Lloyd Doggett on Health Care Reform 8/29

Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) spoke on health care reform to the Real Voices for Change Forum in Austin, Texas, Saturday, August 29, 2009. The forum was presented by MoveOn.org, Organizing for America, the Travis County Democratic Party, Gray Panthers, and Health Care for All Texas. At the end of the speech, his constituents staged a mini-demonstration to express their gratitude for Mr. Doggett's support of REAL health care reform!

Impressions of the Austin Health Care Rally

posted by Joel Mayer

Rally for Health Care Reform at the State Capitol in Austin

View the event album on the alamObama Public Gallery

I attended the Rally for Health Care Reform in Austin today along with other San Antonians from alamObama, MoveOn, SAAPAC, and OFA. There were about 250-300 supporters from around the state gathered on the Capitol steps at 1:00 p.m. and we were confronted by about 150-200 tea baggers and secessionists. There was lively chanting on both sides, and eventually a cordon of state troopers took up a position between the Pros and Contras, who were only about 5 feet apart. When we started to sing patriotic songs, the Contras continued to taunt us, which shouldn't have surprised me since so many of them seem to want to take us out of the USA anyway. The Capitol rally continued in this vein until about 2 o'clock, when we headed over to the Methodist Church for a forum on health care sponsored by MoveOn and Organizing for America.

I have to criticize Organizing for America, since they took over the event and did not respect the sign-ups made on either the myBO or MoveOn web sites and decided to just let everyone in on a first come first serve basis. This meant that many people who had endured the heat to stand up to the tea baggers were excluded from this forum, even though they had signed up and made the extra effort to arrive early for the Capitol rally. When I had grass roots training from DFA last summer, they taught us that the first rule when recruiting volunteers is to show them respect and make them feel needed. OFA clearly has never learned this rule, since they treated the volunteers who literally sweated the most with no respect at all. After putting up with the heat, the taunting, and even the personal insults (I was called a "traitor" by one tea bagger), everyone at the Capitol should have been given a special pass to walk in and take a place of honor in the front of the church! I was one of those excluded, but managed to wangle my way in only through the efforts of Karen Newton of OFA San Antonio, who made an effort to get them to let me in to take the seat she had saved for me.

The positive side of all this is that there were a couple of thousand people who wanted to attend this forum, even though the church only had room for 1,200. Among the speakers was Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Austin, who reiterated his support for a Public Option in health care reform and his defiance of tea baggers and secessionists, for which he received a standing ovation!

We Can't Afford to Wait Vigil for Health Care

posted on behalf of MoveOn.org

Wednesday, September 2, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m., in front of the Alamo

"We're organizing "We can't afford to wait" vigils nationwide just days before members of Congress return to Washington, to make sure they know that an overwhelming majority of voters are counting on them to act quickly to pass health care reform.

"Our vigils will put a human face on the urgent need for bold health care reform with a real public health insurance option. We'll deliver an unmistakable message to the media and members of Congress: We can't afford to wait: Public Option NOW!" http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=125123129215

http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=98226&id=

Austin Rally Aug 29 EARLIER DEPARTURE

posted on behalf of Zada True-Courage of SAAPAC

We had a change in plans. Tea Partiers are coming to crash Austin Capitol Rally at 1PM so we need all hands on deck. New Plans:

Meet at SAAPAC at 11AM and take off at 11:15. Do capital steps rally and then over to Church.

SAAPAC Office: 7122 San Pedro, Suite 114 - San Pedro Towne Center, in the back, facing the Kaplan Career Institute. John (Courage) is leading troops as I have to go up earlier for a TDP meeting.

For event details, other than the time, view Zada's earlier post:
http://alamobama.blogspot.com/2009/08/big-health-care-rally-in-austin-august.html

Austin Rally Aug 29 NOT CANCELLED

posted by Joel Mayer

An e-mail was sent today to many people who signed up for the Austin Health Care Rally next Saturday, August 29, informing them that the event had been cancelled. This was NOT TRUE. Zada True-Courage and Angie Drake CONFIRM that the event is taking place as planned. Check out the earlier post by MoveOn with information about the rally and about caravaning from the SAAPAC Office to Austin next Saturday!
http://alamobama.blogspot.com/2009/08/big-health-care-rally-in-austin-august.html

Northside Rally for Health Care Aug 22

A large group of advocates for Health Care Reform turned up Saturday at the Northiside office of Congressman Ciro Rodríguez. The rally was organized by the San Antonio for Barack Obama Facebook group, alamObama, MoveOn, and the Northwest Democrats.

View a photo album of this event in the alamObama12 Public Gallery

Bus to Charlie Gonzalez' Town Hall Meeting

Invitation Posted on behalf of Neighborhood 1st Alliance:

Neighborhood 1st Alliance has a bus for those who wish to commute to Charlie Gonzalez' Town Hall Meeting. Please gather at the Claude Black Center 2805 E. Commerce. For more information please call: Kim Sanders 533-1622, Joyce McCoullough 333-6234, or TC Calvert at 226-9041.