Summer's gone, school's back in. Holidays are around the bend. Yet change is on its inexorable path, waiting for no one. You've made an enormous impact, and the finish line for one historic change, health care reform, is in sight! Can you help make it the change you want to see?
You've all made thousands of calls, gotten your neighbors to sign tens of thousands declarations, you've sent thousands of emails. What did you achieve? For one, Sen. Maria Cantwell went from "no comment" on the public option, to public support for the public option. Sen. Patty Murray and many of our Representatives are also on board. Four of five committees have voted on a bill - and that has never, ever happened before.
Do you want to make sure they stand strong? The biggest hurdle is right up ahead. We expect the final of five committees, the Finance Committee, to vote on Tuesday. It could take a little longer - that seems to happen pretty often, right? But next is the full Senate and full House, then they have to reconcile their bills, then it's the final vote to send it to President Obama to sign.
You can imagine the bill you want will be signed. Go ahead. Imagine.
We can make this a holiday to remember - if we keep up the pressure as you have done so magnificently thus far. Imagine the gift of meaningful health care reform, true security in knowing that your health needs, and your loved ones' health needs, won't send them into bankruptcy or major loss of all that we've worked for.
Imagine we all get the care we need, when we need it, from the professionals we trust. Imagine thousands of Americans who have not had that option for years, finally having it.
Now, realize, we're not at the finish line yet. If we stop pushing now, those who oppose meaningful reform will have a clear field, cross the finish line, and grin back at us in triumph.
It's our democracy, we have a say if we act and continue to act, to make our wishes known to those who rely on us for their reelection.
Will you keep calling them, keep writing them? Then thank you, so very much!
Will you help remind others to call and write? Please, it's so easy, just a friendly call to our neighbors to ask "Will you please call?" We most often hear them respond "Again? Okay. Yes, thank you for reminding me!"
If you are willing to make the final push to get this bill passed, email me, now is the time! You can do it online from home. I can send you lists to do it with friends. You can open your home to fellow callers with their cell phones, or your office or studio and offer your phone lines.
But if every one of you says "Let someone else do it, I'm too busy", the dream will be deferred again. For the opposition is in a feverish defeat-reform-at-all-costs mode, and they are busy doing nothing else.
We need you to keep the dream alive. We need you to give America a gift that will be treasured forever, and we need you right now. Commit. Let's work together one more time, and let us be the ones grinning in triumph at the finish line!
