Pass this bill and then continue to press for the additional changes we need.

Health care is a right. Every step toward recognizing and actualizing that right, however small and imperfect a step, is positive and good. Every vote against it is a vote against civility and justice.

Thank you.

What is "good" and "better" about the bills currently under discussion? They would mean, among other things, these positive changes:

As it currently stands, the legislation would cover 31 million Americans and offer consumer protections to all Americans, eliminating the ability of insurance companies to deny people for pre-existing conditions or to rescind coverage to people who get sick. Its ten-year $875 billion price tag would be funded by Medicare cost-savings (without jeopardizing benefits) and a mixture of new taxes. It would reduce the deficit by $118 billion in the first ten years.

I urge everyone to contact his/her own representative and express support for the bill. Whether you want to e-mail, snail mail, fax, call, or even stop by, the contact information for your representative can be found here.

For the cave-bound, here's some background on the Congressional maneuvering happening now.