Ericka and I joined 14 other concerned citizens at Congressman Peter Welch’s office today in Burlington (parking less than a block from a giant sinkhole that threatened our very lives)[…]
[…]I was Tail End Charlie in the initial round, re-emphasizing that we could use a unified bloc of Progs (through a pledge promoted by the national netroots – and currently signed onto by 15 Congresspeople – to vote against any final bill that does not include a strong, meaningful public option) to counter the Blue Dogs and pointing out that folks in the trenches would like him to signal unequivocally that he stands with us and for us. Peter was predictably unconvinced, being not only a politician but also the guy who worked hard in committee for a lot of improvements to the flawed HR3200.
Really, I do appreciate his point(s). We differ on tactics, though the outcome we all want is the same. Still, pushing the pledge is a useful exercise. The pledge is a tool that we can use to lay out our desired result and demand a line be drawn in the proverbial sand regarding a strong public option. It fostered some constructive dialog, and the process continues.[…]
[…]We recognize the Congressman is fundamentally on our side, so the tone throughout the 45 minute meeting was civil and frank. A number of the people attending have built relationships with Peter and his staff, and I suspect all of us will continue pushing this pledge thing with him despite his reticence.[…]
Thanks Todd. -DL