As I noted earlier, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) appeared on CNN over the weekend and tried to pour some cold water on the idea that a systemic health care overhaul is in the country’s future. In response, MoveOn is pouring some cold water on Feinstein.
The group is calling on its California members to pressure the senior Democrat to get on board with the President’s agenda, and threatening to run an ad singling her out.
A slightly abbreviated version of the letter appears below the fold.
Dear MoveOn member,
This is our best chance in a generation for health care reform, and the need has never been greater.
So why did Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein go on TV Sunday and undermine President Obama’s plans for health care reform?
She told CNN’s John King: “Well to be candid with you, I don’t know that he has the votes right now. I think there’s a lot of concern in the Democratic caucus.”1
As a senior Democrat, what Sen. Feinstein says holds weight, and her comment is being interpreted as a lack of full support for this year’s health care reform efforts.
Democrats should be leading the charge to pass health care reform right now, not throwing cold water on the president’s plan. Can you can Sen. Feinstein right away and let her know that, as a Californian, you want real health care reform this year?
[…]
Her statement is a big deal: Political momentum could make or break health care reform this year. And one of the Republicans’ key strategies in stopping reform is to say that it’s too complicated, too hard, and will never happen.
So when a senior senator like Dianne Feinstein says on national TV that health care reform might not be possible–at a time when every other Democratic leader is saying we can’t afford NOT to fix health care this year–it undercuts the whole effort.
It’s crucial Sen. Feinstein hears loud and clear that a delay on reform is unacceptable, so we’re also creating a new ad to run in California.
After you call, can you chip in $25 to help us get our ad on the air?
https://pol.moveon.org/donate/feinstein_ad.html
President Obama is calling for bold, real health care reform this year and the American people are demanding it. Let’s make sure Sen. Feinstein is a leader in this effort.
