Boston Health Care Rally - Surprise!

Exactly right! (6.00 / 3)

I was at the rally as well and as a 20 year advocate for Universal Health care it was an uplifting experience.   As I was pressing the flesh and talking to people I was impressed with how many people were for single payer.   It was encouraging.

Last week at the Mayoral debate in Roxbury a question came up about public health and I spoke at length about why I support
a Universal Health care program similar to Japan or Western Europe.   Again, a loud applause that made me think that people really do get this and they are ready for our leaders to lead on this issue, which I believe is the number one thing progressives should be advocating for.

Have a great weekend.

Kevin McCrea

Magna Fingere, Magna Facere

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by: KevinMcCrea @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 16:26:28 PM CDT

Hah (6.00 / 5)

Lynch is hoping to win the Democratic primary with the vote of people in the Democratic Party who don't agree with the values and policies of that party.  Not off to a great start.

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Believe it or not, I have even more to say...

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by: sabutai @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 17:57:27 PM CDT

I am a Lynch supporter (proudly) (6.00 / 1)

There may be more of us than you know. Most of the "old fashioned" Truman, Henry Jackson democrats don't visit this blog. But we vote.

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by: Edgarthearmenian @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 18:44:57 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'm old fashioned as well... (6.00 / 5)

I'm a proud lunch-bucket Democrat.  I'm also aware that there are pro-labor Democrats who, unlike Lynch, also back the right to privacy and who, again unlike Lynch, don't rush headlong into unnecessary wars.

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Believe it or not, I have even more to say...

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by: sabutai @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 19:02:21 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

There's a bit of logic there... (0.00 / 0)

...but experience shows it not to pan out.  In 2007 special election to succeed Marty Meehan in Congress Jim Miceli thought he could corner the market on conservative Democrats while the other four candidates divided the moderate/progressive vote; long story short, he got trounced.

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by: Christopher @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 20:01:20 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Stephen Lynch (D) Brylcream Is A Lot Like (1.50 / 2)

Truman and Scoop Jackson both dead and The Congressman from Brylcream has dead ideas.

Let Mr. Brylcream stay in House where he can do limited damaged.

With any luck we will have one of two women in the US Senate to replace Ted Kennedy - Senator Martha Coakley or Senator Victoria Reggie Kennedy.

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by: Atticus @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 23:12:10 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

OK, once and for all - (0.00 / 0)

What is your beef with Lynch?

What/who/where is "Brylcream" and why do you use that refernce?

You've made it abundantly clear you don't like him; now it's time to invoke the maxim that if you can't say something nice about someone...

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by: Christopher @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 10:57:41 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Don't let your daily dip cause 'DRY HAIR' (6.00 / 1)

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by: stomv @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 11:52:00 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Interestingly... (5.00 / 1)

...the man in the ad looks like he could easily pass for a Kennedy! (just an observation)

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by: Christopher @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 13:05:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'm curious what about Lynch you find appealing. (0.00 / 0)

He's not my rep, so I mostly know about him through his position on the gulf war.  I wrote him and Kerry to express dismay at their votes.  Neither responded.

What makes you a proud supporter?

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by: huh @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 11:52:06 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I like his committment to labor, #1. (6.00 / 1)

I very much like the fact that he takes the time to study the issues and not follow the crowd. A good example of this was his not jumping on the bailout bandwagon and wasting billions of our money on Wall Street insiders. He has also been to Iraq several times and has not tried to become an instant expert as so many other politicians have. And I think that he is probably one of the few politicians, local or national, who has actually taken the time to study all of the health care proposals.  I actually disagree with him on the issue because I favor a medicare approach with a universal VAT to which everyone contributes, but I know that when he speaks it is not just to pander to the crowd. (I can't say the same for Kerry or Coakley).  It's the same reason that I like Barney Frank: they are not afraid to take a strong position once they have studied an issue.  And, lastly, his office in Washington D. C. helped me and my family to visit both Houses of Congress a few years ago. They treated us really well, even though, like you, I am not in his district.

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by: Edgarthearmenian @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 13:05:45 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Truman favored national health care (6.00 / 2)

President Truman's Proposed Health Program

On November 19, 1945, only 7 months into his presidency, Harry S. Truman sent a Presidential message to the United States Congress proposing a new national health care program. In his message, Truman argued that the federal government should play a role in health care, saying "The health of American children, like their education, should be recognized as a definite public responsibility."
. . .
In his November 19, 1945 address, President Truman called for the creation of a national health insurance fund to be run by the federal government. This fund would be open to all Americans, but would remain optional. Participants would pay monthly fees into the plan, which would cover the cost of any and all medical expenses that arose in a time of need. The government would pay for the cost of services rendered by any doctor who chose to join the program. In addition, the insurance plan would give a cash balance to the policy holder to replace wages lost due to illness or injury.

Shoe bomber, underwear bomber -- why aren't we waging war on clothes?

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by: kirth @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 13:11:37 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Martha Coakley also spoke (6.00 / 2)

at the rally on her commitment to the public option.

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by: Sue Kennedy @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 19:32:05 PM CDT

She did - very forthrightly (6.00 / 1)

Thought her remarks were well-received. Tierney, Markey and Capuano were also spoke well. Lynch, as noted above, did not connect with this crowd due to not supporting a public option. We were right in front and many had signs calling Lynch out on this.  IMHO, Lynch handled the crowd poorly.  He needed to directly address the issue ("I know many people here are supporting a public option and would like me to do the same.  Here's why I haven't made up my mind/here's why I'm opposed.  But there are many other reforms we can agree on...") He tried to ignore the issue; the crowd was quite hostile as a result.  We were a little uncomfortable with seeing him shouted down; it was rude, but Lynch could have handled himself better.

Btw, it was nice to see you today.  Sorry we missed you for breakfast.

"Perseverance is a great element of success. If you knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody." -Longfellow

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by: Bean in the 'Burbs @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 21:26:52 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Took us awhile to find (0.00 / 0)

the restaurant. We were actually ordering when I saw you leave, Ugh!

I'm a big Martha Coakley fan, but a bigger supporter of single payer/public option. I applaud all candidates who recognize health care as a fundamental right.

Lynch, couldn't applaud the position he was expressing.

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by: Sue Kennedy @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 22:15:39 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

the chant (6.00 / 2)

Then came Representative Lynch, who has been singularly unenthusiastic about public option.  He started talking vaguely about "universal care".  Suddenly, the crowd came to life.  These very proper Bostonians, median age probably somewhere between 50 and 60, started chanting "public option" over and over again.

I was standing very near the woman who started the chant. She started yelling, "Public Option: Do we have your vote?" and that's how it continued, at least in our area.

I had a mixed reaction and didn't join in. I think it was good to get the message across, if he (Lynch) did get it. But I also realized that the crowd wasn't giving him a chance to talk and asked myself if this behavior was any better than the people interrupting at the town meetings. I wonder what others think.

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by: Jasiu @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 21:24:40 PM CDT

I've thought about this too (6.00 / 1)

here's what I've decided:

This wasn't a Town Hall.  This wasn't designed as a question and answer.  This was a rally.  Different atmosphere, different intention, different standards of behavior.

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by: stomv @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 21:31:47 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

he also didn't answer the question (0.00 / 0)

I, too, had a mixed reaction, but to address a health rally and not address the public option at all is just bizarre.

If Lynch's speech had dealt dealt with the public option directly, there would have been no chanting.  Instead, as noted above, he talked vaguely about universal health care.  It sounded like BS and people reacted.  Pure and simple.

Other speakers (e.g. Martha Coakley) made their positions crystal clear.  

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by: huh @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 11:22:12 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Stephen Lynch and Public Option (0.00 / 0)

If I were Lynch's adviser I would advise him to take a position on the public option.  It might be nuanced but it must be taken.  Right now, it is a wedge issue and he is on the wrong side.  

Lynch spent the summer reading HR 3200 so he knows it well. He called on Congressional research and other topic area specialists to explain and educate him on aspects of the bill that were not clear or obvious.  He's done his homework. Still, he is not forthcoming about what he does and doesn't support including the public option.  

Lynch's ability to manage an audience was on display at Curry. He is good.

I have no doubt that instead of asking for the audience's attention on the Common he decided that it would not be in his best interest to continue talking becuase he was not prepared to answer their most pressing question: Will you support this public plan?

www.bit.ly/7Wousr - "Must include a public option"
www.bit.ly/7yaoMv - Coakley shifts, backs abortion curb
www.bit.ly/5f8CVb - John Kerry reporting for duty!
www.bit.ly/6rJnZU - Questions for Martha Coakley on Civil Rights  

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by: NeilSagan @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 21:57:28 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'm sorry I missed it! (6.00 / 1)

I wanted to be there, but I've been busy getting my store ready to open - check out how I spent my labor day!

We use keywords about green issues to highlight the top part of the walls in the space.  First, you have to flatten them onto the wall using a squeegee...

Then you strip the paper off and the words stay behind.  They came out pretty good, eh?  

My grand opening is this Saturday, 9/12, starting at 9:30 am - Lt. Governor Murray will be cutting the ribbon for it, come on out and see that place!  

Small dollar year round fundraising: PeanutButterPAC.org

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by: JohnT001 @ Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 22:01:43 PM CDT

That is so cool. (0.00 / 0)

Looks great!  What's the process for setting up the words?  I'd love to do something like this in my house.  lol.

 

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by: lightiris @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 05:39:32 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

What Time is the LG Arriving? (0.00 / 0)

Can you send me some details for the announcment in the Dispatch?  THanks for your call.  Kate

Kate Donaghue, volunteer.

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by: Kate @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 23:54:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

so has capuano found religion? (6.00 / 1)

about three years ago, when asked about the risk of losing federal medicaid funds if massachusetts were (ie did) adopt healthcare reform including a public option, representative capuano went out of his way to tell me that he was flat-out against single-payer (though the subject of single payer had never even come up) and then droned on for ten minutes with some cockamamie story about waiting lists in canada to drive his point home.

wonder what happened?

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by: fairdeal @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 00:29:56 AM CDT

Perhaps he or a loved one NEEDED health care? (6.00 / 1)

When somebody from MA starts in on the "waiting lists in Canada" talking-point, ask them how long it's been since they tried to establish a new relationship with a GP in MA. Ask them if their wives or daughters have had to establish a relationship with an OB/GYN lately. How long did they have to wait the last time their doctor told them to see a dermatologist about that spot on their back?

Or perhaps he sat down with his post-college 25 year old son or daughter to figure out how to get health insurance for them. You know, the one with $500/month in student loan payments, working in a coffee shop at $11/hour while they try and find a job in their field in the economic sewer that 20 years of failed GOP "economics" handed them.

"If the Republicans will stop lying about the Democrats, the Democrats will stop telling the truth about the Republicans" -- Adlai Stevenson

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by: BrooklineTom @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 07:30:10 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'm not a Lynch supporter... (0.00 / 0)

but I too thought the crowd acted "very much like" the same people who were soundly criticized (on BMG) for not allowing the speaker to speak. A rally is not a Town Hall meeting but the same principle applies that speakers should be allowed to speak, whether you like the message or not. I would assume any shouters who would not allow "pro-PO' speakers like Capuano to speak would be criticized for it.

Congrats on the great day, the great turnout and the great weather!

Baker/Tisei in 2010... Charlie Baker on why people "have been" leaving MA, "It's not the weather here, it's the climate"

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by: JohnD @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 08:18:14 AM CDT

Whom do you support or (6.00 / 1)

are you waiting for your Republican party to pick the "right" candidate?

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by: Edgarthearmenian @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 13:09:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I have no idea. (0.00 / 0)

Rather than some people who throw in support for people who don't even run (Bill Weld supports Jose Kennedy", I'll wait to see if there is even a Republican worth supporting. If none apply worth anything, I'm leaning towards Coakley since I'll take a "prosecutor" any day over these career politicians (even though she is now a career politician).

Baker/Tisei in 2010... Charlie Baker on why people "have been" leaving MA, "It's not the weather here, it's the climate"

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by: JohnD @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 13:22:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]