Support For Public Option Reconnects Obama, Progressives On Health Reform

Progressives and President Obama are coming back together on the looming issue of healthcare reform after the left and the White House had something of a falling out on the issue. The reproachment comes as progressive groups say they plan to commit to put $82 million into pressuring passage of "real" reform.

The group Democracy for America (DFA) is asking supporters to rally around Obama's public support this week that a public option be included in forthcoming healthcare reform legislation.

"I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans," Obama announced this week. "This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest."

Progressives in Congress and without are looking to ensure such a public option is included.

"Yesterday, President Obama strongly reaffirmed his support for giving Americans the choice of a public healthcare option like Medicare. Meanwhile, key Senators are still on the fence and others are considering trying to kill a public option by requiring a 'trigger' that will never be triggered," says Charles Chamberlain, DFA political director.

(Also yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated that she expects a healthcare bill by end of July.)

That a progressive organization would stand with Obama on the healthcare issue is significant, as progressives and the president had drifted apart on the issue, with many on the left continuing to press for single-payer as the public option and Obama opposing a single-payer plan.

This reunion on the issue comes as a coalition of progressive organizations say they will spend more than $82 million to advocate for healthcare reform. The organizations announced the move this week at a meeting of progressives in Washington.

Participants in the effort include the Health Care for America Now campaign; the two main labor federations, the AFL-CIO and Change To Win; as well as MoveOn.org, Democracy for America and mobilization groups representing people of color, women and young people. The various organizations serve different functions, with the bulk of the spending financing advertising and grassroots organizing on- and off-line across the country, the organizations say in a statement.

The collective effort involves the more than 1,000 organizations that are part of Health Care for America Now, representing over 30 million members committed to winning a guarantee of "quality, affordable health care for all this year," their statement says.

The groups describe the project as the largest national progressive issue campaign in history, one that was lacking when President Bill Clinton’s health care proposals were defeated by the health care industry and conservative groups more than a decade ago.

“Over the past few years, we have worked together to build a progressive infrastructure and a movement that helped to elect President Obama and begin to undo the damage of the last eight years. But it was just the beginning,” says Howard Dean, DFA founder, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and 2004 presidential candidate. “As the health care reform debate makes clear, America needs a strong progressive movement, now is not the time to become complacent.”

Robert Borosage, co-director of the progressive group Campaign for America’s Future, says that while conservatives are splintered and isolated, progressive groups are coordinating their efforts and mobilizing independently to fight special interests standing in the way of Obama’s reform agenda.

“While the conservative coalition has collapsed, progressives have continued to build and expand,” says Borosage. “We are both more unified and better mobilized than ever.”

Watch more breaking news now on our video feed:



Bookmark http://onthehillblog.blogspot.com/ and drop back in for more news from the nation's capital.