On March 21st Congress and President Obama accomplished substantive healthcare reform.
 
The bills have enormous implications for our state as demand for health and long term care services continues to increase. In sum, the legislation will help preserve the state’s insurance safety net, strengthen small businesses and provide important consumer protections.

About twice a month these guys come from Seattle to stand in front of the Lynden Post Office to troll for talkers.  Alex Abundis, Alyce Werkema, above, and John Gillies, (not pictured) stood in the rain to protest this rude, crude display.  "We visited with many people – most of whom thanked us for being there to honor honorable speech," said Werkema. They hope to be there again any time the LaRouche people return to Lynden.

Some 125 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have appealed to Senate majority leader Harry Reid to consider including a public health insurance option in the Senate bill. Washington District 2 Congressman Rick Larsen was among the signators.

Known as the Polis-Pingree letter, for Representatives Jared Polis and Chellie Pingree, it cites recent polls showing that a majority of Americans support a public option and more think the Senate bill "does not go far enough" rather than "too far". The letter also argues in favor of the Senate using budget reconciliation rules that only require a majority vote for passage.

Read the Letter to Senate

The House passed HR 3962 on November 7, 2009. The Senate bill is still pending. With the Senate voting Nov. 21st to begin debate, chances are strong that the Senate will pass a bill similar to the House version.

At the November membership meeting, Whatcom County Democrats unanimously adopted a resolution commending Congressman Rick Larsen for his Yes vote on the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) which contains a "public option" and for opposing the Stupak amendment to H.R. 3962 which imposes unconstitutional restrictions on women's rights to make their own medical decisions.

By Congressman Rick Larsen

Health reform needs to happen. The status quo is unacceptable. Business as usual is unacceptable for small business owners who cannot afford coverage for their employees. The status quo does not work for families who are worried about their jobs and sky-high health costs. The current system must be reformed for taxpayers who have seen health care costs explode the federal budget deficit. Discrimination must stop for my constituents who are denied coverage, or charged through the roof, because of their age or gender, or because they have a preexisting condition such as diabetes or cancer.

About 15 minutes before start time, the line to enter the building snaked all the way around the perimeter of the parking lot and was heading for the street. For those who are familiar with the Skagit PUD facility, and the size of the conference room, it was clear people getting in the line then would not get into the building. KING5 news said the capacity was 250, and the crowd outside was 4-5 times that. I guessed about 1,000 people, so that actually matches KING5's numbers.

Whatcom Democrats passed a resolution at the July 16th membership meeting expressing profound disappointment with Congressman Rick Larsen’s statement that he would not support the public option in current health care reform legislation.
The Whatcom Democrats platform endorses a national single-payer health care plan. Since single payer health insurance legislation is not currently being considered, Whatcom Democrats consider inclusion of a public option an essential part of any Health care reform bill.

The Whatcom County Democratic Party passed a resolution at their July membership meeting expressing profound disappointment with Congressman Rick Larsen's statement that he would not support the public option in current health care reform legislation.

The prognosis for meaningful health care reform in the United States in 2009 is not good, but there is a glimmer of hope. Congress and the President have invited the Health Insurance Industry to the table, but have excluded single-payer advocates from discussion on legislation.