I Called Harry Reid's Office. AGAIN. Let's See How They Respond.

Did you see this today? I did... And I did something.

If Nancy Pelosi is willing to stop with the "Chicken Little" games and forge a game plan for finishing health care reform, then there's still hope. Now we just have to convince Harry Reid to ignore the naysayers and move forward.

At this point it seems the best option is for the House to pass what the Senate passed last month, then finish it off with both chambers of Congress moving forward with a reconciliation bill including things like the public option that most Americans want. Nancy Pelosi gets this, so we just need for Reid and Obama to get it as well.

I don't know what's in Obama's head right now, but judging from the phone call I just had with one of Reid's Las Vegas staffers he's open to it. The staffer was very friendly with me and appreciated my call of support and my urge for Reid to keep moving forward on health care, so long as he includes the public option and the Medicare buy-in, and uses reconciliation to do it if necessary.

So if you can, please call Harry Reid's office and tell them this:

Americans need real reform and access to affordable healthcare. We can move in the right direction with RECONCILIATION.

What can we pass through reconciliation? The public option. The Medicare expansion. The Medicaid expansion.

And what about the Senate bill as it currently stands? It might not pass the House because of the excise tax on Cadillac Plans, and over 190 House members are against this tax. It's why we need to PUSH for reconciliation to let Democrats know that we support it, and will back them to the hilt on real health care reform.

Let's wipe the grin off those Republicans' faces by showing them that Democrats CAN and WILL go for RECONCILIATION.

We'll deliver your message, loud and clear, to Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid in D.C.!

Harry Reid's Offices to Call

Carson City
600 East William Street, #302
Carson City, NV 89701
Phone: 775-882-7343 / Fax: 775-883-1980

Las Vegas
Lloyd D. George Building
333 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 8016
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: 702-388-5020 / Fax: 702-388-5030

Reno
Bruce R. Thompson Courthouse and Federal Building
400 South Virginia Street, Suite 902
Reno, NV 89501
Phone: 775-686-5750 / Fax: 775-686-5757

Rural Nevada Outreach Contact
Matt Tuma
Phone: 775-686-5750 / Fax: 775-686-5757

Washington
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3542 / Fax: 202-224-7327
Toll Free for Nevadans: 1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343) -Restricted to calls originating from area codes 775 and 702

The only thing I differ on is that the Senate bill doesn't need to be scrapped. The House can pass it, so long as a companion reconciliation bill with the public option and Medicare buy-in is done ASAP. Of course, I also wouldn't mind scrapping the Senate bill altogether if it means we'll only see good reforms (like the new insurance regulations and Medicare/Medicaid expansions) without the HMO & PhRMA bailouts. I'm just saying that as long as we either see health care done, done right, and done soon with things that people actually want, we can turn these lemons into good lemonade that people will appreciate. :-)