Category: US

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Dear Mr. President, Find Some Concrete

  By US

Dear Mr. President, We’ve met briefly, at a fundraiser in Philadelphia and at a health care event I organized. But, as the year ends, I think it’s time we had a real chat. I’m one of those “sanctimonious folks” who made health care reform possible I’m one of those progressives disappointed by the deal you cut with the Republicans a few weeks ago on taxes. And, I’m not happy that called me and your other critics “sanctimonious” folks who want to “feel good about how pure we are” rather than get things done. You will go down in history getting the credit you took for “passing legislation… where we finally get health care for all Americans.” But you had some help from people like me. I ran the Health Care For American (HCAN) campaign in Pennsylvania which mobilized 15,000 people over the course of two years in support of what… Continue reading

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What did you do during the class war, Mommy and Daddy?

  By Politics, Progressive Politics, Public Policy, Published op-eds, Social Justice, Taxation, US

Published in the Daily News, September 23, 2010 THOUGH I lead a progressive grass-roots organization, I’m a little embarrassed by the question that serves as a title for this essay. For 25 years, I taught political philosophy, most recently at Temple University. The key to my teaching was to encourage students see both sides of every issue. I was always proud when my students didn’t know where I stood politically. Teaching both sides of the issues rubs off. So, even now, I’m politically just a little left of center. I supported the Obama health-care plan rather than single-payer not out of political expedience but conviction. I believe that a hybrid public-private plan is most likely to give us the most effective health-insurance system. So, I’m uncomfortable saying we are in the midst of a class war right now in America. But it’s time for all of us on the left,… Continue reading

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An inflection point in history: health care and progressive reform in the balance

  By Health Care, Progressive Politics, US

There has never been a time in the fifty four years of my life when political action is more important and can have a greater impact on our future. That’s why I’m marching to Washington today and urging you to take join Melanie’s March To the Finish Line. Before I became a full time political organizer three years ago, I taught political philosophy and American politics for twenty five years. Like most people trained in philosophy and the political and social sciences, I’ve always been somewhat dubious about the ability of people to bend history. Most of the time, I believe, the forces that shape history overwhelm what we do as individuals. That’s true for Presidents and Congressional leaders. And it’s even more true for citizens. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t act politically. Historical forces act through us But, for most of my life, as someone who was an activist… Continue reading

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To the top of the greasy pole: Why health care reform is so hard and what we should do about it now

  By Health Care, Progressive Politics, US

Last night you heard President Obama say that we have to pass health care reform this year. Reports today that Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid are working on a plan to move the reform legislation through Congress. I know that many of you are disappointed and angry that we have not yet succeeded. I am, too. But I taught and studied American politics for many years before I became an activist, and I know that what we have seen in the 19 month long fight for health care reform is the usual course our politics takes on the most important questions. Continue reading

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Phone bank for Martha Coakley!!!

  By Health Care, US

The Massachusetts Senate election tomorrow is critical to the future of this country and especially to the future of health care reform. It’s likely to be a low turnout election, so everything we do here in Pennsylvania to help get Coakley supporters to the polls will make a big difference. There are two local places where you can join phone banks to call likely Coakley supporters and urge them to vote tomorrow. UFCW Local 1776, 3031A Walton Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA. 19462. Now until 8:00 pm today and 10:00 am to 7:00 pm tomorrow. Organizing for America PA Headquarters, 123 South Broad Street, Suite 820, Philadelphia, PA 19107 Shifts at 4:00 pm today; 10:00 am, 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm, tomorrow. I don’t have to you how important this election is. Democrats have the bare minimum 60 votes we need to control the Senate. And, with Republicans determined to oppose… Continue reading

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Where is the movement? Notes on the PA HCAN campaign.

  By Health Care, Pennsylvania, Politics, US

Pretty much every day for the last few weeks, I talk to  a health care activist last week who is freaking out about the ups and downs in Congressional consideration of health care. “Relax” I said. “There are always ups and downs whenever Congress is considering any important legislation. There is always  a great deal of tension and division and dispute—some of it is real and some of it is posturing. We are going to win, because we are building a real movement for historic reform.” “But where is that movement?” he said. It’s a good question. And I have to say that, despite my spending twenty five years as a political scientist who sometimes taught and wrote about political and social movements, I don’t think I ever understood what a political movement was until this moment. I understand what one is now because at this moment I’m kind of… Continue reading

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Why Red, Yellow, and Blue Dogs are all going to support Health Care Reform.

  By Health Care, US

Everyone who favors health care reform, including me, is worried about the Blue Dog Democrats. As the state director of Health Care For America Now in PA, I’m concerned about the five blue dog Democrats in Pennsylvania and our staff, volunteers and I are working as hard as we can to keep all of them on the straight and narrow. We have a long week ahead of us dealing with the Blue Dogs. But I think we are going to win, for two reasons. One is the enormous pressure we are going to bring on Blue Dogs, from our coalition partners and the activists we identified. I’m building and talking and writing about that pressure fifteen hours a day, so I won’t say that much about it here. Instead I want to consider a second reason: given the political logic of the moment, while a lot of the Blue Dogs… Continue reading

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The question remains, which side are you on?

  By Health Care, Politics, US

We are reaching a critical moment in the effort to reform health care in America this year, a moment in which we will find out who is serious about addressing the health care crisis we have we have in this country and who is not. Everyone knows problem: health insurance for the middle class is becoming more and more uncertain for two reasons. The first is that that the costs of health insurance are rising far faster than wages. Health insurance premiums have doubled over the last 9 years, going up three times faster than wages. As costs rise, health care becomes unaffordable for individuals and businesses drop health care coverage for their employees, The second reason is that insurance companies deny people coverage and care. In the fine print of insurance policies are provisions that limit lifetime benefits that enable insurance companies to decide that a treatment we need… Continue reading

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FDR, Obama, and the Path to Health Care Reform in 2009

  By Health Care, US

I’ve been giving these remarks at talks around the state in the last few weeks, most recently at the Neighborhood Networks conference last week. My aim is to bring people up to date on the state of health care reform and inspire them to join our movement, In a day or so, Health Care For America Now is going to announce the next stage in our effort to build a powerful movement for reform. So this is a good moment to let you all know where things stand. Continue reading

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The Election and the Future of Progressive Politics

  By Health Care, Labor, US

Soon after the clock ticks 8:00 in California we will see a solid, and perhaps extraordinary, victory for Democrats from top to bottom, from the Presidency to Senate to the House and maybe even down to the State House in Pennsylvania. Those of us who have worked long and hard and hoped for a revival of progressive politics in America will celebrate this victory tonight and for weeks to come. But while this election victory is critical, what we do with our that victory will most determine what kind of future there is for progressive politics and our country. Continue reading