Ignore Their Constituents and Stand with the Gun Lobby

After all the petitions and testifying and visiting Congress by victims' family, it meant nothing?

Yesterday, 45 senators chose to ignore their constituents and stand with the gun lobby. 

And because of Senate rules, this minority was able to stand in the way of a bipartisan measure to expand background checks for gun sales. 

A lot of people are reading the headlines today and wondering how these senators had the nerve to get up there -- right in front of victims' families from Newtown -- and cast that vote against something that more than 90 percent of Americans support. I'm one of them.

Those senators made a cynical calculation that, at the end of the day, the gun lobby would be louder and stronger than we are. 

Yesterday was just round one. We will keep fighting. 

If you're one of the millions of Americans who care deeply about preventing gun violence, you need to show it today. 

Add your name -- tell Congress you're not going to back down now until they pass a common-sense gun violence prevention bill.

Here's where we go from here: 

The senators on both sides of the aisle who stood up to the pressure and cast tough votes to do the right thing -- they're going to know that OFA supporters are going to get their backs. 

And those senators who decided that not crossing the gun lobby was more important than making our kids and communities safer -- OFA supporters will call them out and hold them accountable to their constituents.

The special interests have been at this longer, and they can do a real good job at scaring people by distorting the facts -- they think we'll go away quietly.

But there are so many more of us than there are of them. And as long as you don't give up, we're going to keep fighting, and someday soon, we will win. 

Add your name right now to say you're going to keep fighting -- for the families of Newtown, Aurora, Tucson, Chicago, and the thousands of other communities that have been torn apart by gun violence:

http://my.barackobama.com/Keep-Fighting

Thank you for what you're doing. More soon,

Jon

Jon Carson
Executive Director
Organizing for Action
@JonCarsonOFA

Enough of Health Care Repeal

Tuesday January 25, 2011 President Obama gave his second State of the Union.  One of the biggest topics mentioned was the Republicans desire to repeal the Health Reform Law.  The text of the official Republican response to the State of the Union address, as prepared for delivery by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, can be found at the link.

Enough with false promises from the Republicans. As President Obama noted in his speech, it makes no sense to spend another two years with legislation, because repeal is not going to happen.  Better for all of us if Congress fix problems and move on.  The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care





Nancy Reagan at Bethesda Naval Hospital, MD

Another solution – let the Republicans and Democrats against Health Care Reform decline to participate in Government sponsored health care like the bill proposed H.R.3937, Latest Title: Simple Universal Healthcare Act of 2009 Sponsor: Rep Terry, Lee [NE-2] (introduced 10/27/2009) Cosponsors (None), Latest Major Action: 12/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions. The bill covered the President, Vice-President and members of Congress, plus individuals not covered under the The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.  

Under FEHB, those eligible for coverage pay an annual premium matched by the government. Since there are millions of civilian employees across the United States, territories and overseas, the health program has hundreds of program from which to choose.  But unlike regular employees, Congressmen can receive care at military hospitals such as Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Medical Center. Both hospitals have VIP wards/units for high profile people such as presidents, cabinet members, members of Congress, diplomats and eligible family members. The units have special staff which includes private chef.  VIP ward at Walter Reed gets scrutiny story with pictures.

Official text for H.R. 3937.

A bill to establish a health benefits program, based on the Federal employees health benefits program, to provide health insurance coverage for the President, Vice President, and Members of Congress, and citizens not eligible for coverage under the Federal employees health benefits program; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.



The 2011 salary for Congress is 2011 -- $174,000 per annum with Senate leaders -- majority and minority leaders, and the president pro tempore -- have received higher salaries than other members. Currently, leaders earn $193,400 per year, and Speaker of the House $223,500.  A cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) increase takes effect annually unless Congress votes to not accept it. The Working Poor: Invisible in America 

Many Congressmen were lawyers before arriving at Congress which should have netted a good income. U.S. Congressmen Tim Murphy, PhD. (R-PA) and Phil Gingrey, M.D. (R-GA) announced the formation of the GOP Doctors Caucus for the 111th Congress with 13 members. Do these Republicans propose to provide health care for all Americans as good as they get?



Resources:

http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/

http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/senate_salaries.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_States_Senators_by_age_and_generation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_States_Representatives_by_age_and_generation

http://www.narmc.amedd.army.mil/Lists/NARMCNews/DispForm.aspx?ID=88