I had a talk with Stlo7 the other day about the despondency that I was feeling after the House vote on HR3962.  I felt drained and defeated. A rudderless boat, spinning in circles in an ocean of political impotence.  We have the Senate, we have the House, we even have the White House, and still our officials bow to the wishes of the insipid “Birthers and Baggers” to castrate the only part of the bill which could have brought some semblence of health care security to the 47million uninsured and the countless numbers of under-insured. 

Our conversation left me with a mission, a way to move forward with a specific assignment.  Then I saw this at TPM

Does passage of a bill that funnels millions of additional Americans into the private insurance system, and the decision of House leaders to shut down debate on one single payer amendment and scuttle another, mean the end of the years of efforts by single payer activists to win the most comprehensive reform of all?

For the nation’s nurses and the many grassroots activists, the answer is clearly no.

In discussions and organizing, now occurring coast to coast, including a strategy conference this weekendin St. Louis hosted by Healthcare-NOW, many are charting a new course that turns next to the U.S. Senate, to the Senate-House Conference Committee, and then to state capitols from Sacramento to Harrisburg where vibrant single payer movements and campaigns continue to grow.

So, the fight continues and rolling over on our backs is not part of the required activity as some from “our side” have been want to do.  Those of the opinion that “something is better than nothing”:

…..Equally unfathomable is the threat by some liberal groups to target single payer proponents Dennis Kucinich and Eric Massa who voted against the anti-choice amendment as well as the full bill. (Massa, in particular, was elected with active support from the single payer community and took a principled stand in a swing district.)

We’ve been behind our congressman on this from the beginning of his campaign.  We will continue to get his back and if anyone should want to hear him speak, one more time, to explain this concept, that opportunity exists.  Provided by PDAGV, here are the details:

Sunday, November 15th, 2009, 2:00pm-4:00pm

Dryden Theater, 900 East Ave, Rochester, NY

Featuring: Eric Massa, Donna Smith, Steve Cobble, Jeff Cohen, Emily Queenan

For more information, call Robin Wilt at 309-2638

So, if anyone out there is feeling lost, like I am, join PDAGV for a view of where we can go from here.

Related posts:

1. Massa Giving Up on Single Payer
2. Floor vote for single payer: Impossible things are happening everyday
3. Peter Mott, MD - Why single payer and not public option
4. Rally today for Single Payer, Downtown Rochester
5. Single-payer, Single-payer, Single-payer