if you live in MA, another thing you can do about health care reform
I want to signal boost cos's useful and encouraging things you can do to help the public option post. If you live in MA, let me take a minute of your time to suggest one more thing.

Senator Kennedy's death last night was not a surprise. He requested, before his death, to have the legislature change the rules to have someone appointed to his seat rather than waiting for a special election. It's really important that we have a supporter of health care reform in the Senate filling that seat, making 60 Senate Democrats instead of 59, as soon as possible. I wrote a letter (behind the cut tag) to my state senator. [ My state senator happens to be a Republican, but one of those Republicans who crossed the aisle to vote for gay marriage in MA back before it was actually obvious that if you did that you got to keep your seat. And really, he does a great job representing the local district so I have been voting for him for years anyway. So that's some of the backstory on the tone of this letter. ] But whoever your local state representatives are: if you call or write them right now and say, "we need someone representing Massachusetts holding that crucial Senate seat at this important time", if we do get that extra vote in the US Senate it could be important for making the difference when things are this close.

Adapt my letter, write your own, say your own thing. Let your stat reps know that this is important and that you need their action now.


Dear Senator Tisei,

On numerous occasions I have seen you take the high road on political questions, the one that truly serves your constituents rather than narrowly partisan goals. And that’s why, despite my Democratic party affiliation, it’s been my pleasure to repeatedly vote for you to represent me. I write to you tonight, asking you to make another such stand by supporting Senator Kennedy’s request for a legal change allowing a successor to be appointed to his Senate seat as quickly as possible.

Health care reform in Massachusetts has been a success story that has helped shape the debate for the rest of the nation. With only 2.5% of the population uninsured here, no one can claim any more that it can’t be done. I strongly believe that it is in the best interests of us all for the guarantee of coverage to be available to all Americans, not just those lucky enough to reside here. But for Massachusetts to have a fair voice in the health care debate that will be taking place this fall, we will have to take the extraordinary step of changing the rules by which a replacement senator can be appointed.

I believe we should take this step. Not just because it is Senator Kennedy’s dying wish, a way to make sure that the years of leadership he’s put into health care reform, that have in some ways brought us to the current point, are recognized and brought to fruition. But because at this critical time, the residents of Massachusetts should have all the representation that they are entitled to.

At this point, it will take great leadership from the legislature to take this important action. Please help us all do our part to improve the state of health for all the nation by acting on a rule change for senatorial succession.

Thank you for your attention,