Will Lieberman listen to constituents?

Sentor Joe Lieberman has made it perfectly clear he does not support Health Care Reform. He was recently quoted as saying, "If a government plan is part of the deal, "as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote." Connecticut residents have heard and responded in numbers greater than 400.

An evening prayer vigil that began at Senator Joe Lieberman's Alma Mater, Stamford High School, transformed into a candlelight march to the senator's condo building. While marching participants sang "This Little Light of Mine." Upon arriving at Sen. Lieberman's buildng, demonstrators were met by police who blocked access to the building. Building resident Shirley Binin, who had walked with the crowd, stepped up and received a communal letter calling for Lieberman to support health care reform and walked into the building while vigil participants chanted, "We will be back."

Sen. Lieberman has not made himself available to Health Care Reform proponents. Huffington Post reports, "For a man who loves the spotlight, he manages to hide from the glare of his constituents. While he preens, people die, and will continue to die because of senators like Lieberman, who have determined that their convictions are more important than their constituents lives."

Read the letter that was delivered to Sen. Lieberman at Huffington Post

The question remains, if he won't entertain his constituents, will he read their letter? Does he even care about what the people who he represents want? Well Sen. Lieberman, do you?

--Source Huffington Post

Contact Sen. Joe Lieberman and tell him to vote for Health Care Reform.
Washington, D.C. Website:
http://lieberman.senate.gov/index.cfm

Washington, D.C. Address
706 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4041
Fax: 202-224-9750

District Address
One Constitution Plaza
7th Floor
Hartford, CT 06103
Phone: 860-549-8463
Phone: 800-225-5605

Key Staff Addresses
Clarine Riddle
Chief of Staff
706 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4041

Rayanne Bostick
Scheduler
706 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4041

Rob Sawicki
Media Director
706 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4041

Historic Vote by House of Reps

With a vote of 220 to 215 the House of Representatives approved Health Care Reform. The vote included one courageous Republican, Joseph Cao (R-La). When asked by CNN why, Cao replied "he cast his vote in favor of reform only after an amendment greatly restricting the coverage of abortions was allowed to come to a vote. Once that hurdle was clear, Cao said, "I called the White House and said I could possibly support the bill." "I had to make a decision of conscience based on the needs of the people in my district."

--Source Huffington Post

Unfortunately there are still obstacles to overcome in the Senate. Speaking from the Rose Garden about 14 hours after the late Saturday vote, Obama urged senators to be like runners on a relay team and "take the baton and bring this effort to the finish line on behalf of the American people." However, a key Democrat had this to say... If a government plan is part of the deal, "as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote," said Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut independent whose vote Democrats need to overcome GOP filibusters.

Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, who voted for a version of the Senate bill in committee, has proposed to allow a government plan as a last resort, if after a few years premiums keep escalating and local health insurance markets remain in the grip of a few big companies. This is the "trigger" option.

That approach appeals to moderates such as Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. "If the private market fails to reform, there would be a fallback position," Landrieu said last week. "It should be triggered by choice and affordability, not by political whim."

-- Source Yahoo News

How much more do premiums have to escalate before Health Care Reform is no longer a "whim"? How many more American people have to be without health care? How many Americans have to be denied health care? How many American people who faithfully paid their premiums have to be dropped by their Insurance companies before this is seen as important? The fact is it would only take one if that American was a friend or relative of a US Senator, only then would this cease being referred to as a "whim" and begin to be seen as the National crises that it is for most Americans.

Please continue to contact your Senators and tell them this is important to you, your family and your friends. Health Care Reform can not wait until it effects the elite and rich in our society, it must be passed NOW.