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Friday, November 19, 2004
Kerry Asks Us to Cosponsor Healthcare Bill
Have you gotten the new email from Kerry? Excerpt:
Normally, a member of the Senate will first approach other senators and ask them to co-sponsor a bill before it is introduced -- instead, I am turning to you. Imagine the power of a bill co-sponsored by hundreds of thousands of Americans being presented on the floor of the United States Senate. You can make it happen. Sign our "Every Child Protected" pledge today and forward it to your family, friends, and neighbors: https://johnkerry.com/EveryChild.
You can read the entire email from Kerry by clicking to the continuation page. You can also see a video that explains his plan by clicking on the link above.
How do you feel about this move by Kerry? Grandstanding or effective opposition party effort?
Dear Supporter,
I want to thank you personally for what you did in the election -- you rewrote the book on grassroots politics, taking control of campaigns away from big donors. No campaign will ever be the same.
You moved voters, helped hold George Bush accountable, and countered the attacks from big news organizations such as Fox, Sinclair Broadcasting, and conservative talk radio.
And your efforts count now more than ever. Despite the words of cooperation and moderate sounding promises, this administration is planning a right wing assault on values and ideals we hold most deeply. Healthy debate and diverse opinion are being eliminated from the State Department and CIA, and the cabinet is being remade to rubber stamp policies that will undermine Social Security, balloon the deficit, avoid real reforms in health care and education, weaken homeland security, and walk away from critical allies around the world.
Regardless of the outcome of this election, once all the votes are counted -- and they will be counted -- we will continue to challenge this administration. This is not a time for Democrats to retreat and accommodate extremists on critical principles -- it is a time to stand firm.
I will fight for a national standard for federal elections that has both transparency and accountability in our voting system. It's unacceptable in the United States that people still don't have full confidence in the integrity of the voting process.
I ask you to join me in this cause.
And we must fight not only against George Bush's extreme policies -- we must also uphold our own values. This is why on the first day Congress is in session next year, I will introduce a bill to provide every child in America with health insurance. And, with your help, that legislation will be accompanied by the support of hundreds of thousands of Americans.
There are more than eight million uninsured children in our nation.
That's eight million reasons for us to stay together and fight for a new direction. It is a disgrace that in the wealthiest nation on earth, eight million children go without health insurance.
Normally, a member of the Senate will first approach other senators and ask them to co-sponsor a bill before it is introduced -- instead, I am turning to you. Imagine the power of a bill co-sponsored by hundreds of thousands of Americans being presented on the floor of the United States Senate. You can make it happen. Sign our "Every Child Protected" pledge today and forward it to your family, friends, and neighbors:
https://johnkerry.com/EveryChild
This is the beginning of a second term effort to hold the Bush administration accountable and to stand up and fight for our principles and our values. They want you to disappear; they are counting on that. I'm confident you will prove them wrong, and you will rewrite history again.
Here is what I want you to know. I understand the strength, commitment, and passion that are at the core of what we built together -- and I am determined to make our collective energy and organization a force to be reckoned with in the weeks and months ahead.
Let's roll up our sleeves and get back to work for our country.
November 19, 2004 at 04:10 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink
Comments
Kerry is a worthless surrender monkey. I WANT MY MONEY BACK! Fifty million left over. What a jerk wad.
Posted by: Michael Mills | Nov 19, 2004 9:06:08 PM
I think it's a good move, and a worthy bill. Holding a grudge against Kerry makes no sense when he is doing something that we want done. Our job now is to make sure that our Senators sign on to co-sponsor the bill along with us, and that nobody gets away with watering this down or refusing funding for it, like No Child Left Behind.
I was as mad and disappointed as anyone at Kerry and his campaign, and the whole DNC/DLC. But I think this is a good cause - I haven't seen the bill, so I don't know how good it is - and I think we need to support Democrats when they seem to want to do something right, and even bold.
Posted by: John McAndrew | Nov 19, 2004 10:22:52 PM
I believe the figure is $15 million, not $50 million:
WASHINGTON - Democratic Party leaders said Wednesday they want to know why Sen. John Kerry ended his presidential campaign with more than *$15 million* in the bank, money that could have helped Democratic candidates across the country.
https://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041118/ap_on_re_us/democrats_kerry
Posted by: | Nov 20, 2004 9:01:49 AM
There are some of us who are still working on the election by supporting the investigations of reported election fraud in FL and OH.
Kerry owes it to us and to the future Democratic candidates (who may also lose elections because of fraud) to contribute some of the leftover campaign funds (which we gave him) to fund these investigations.
It also seems that Kerry wasn't hungry enough to be President since he has slipped back into his comfortable role as a Senator only two weeks after the election.
Also, health care for every child is such a good-guy, no brainer issue which is exactly why he lost the election. It and the other "good" issues that he and the Democratic leadership promoted couldn't compete against the emotional Republican menu of security against terrorism, abortion and gay marriage.
Posted by: Andrea Sterling | Nov 20, 2004 10:23:38 AM