Statement by MoveOn Washington Director Ben Wikler:

“The GOP attempt to rip coverage away from millions of Americans has once again crumbled in the face of furious opposition. But it’s now clear that health care repeal will remain a threat until Republicans no longer control Congress and the White House. Republicans’ fealty to their extreme-right donors at the expense of their voters and all Americans can only be addressed through an electoral landslide that destroys the GOP’s political power as surely as Graham-Cassidy would have destroyed Americans’ health care.”

The post Trumpcare Again Defeated in Senate appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

In reaction to this news, Anna Galland, executive director of MoveOn.org, released the following statement:

Our jaws are on the floor. This bill is worse than even our darkest fears. It will take a wrecking ball to health care in this country, leaving millions without care, making health care unaffordable for many, eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood, and giving massive tax cuts to the wealthy. Shockingly, this bill’s cuts to Medicaid are even deeper than those passed by the House—at a moment when Medicaid and Medicare should be dramatically expanded.

If the House bill was ‘mean,’ this bill is cruel.

Nothing remotely like this bill should be considered by any member of Congress, and amendments won’t get it into the ballpark of the compassionate and practical policy-making we need from our elected officials. As-is or with fig-leaf amendments, this bill would go down in history as the most cruel, destructive act of wealth transfer to the richest Americans at the expense of kids, low-income Americans, the elderly, those with disabilities, and the vast majority of Americans. It’s a moral disaster and political malpractice by any senators who dare to support it.

MoveOn members will work around the clock to defeat this bill and protect and improve coverage for all Americans.

Now that the bill is public, Senate Republicans have a choice. Do the right thing and protect our care. Or, if you boot millions of Americans off of health insurance, destroying Medicaid as we know it, slashing Planned Parenthood, and raising health care costs, know that your constituents will boot you out of office.

# # #

The post If House Bill Was ‘Mean,’ Senate Bill Is Cruel   appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

“Jon Ossoff’s first-place finish tonight is a huge triumph for the Resistance and for progressives, who boosted Ossoff to the top of a crowded race in a Republican-leaning district. Less than six months ago, a Republican won this district by more than 20 points. Tonight, a progressive Democrat got the most votes in a seat Newt Gingrich once held, and, as votes continued to be tallied, was hovering near 50 percent. The reason is clear: voters are rejecting Trump and his policies, especially the highly unpopular GOP-led health care repeal proposals like Trumpcare.

“From the Women’s March to the airport protests in response to the Muslim ban to the Tax Day marches this weekend, the Resistance has proven that not only is it not going anywhere but that it is growing. Millions have taken to the streets, flooded congressional phone lines, and attended town hall meetings to hold the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress accountable. And now, we’re taking to the ballot box as well. Last week in deep red Kansas a progressive Democrat erased a 20-plus-point Republican advantage to nearly win a seat that Democrats haven’t held in a generation. And tonight, a progressive Democrat just got the most votes in a seat no one thought would be in play six months ago.

“Tonight once again proves that momentum is clearly on the side of the Resistance and that Donald Trump has no mandate for his dangerous, reckless, and hateful policies.

“MoveOn members are fired up—and if Ossoff doesn’t top 50 percent tonight, we’re ready to help him finish this race with a victory in June, and to elect the MoveOn-endorsed Rob Quist in Montana in May, continuing to show Donald Trump and Republicans that their unpopular push to take away health care from millions will cost them at the ballot box.”

On March 6, MoveOn.org members in GA-06 voted overwhelmingly to endorse Jon Ossoff. Since then, MoveOn has engaged in a big way to inject the health care debate into this race, mobilizing grassroots volunteers and more than half a million dollars for Ossoff. MoveOn’s campaign has included:

• A $250,000 TV and digital ad buy focused on Trumpcare;
• Bundling $314,000 in contributions directly for the Ossoff campaign;
• Launching a text message peer-to-peer voter turnout program;
• Mobilizing MoveOn members to volunteer for Ossoff;
• Contacting 16,000 MoveOn members in the district for GOTV.

In addition to Ossoff, MoveOn members in Montana have voted to endorse congressional candidate Rob Quist, noting his support for the Affordable Care Act in the endorsement.

The post Jon Ossoff comes in first in GA-06 primary appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

“Today’s Supreme Court ruling in King v. Burwell upholds critical components of the Affordable Care Act and means millions of Americans will keep their health care coverage. This is tremendously good news.

“Plain and simple, the Affordable Care Act is the law. It is popular, essential, and constitutional. Republicans need to cease their frivolous attacks on this law that threaten the health care and well-being of the American public. It is time for them to move on.”

The post MoveOn Applauds SCOTUS Decision on ACA: ‘GOP Must End Frivolous Attacks on Obamacare and Move On’ appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

The best shot we’ve got at saving our broken health care system is to expand Medicare for all Americans.

But first, we have to make something very clear: Medicare critics are wrong. They say that Medicare is a problem. In fact,Medicare is more efficient than private health insurance. It’s the solution.  

Please watch and share The Medicare Solution to spread the word about what we can and must do to secure Medicarefor all.

The Medicare Solution is the latest video in the “Big Picture” series I’m working on with MoveOn.

Here’s the bottom line: Allowing all Americans to buy into Medicare through the exchanges set up by the Affordable Care Act would strengthen Medicare and improve American health care, saving all of us money while boosting health outcomes. If you’re like me and you’re ready to reject partisan lies and tackle rising health care costs head-on, please watch and share TheMedicare Solution now.

Thanks for all you do.

–Robert Reich

The post The Big Picture: The Medicare Solution appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Make sure Congress knows we’re paying attention. Call your representative, share this graphic, and sound the alarm: Vote no on Fast Track!

The post Stop Medicare cuts and corporate giveaways appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

From Alaska to Maine and from Florida to Nebraska, MoveOn members all over the country continue to fight to stop the Republican blockade of federal funds that their states should be using under the Affordable Care Act to provide health care to millions of uninsured Americans.

Montana last week became the first state to expand Medicaid this year, and it would never have happened without the efforts of thousands of activists, including MoveOn members–or without Montana Gov. Steve Bullock’s tireless leadership. The new law will provide health care to 45,000 working Montanans, keep rural hospitals open, and create 16,000 jobs in the state.

The win came despite an aggressive campaign by Americans for Prosperity, the group funded by the conservative, billionaire Koch brothers, to stop Medicaid expansion in Montana — a campaign they are waging across the country.

This week, Alaska Gov. Bill Walker wrote to Alaska MoveOn members about Medicaid expansion. He said, “I am thrilled that … Alaskans made their collective voices heard in support of this critical opportunity. I urge you to continue to make your voice heard – write a letter to the editor, contact your lawmakers, talk to your friends and neighbors. Together, we can bring the benefits of Medicaid expansion to Alaska.”

We couldn’t agree more, and MoveOn members are on top of it! This week MoveOn members rallied in Alaska, delivered their petition calling for Medicaid expansion directly to Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, collected the stories of the uninsured in Nebraska, and planned a big rally and petition delivery next week in Jefferson City, Missouri, and much, much more. Check out a photo of Gov. Brownback talking with a MoveOn member:

Thank you to the MoveOn members and local leaders at the forefront of this critical fight!

The post MoveOn members continue to fight GOP healthcare blockade appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

“Around the country, and in every state, voters strongly support expanding Medicaid to millions of people without access to affordable health care,” said Ilya Sheyman, executive director of MoveOn.org Political Action. “If Republicans stopped standing between millions of Americans and Medicaid, families could immediately gain access to the health care that they desperately need, while saving states money in the long run. Come Election Day, voters will punish Republicans for playing politics with people’s lives and reward Democrats who run aggressively on closing the Medicaid gap.”

The surveys, conducted in April 1-3 by Public Policy Polling (PPP), were commissioned by MoveOn.org Political Action. They found that large percentages of likely voters thought that their state should accept federal Medicaid expansion dollars, and that voters were significantly less likely to vote for Republican candidates who oppose Medicaid expansion.

In Maine, PPP’s poll showed Gov. Paul LePage (R-ME) trailing Democratic nominee Mike Michaud 37% to 44% and that 57% of Maine voters think that state should accept federal Medicaid expansion dollars. View the full polling data for Maine here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/216793783/Maine-Medicaid-Polling-Results

In Kansas, the poll found Gov. Sam Brownback (R-KS) trailing gubernatorial candidate Paul Davis 41% to 45% and that 55% of Kansas voters think that the state should accept federal Medicaid expansion dollars. View the full polling data for Kansas here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/216793665/Kansas-Medicaid-Polling-Results

In Georgia, PPP found Gov. Nathan Deal (R-GA) trailing Democratic nominee Jason Carter 42% to 43% and that 54% of Georgia voters think that the state should accept federal Medicaid expansion dollars. View the polling data for Georgia here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/216793581/Georgia-Medicaid-Polling-Results

In Pennsylvania, the poll found Gov. Tom Corbett (R-PA) trailing a generic potential Democratic candidate 34% to 56%, and that 59% of Pennsylvania voters think that state should accept federal Medicaid expansion dollars. View the polling data for Pennsylvania here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/216793804/Pennsylvania-Medicaid-Polling-Results

In Florida, the poll showed Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) trailing likely Democratic nominee Charlie Crist 42% to 49%, and that 58% of Florida voters think that the state should accept federal Medicaid expansion dollars. View the polling data for Florida here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/216793495/Florida-Medicaid-Polling-Results

In Kentucky, PPP found Sen. Mitch McConnell trailing Democratic candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes 44% to 45%. The survey also found that 53% of Kentucky voters thought that the state was right to have accepted federal Medicaid expansion dollars. View the polling data for Kentucky here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/216793719/Kentucky-Medicaid-Polling-Results

In Virginia, PPP found Sen. Mark Warner far ahead of Republican challenger Ed Gillespie, by a margin of 49% to 35%. Forty-nine percent of voters support expanding the Medicaid program, with 43% opposed. http://www.scribd.com/doc/216793874/Virginia-Medicaid-Polling-Results 

The post New Polling: GOP Medicaid Blockade Could Cost Republicans in November appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Moments ago, Judge Shelly D. Dick of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana issued a ruling in Dardenne v MoveOn rejecting the state of Louisiana’s attempt to force MoveOn.org to take down a billboard criticizing Gov. Bobby Jindal for denying health care to 242,000 Louisianians.

In her ruling, Judge Dick concluded, “the Lieutenant Governor underestimates the intelligence and reasonableness of people viewing the billboard.”

Judge Dick held that:

“The State has not demonstrated a substantial likelihood of prevailing on its burden of proving confusion by viewers of the billboard. Furthermore, the State has failed to demonstrate a compelling reason to curtail MoveOn.org.’s political speech in favor of protecting of the State’s service mark. Finally, the State failed to demonstrate that injunctive relief is required to ameliorate irreparable injury. There has been no showing of irreparable injury to the State.”

Anna Galland, executive director of MoveOn.org Civic Action, had the following response to the judge’s ruling:

“This decision is a victory for common sense, freedom of speech, and the 242,000 Louisianians being denied health care because of Governor Jindal and Louisiana Republicans’ outrageous refusal to let them access Medicaid. What it means is, our billboard is staying up.

“While we are pleased with today’s outcome, it’s a shame that the state filed this baseless lawsuit in the first place — which nearly every lawyer with basic knowledge of the First Amendment said they’d lose. Lt. Gov. Dardenne should apologize to the taxpayers for this waste of time and money — time and money that could have been better spent finding ways to get Louisianians access to health care.

“For us, this campaign has never been primarily about a billboard, or freedom of speech. It is about expanding access to health care and exposing the fact that Governor Jindal, in an effort to appease the far right-wing element of his party in advance of a likely 2016 run for the White House, has denied 242,000 Louisianians health care coverage. That decision shows that Governor Jindal cares more about politics than people.

“We will not be intimidated or silenced in our campaign to bring health care to Americans who need it. The truth is that denying health care to 242,000 Louisianians and 5 million Americans is a choice that Governor Jindal and Republican governors and legislators across the country are making – and for no good reason.

“Medicaid expansion would be fully funded by the federal government for three years, and then at least 90 percent of the funding would be guaranteed to come from the federal government forever. By saying no to this money, what Governor Jindal is doing is essentially taxing the people of Louisiana to pay for Medicaid for people in other states, but refusing to allow Louisianians to reap the benefits.

“242,000 isn’t just a statistic. It’s a number that represents the real stories of real people, like MoveOn member Veronica Russell, who lives in New Orleans, and earns just above the threshold to be eligible for traditional Medicaid, yet falls into the gap where she earns too little to receive subsidies for health care on the marketplace. So now she’s stuck without health care.

“That’s outrageous. If you work hard, if you contribute to society in the richest country on earth, you ought to be able to access health care. And one of the great things about the Affordable Care Act was that it finally gave people like Veronica an opportunity to get covered. But state officials like Governor Jindal continue to stand in the way.

“We are doubling down on our campaign to ensure every American has access to health care. We are expanding our billboard campaign in Louisiana. And we will will not rest until Governor Jindal and all of the other Republicans blocking access to Medicaid get out of the way.”

The post Big Win in Jindal Billboard Lawsuit: Our Billboard Is Staying Up appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

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Today, MoveOn members across the country are ramping up their national Medicaid expansion campaign by urging GOP leaders to stop blocking health care access for millions of Americans and encouraging them to accept federal funding to expand Medicaid with a series of new TV and radio ads.

The TV and radio ads, which will be airing in Virginia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Kansas, and Oklahoma, are part of a six-figure media budget for MoveOn’s Medicaid expansion campaign. The TV ads feature actor David Moscow (“Big,” “Newsies,” “White Dwarf”) and parody the GOP’s position on Medicaid expansion, which leaves millions of Americans who fall in the Medicaid “coverage gap” without access to health care.

In Virginia, MoveOn’s new TV ad, which will air in Richmond, slams GOP House Speaker William Howell for continuing to block Medicaid expansion and denying more than 190,000 Virginians access to affordable health care coverage. The ad drives viewers to the parody website, www.HowellCare.com, which points out that Speaker William Howell and the Virginia GOP’s alternative to Medicaid expansion is to provide no health care at all to more than 190,000 Virginia residents. MoveOn members will be on the ground in Richmond on Wednesday to enroll members of the public in “HowellCare.”

In Louisiana, MoveOn’s new TV ad, which will air in Baton Rouge, criticizes Governor Bobby Jindal’s decision to block Medicaid expansion and deny more than 242,000 Louisianans access to affordable health care coverage. The ad drives viewers to the parody website,www.JindalCare.com, which points out that Governor Jindal’s alternative to Medicaid expansion is to provide no health care at all to more than 242,000 Louisiana residents. MoveOn members will be on the ground in New Orleans on Wednesday with an eight-piece brass band to enroll members of the public in “JindalCare.”

MoveOn’s campaign for Medicaid expansion in Louisiana generated major news last week when Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne announced a lawsuit against the group claiming that a billboard funded by MoveOn members, which appears on Interstate 10 outside of Baton Rouge, tarnishes Louisiana’s award-winning tourism slogan “Pick Your Passion,” and violates the state’s trademark. The billboard, which parodies the state’s tourism slogan, reads: “Louisiana! Pick your passion! But hope you don’t love your health. Gov. Jindal is denying Medicaid to 242,000 people.”

In Kansas, MoveOn’s new radio ad will air in Topeka and criticizes Governor Sam Brownback’s decision to block Medicaid expansion and deny more than 77,000 Kansans access to affordable health care coverage. The ad brands the governor’s decision to block tens of thousands of his state’s residents from accessing Medicaid as “BrownbackCare.”

In North Carolina, MoveOn’s new radio ad will air in Raleigh and criticizes Governor Pat McCrory’s decision to block Medicaid expansion and deny more than 318,000 North Carolinians access to affordable health care coverage. The ad brands the governor’s decision to block hundreds of thousands of his state’s residents from accessing Medicaid as “McCroryCare.”

In Oklahoma, MoveOn’s new radio ad will air in Oklahoma City and criticizes Governor Mary Fallin’s decision to block Medicaid expansion and deny more than 144,000 Oklahomans access to affordable health care coverage. The ad brands the governor’s decision to block more than one hundred thousand of her state’s residents from accessing Medicaid as “FallinCare.”

These actions are part of a national campaign by MoveOn.org Civic Action to urge GOP governors and legislators in holdout states to accept federal Medicaid expansion funds and stop blocking health care access for millions of Americans. MoveOn members have made thousands of phone calls, and collected more than 200,000 petition signatures in support of Medicaid expansion.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.moveon.org/medicaidexpansion/

The post MoveOn Ramps Up Campaign for Medicaid Expansion with New TV, Radio Ads Parodying GOP Position on Medicaid appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

 MoveOn is refusing the take down the billboard, and is instead doubling down on the campaign by releasing a new TV ad that holds Gov. Jindal accountable for opposing Medicaid expansion and rejecting more than a billion dollars a year in federal funds for the program. A five-figure media buy, funded by MoveOn members, will put the TV ad on broadcast and cable channels in the Baton Rouge market this week, including WAFB, WVLA, WBRZ, and WGMB.

The post MoveOn Doubles Down on Medicaid Expansion Campaign in Louisiana with New TV Ad appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

For Paul Chapman, Jr., Medicaid is a matter of life and death. The Dresden, Maine, resident needs his state’s version of Medicaid, known as MaineCare, in order to be able to afford the medications that keep his body from rejecting a recent heart transplant. Paul signed a petition to expand Medicaid started by Portland, Maine, social worker Jennifer Lunden, and noted, “Without the help from MaineCare, in essence I will be put to death.”

Jennifer created her petition on MoveOn.org in December 2012. “At the end of 2012, [Maine’s governor] was trying to slash the DHHS budget by $220 million and take 65,000 low-income and disabled Mainers off of MaineCare,” she explains to MoveOn. “A lot of people were really afraid of the impact that would have on Mainers. I felt really helpless,” she says. “And then one day I remembered the petitions that other people had started, and I realized that was something I could do.”

So she started her petition, which immediately resonated with Mainers. “I got almost 10,000 signatures. It was exciting, and I felt like I was able to do something,” she says. Then Lunden went to the State House and hand-delivered the petition to Rep. Patrick Flood, the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, and shared the signers’ concerns. “I felt like the petition made an impact. They didn’t make as many cuts as the governor wanted, but they still made too many. And we’re still dealing with that,” she says.

Her activism continues beyond the petition. She’s stayed very active, keeping petition signers informed about what they can do and writing an op-ed about the plight of Mainers who reached out to her — including Chapman. And now it looks like Maine has a second chance to expand Medicaid.

Lunden sprung into action last week and started a new petition, titled “Health Insurance for 69,500 Uninsured Mainers? Yes, Please!” It explains, “[A]ccepting federal funds would save as many as 157 lives in the first year alone, create 4,400 new jobs, and generate at least $20 million in state and local taxes. Why would any legislator turn that money down?” Why indeed? Here’s hoping Maine doesn’t miss out on its second chance to provide heath care to all of its residents.

Linda Cook, a digital media developer for a major publishing company, is another MoveOn member fighting for Medicaid expansion, this time in Florida. “There was no petition regarding the Medicaid extension in Florida, and our legislators basically just ignored the needs of Floridians, so I thought, ‘Well, shoot. I’ll just do it myself.’” And she did!

The issue was very personal for her. Cook had recently been laid off when she started the petition and was worried about medical care. “Thank god I’m now working and have insurance, so I don’t have to worry about that anymore. But there are a lot of people in this state who are still in bad shape when it comes to healthcare,” she says.

Her petition has garnered a whopping 24,300 signatures to date — not bad for her first petition ever! “I promoted it every way I could,” she says when asked about her petition’s success. “I used Facebook, I used Twitter, and I took advantage of the email capability — you can email all of your signers and ask them to share as well.” It didn’t hurt that a reporter for The Guardian got wind of the petition as well.

She says the response to her petition has been overwhelmingly positive. “You reach a lot of people. And the emails that I got — I was amazed. People told me their stories and thanked me for starting this petition…I expected mostly [to hear from] young people, but the emails I got were mostly from elderly people who were disabled. I just thought that was heart-wrenching.”

You can view these campaigns and others like them here: http://www.moveon.org/medicaid/

The post Florida and Maine MoveOn Members Push for Medicaid Expansion appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

In August 2013, Montana Judge G. Todd Baugh sentenced a former high school teacher to just 31 days in prison for the repeated rape of a 14-year-old student. Disturbingly, Baugh argued that the victim was “older than her chronological age” and “as much in control of the situation” as her 49-year-old rapist. That’s why Billings, Montana, resident Kate Olp started a MoveOn Petition urging Judge Baugh to resign. Last month, Baugh announced plans to retire, claiming his decision was unrelated to the rape case. More than 59,000 MoveOn members signed Kate’s petition, and on Monday, the Montana Judicial Standards Commission filed a complaint against Baugh, recommending formal discipline for the district court judge.

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If the video isn’t loading for you, you can click here to watch it on the C-SPAN site.

If you like what Anna had to say, please share this video (it’s easy, just use one of the buttons below).

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In July, the New York State Office of Mental Health announced plans to close two mental health facilities in the state’s Southern Tier—a move that would deny more than a million rural New Yorkers access to local mental health care. Morgan Willoughby started a MoveOn Petition to save the facilities and keep those vital services in the region. After thousands of MoveOn members signed the petition and called their state legislators, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state has reversed course. The plan has been modified to include keeping the Elmira Psychiatric Center open and expanding the Greater Binghamton Health Center with increased clinic capacity and telepsychiatry services.

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