For supporters of the public option in the national healthcare debate, last week was disheartening as the Right mobilized disturbances of townhall meetings and used Nazi comparisons of Democrats that support the public healthcare option.
Last night at the Loyola Fieldhouse on Sheridan and Greenleaf, the 49th Ward Democrats turned out in a huge way to support elected officials pushing for the public option in America’s quest for healthcare reform. The un-airconditioned room was packed, with people sweating and bearing the heat to hear from Dr. Anne Scheetz, William McNary, Congressman Danny Davis and Leslie Combs of Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky’s office. Not only did people not leave the hot room, but the crowd responded very enthusiastically to the speakers calling for healthcare reform.
Dr. Scheetz gave an impassioned presentation for single payer healthcare. Her knowledge of the issue was really impressive and she received a rousing ovation from the audience.
Bill McNary, President of USAction and always a great speaker, followed Scheetz. Among the highlights he offered were to check out healthcarforamericanow.org and sign on to the following principles:
People should have affordable coverage
Healthcare reform needs to offer comprehensive benefits
People need equal access to quality care
McNary really ramped up the crowd when he compared the struggle for healthcare reform to struggle for social security, medicare and civil rights in previous generations. He offered the ingredients to win the healthcare reform battle is: unity, discipline and passion.
Congressman Danny Davis spoke last, noting that he is a co-signer and longtime advocate of single payer healthcare reform. He had hoped that Congress would be on the verge of passing meaningful healthcare reform at this time. However, politics, Davis described, is “how you squeeze as much as you can get out of a process.”
Davis said he would not sign any bill that did not include a strong public option. He said that insurance executives should be ashamed to take a paycheck knowing there are those people out there with no access and no option to get healthcare. (The top guy at Cigna for example took home $12m last year.)
He talked about the opposition to a public option from the Right, calling it a contrived, organized effort meant to scare people. He concluded with the call for healthcare reform to be the legacy of this generation.
FYI, Jan Schakowsky is holding a townhall meeting coming up on August 31 at 6:30 PM at Niles West High School in Skokie. Make sure to get there early to ensure the fear mongerers do not make headlines.
Between last week and this week, the answer would seem like Democrats, and the White House in particular, were starting to lose any hope of passing healthcare reform legislation that included a public option. Cable TV news stations have been showing endless coverage of the Right’s disruptive tactics at congressional townhall meetings as Members of Congress returned to their districts to engage constituents on healthcare reform options for the August recess.
However, the notion that there is this massive and universal backlash against healthcare reform is hardly true. Of course it is a contentious debate, but the reality is that three of the House committees charged with creating healthcare reform legislation have seemed to reach written legislation, respectively. And in the Senate, one of two committees charged with concocting healthcare reform legislation have concluded.
The Right is making a lot of noise and usually extreme elements get covered in the media. But, like with the Tea Party movement meant to thwart President Obama’s stimulus package, the healthcare disruptions will end up being a minor distraction. I believe Americans do think the unruly and overly-aggressive tactics will be dismissed eventually as trying to stifle debate, while unconstructively trying to kill needed healthcare reforms.
The White House communications team responded this week with a page out of President Obama’s campaign playbook. If you recall, lots of rumors by the Right tried to damage Obama’s reputation – ideas like he is a Muslim or that he was not an American citizen. Obama responded with a sort of myth & fact website complete with text and video. It helped not only correct the record and debunk rumors, but it also gave activists a tool to make the case to their networks.
Now, through whitehouse.gov/realitycheck, the White House is refocusing its efforts to speak directly to people – hoping traditional media and bloggers/facebookers/tweets direct people to the site. It’s a great online communications effort. The website is well-designed, which is actually hard to do on this issue because there is so much information and disinformation regarding this debate, that people can easily be overwhelmed. But, the White House’s site lets video do most of the talking, which is an effective medium for getting the message across. It also has an FAQ page, a Q&A on consumer protections and a page for users to submit questions. I will try submitting something and see if I get a response.
The one critique I have is on video shareability. The site features all these great testimonials on healthcare from experts on the President’s team, but there is no place to grab a link and place in on my blog or website. That’s could be a very effective tool in spreading the White House’s message that can be utilized.
My prediction – the media focus on healthcare reform opposition will dissipate and rationality about passing healthcare reform will return.
Tonight was an exciting meeting at the Northside Democracy for America (DFA), the local arm of activists who endorse and work on behalf of progressive candidates and issues.
First off, nobody was happier at the end of the meeting than Jeff Smith. Smith is an Evanston attorney and longtime good government advocate who is running for state representative in the 18th District. He was unanimously endorsed by DFA, making him the first candidate to receive the organization’s endorsement for 2010 races.
After having Toni Preckwinkle speak to the organization two months ago, two elected officials with big name recognition came to speak to the Northside DFA. Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin and Congressman Danny Davis have both declined to officially announce their candidacy for Cook County Board President, as Toni Preckwinkle has, yet each man said they were definitely in the race at the DFA meeting.
Suffredin spoke first, bringing talking points up with him as he, from the outset, seemed extraordinarily careful about his message. Oddly enough, he started with defending his vote for supporting the 1 percent Cook County sales tax hike last year that has been wildly unpopular. Suffredin explained he gave Todd Stroger his vote for the tax hike primarily in a trade for establishing an independent board of health to oversee Cook County Hospital, and because Cook County’s finances were so badly mismanaged that the tax hike was necessary to get the County’s house back in order. Suffredin deflected the impact of the sales hike on Cook County, arguing that the collar counties are hurting for revenue as well. In other words, Suffredin suggested that the flight of Cook County consumer spending going to collar counties to save on higher taxes simply was not happening.
Suffredin commended the impact of the independent health board’s impact on the overall Cook County health system, claiming that the board has turned around its finances to benefit of $250 million.
I won’t speak for Northside DFA members, but I certainly was asking myself if Suffredin’s vote was really necessary to establish the independent health board. After all, reformers Mike Quigley and Forrest Claypool rejected the tax increase. It is hard to accept Suffredin’s argument that he is with the Quigleys and the Claypools when it comes to reform but also vote for the Stroger tax hike.
Clearly, Suffredin knows Cook County issues very well. But, I felt as though he was grasping and defending himself because he knew the vote for increased taxes was a mistake. He’s now voting for its repeal.
Danny Davis came and spoke next, using a much different tone. He projected leadership, experience and confidence. And while the local media is saying Davis will not run for Cook County Board President, Davis told Northside DFA that he is.
Davis presented the case that he’s worked his whole life representing progressive issues and wants to focus his Cook County Board President candidacy on healthcare, fixing the judicial/correctional system and reforming taxes. He didn’t say how he would approach any of these issue in specifics but his argument about his experience as a Chicago alderman, Cook County commissioner and Congressman sure sounded convincing. Interestingly, he did say that his strong suit was inspiring and motivating people and that he felt Cook County needed that type of leadership if it were to reform.
The last word here was something that Suffredin said in response to a question about waiting to declare if he was running. Suffredin flat out said that his strategy for not declaring is rooted in getting media attention. Simply, the longer he waited, the more the media would speculate and give him ink. Seems like it’s working.
My wife and I were standing, crammed in a 15×15 windowless room in the warehouse of UPS waiting while the staff dug through the warehouse to get our package. An hour later, we had digested all the angles and personalities shown by Brian Williams’ in his TV news report, “Inside the Obama Whitehouse” on NBC.
The segment had us mesmerized…not just because we stood four feet away from the TV with an unimpeded view of the screen and the sound blasting, but because my wife and I had never seen such a candid and real-life depiction of our country’s leaders. It was very cool.
Finally getting our package, I started to think on the way home how brilliant the Obama Whitehouse communications team is. It’s not because the report glorified the president or was in any way dishonest, nor that I believe the president stands on a cloud. Rather, the president’s communications team has demonstrated an understanding and acceptance of a strict communications strategy and have never strayed from it.
From day one, this team understood Barack Obama is a person who can make others feel incredibly at ease, charming, while all the time humbled and respectful of others. That recognition, I believe, motivated the team to allow NBC’s cameras in the White House and access so much without hesitation.
This goes along well with the Obama brand that has used online communications – like video and social media – to the extent that the White House is trailblazing in this arena vis-a-vis politics.
What is to be learned here is the power in understanding the strategic uses in one medium over another. Any communications pro who suggests using online vs. paid advertising, or Twitter over knocking on doors without a strategic reason attached will flounder. The medium doesn’t make a political figure or issue successful. The medium has to reach people and it has to be convincing. It is therefore the responsibility of every consultant to work on this premise.
I just returned from the Change Illinois! rally held from 10 AM at the Thompson Center in the Loop. About 200 people attended, calling for an end to pay-to-play politics, ethics reform in Illinois and Chicago, and for voters to hold their electeds responsible for unethical behavior.
The most immediate call to action at the rally was for voters to call the Illionis General Assembly hotline at 1-800-719-3020 and ask for their elected official to support ethics reform. See Change Illinois! rally flyer.
The rally MC set the rally tone when she exclaimed, “In order to for evil to prevail, good men and women must do nothing.” This phrase really rang throughout the following speeches as speakers not only pointed out the injustices practiced by Illinois politicians, but also the voters who put their legislators into office and have not held them accountable.
After all, it was noted that 30 Chicago alderman have been indicted and imprisoned. Illinois has imprisoned two governors and awaits Rod Blagojevich’s prosecution and likely imprisonment as well. Furthermore, 19 judges have been indicted and imprisoned in this state.
Illinois AARP President Mary Dee
Illinois AARP President Mary Dee talked about how she’s tired of being laughed at because she’s from Illinois, whose state’s politics has the reputation of being utterly corrupt.
Former alderman and state senator and now executive director of the Little Village Community Development Corporation Jesus Garcia claimed that “big money in politics separates legislators from their constituents.”
First United Methodist Church Pastor Philip Blackwell, whose downtown location sits at “eye level” with the State, City and County offices, called this the best of times and the worst of times. Chicago is proud to call itself home to President Obama, elected on a platform of ending politics as usual, yet is also home to Rod Blagojevich, the poster boy for the worst in politics. He mentioned a recent trip to London where people he spoke with were “enthralled” by Obama and “disgusted” by the indicted former governor.
Blackwell said people have been corrupt since the time of Judas, who took 30 pieces of silver and betrayed Jesus. Likewise, Illinois politicians have been lured by money and
Rev. Philip Blackwell
betrayed the people they represent. One group of people in particular, civil servants, really deserve better. These are the men and women, he said, who do the good work of making government function for the people.
The presence of religious voices on the stage could not have been timlier with this being Holy Week. Just last night I celebrated Passover, commemmorating the Jewish peoples’ redemption from slavery in Egypt.
After following the IL-5 campaign and attending this rally today, one thing is clear to me – Illinois voting residents really must start “walking the talk.” For way too long people have been complaining about elected officials’ undue influence from big money at the expense of their constituents’ interests. Yet, the irony is these same people keep getting elected to office. The onus is on us. We can demand ethics reform, passing a capital bill, etc., and our elected officials will continue to fall short or pay lip service to how much they want to do and end up not actually doing it. The real authority comes from us voters, who provide the ultimate check on our government to ensure that the right legislation is passed and that our government is representative of the people who put them in office.
Illinois stands at the cusp of taking an important step to ensure women’s healthcare choices cannot be interfered with.
The Reproductive Health and Access Act (HB 2354) just passed out of committee on March 11 and will be hitting the Illinois General Assembly floor soon.
Of course, the cackle of anti-women’s choice to control their healthcare have been firing off their opposition to the bill. With that, we also see a lot of disingenuous arguments and misinformation aimed at scaring people away from an otherwise good piece of legislation.
Writing in the Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Cardinal Francis George states:
Before the Illinois General Assembly there is a proposal (H.B. 2354, the Reproductive Health and Access Act) that would remove the right to conscientious objection to abortion and related procedures for all health care workers. Thirty years ago, we were told that abortion is a rare but necessary tragedy and that abortion providers should not be legally punished. Today we are being told that abortion is a human right and that those who qualify it in any manner or who will not provide it should be legally punished.
To claim that the public is being told abortion is a human right and that those who refuse to perform abortions will punished is just blatantly misleading.
The bill does not require health care professionals who oppose abortion to perform abortion procedures. The bill states healthcare facilities should “accommodate” their employees who object to women’s reproductive health procedures and for health care facilities to “assist the patient” in obtaining the healthcare they desire in a “timely fashion.”
This bill is completely consistent with both ensuring women get good reproductive healthcare access and healthcare professionals are not put in a situation that violates their religious or moral beliefs.
Furthermore, for opponents of the bill that dislike teaching sex education in public schools, this bill does not remove a parent’s right to remove their kids from sex education classes when they want.
Lake Research Partners conducted a poll from November to December 2008 and found support for this bill stands at 60 percent or more amongst women under 50, African American voters and Latinos.
We as Illinois voters cannot be held hostage to a small minority of anti-women’s right to choose based on fear mongering arguments of yesteryear. Voters are more sophisticated and understand that religiously-motivated legislation is inconsistent with the sentiment of most Illinoisians.
Ironically, Cardinal George calls HB 2354 supporters “enemies of religion.” How dare he violate others’ personal healthcare choices by attempting to make those views state law? That’s immoral and unjust.
This is a good bill. Make sure you let your legislators know you support it. Click here to make it happen.
I’m working with a friend who is running for judge in Cook County’s 9th Sub Circuit. More on that race at a later date.
For now, we’re aiming to nail her messaging down. A judge’s race is interesting because unlike other political races, judges cannot take positions on issues or even ask for money to support their campaigns. So, how do judge candidates run an election?
Looking for ideas that will guide our message strategy, one of the first suggestions that comes to a public affairs professional is the tired “us on us, us on them, them on us…” I just feel that methodology is outdated and not sophisticated enough to really dig down and get at a brand’s essence.
Scrolling the web, I was turned on by a series of videos about the global design consultancy, IDEO. They were profiled on ABC News not terribly long ago, disucssing how good ideas can take shape and drive the creative process. I thought this was particuly apt per my coming messaging strategy session:
Here are my key take-aways:
1. No idea is a bad idea
2. Don’t criticize what other’s say
3. Stick to timed discussions
4. Don’t jump to conclusions
5. Stay focused
6. Build on others’ ideas
7. Take the best elements from each mini-brainstorm
State Rep. and IL-5 Candidate Sara Feigenholtz is focused on her message and understands her candidacy’s strength. Building on endorsements from Emily’s List and the National Organization for Women, Feigenholtz returned to her platform as this primary’s champion of healthcare, human services and women’s issues.
It is an interesting and good strategy to see Feigenholtz come back to this message at a moment in the campaign when the focus has been directed to the Roland Burris controversy. I think for voters, her commitment to these issues discussed in the Feigenholtz Campaign’s latest ad, can help to draw sharp distinctions between her and other candidates. In this race with so many candidates and lots of issues being discussed, voters can find common cause with issues that a candidate clearly stands for.
Here is the campaign’s press release:
Feigenholtz: Require Insurance Companies to Cover Mammograms
Sara successfully fought insurance companies to cover annual mammograms for women over 40 in IL;
pledges to do same in Congress to cover all women in the U.S.
Campaign Launches new TV ad highlighting Sara’s work to expand mammograms to women in Illinois
Chicago, IL – State Representative Sara Feigenholtz, a candidate to replace Rahm Emanuel in Illinois’ fifth congressional district, pledged today that in Congress she will fight to pass federal legislation requiring insurance companies to cover routine, annual mammograms for all women 40 and over. As the leading voice on health care expansion and reform in Springfield, Sara successfully fought to require insurance companies to cover routine mammograms for women 40 and over in Illinois.
Flanked by Oncologists and women who have survived breast cancer, Feigenholtz unveiled her proposal today at a press conference.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, annual mammograms for women 40 and over can reduce mortality rates by 20 to 25 percent over 10 years. Nationally, we spend over $8.4 billion a year to treat breast cancer.
“Expanding access to mammograms for all women over 40 is cost efficient for our health care system and, simply put, saves women’s lives,” Feigenholtz said. “This is why I am announcing today that when I go to Congress, I will do for all women in America what I did for women here in Illinois – and that’s to require insurance companies to cover routine mammograms for all women 40 and over.”
Dr. Janet Phillips, a breast oncology nurse researcher with the University of Chicago, said Feigenholtz’s proposal would reduce the breast cancer mortality rate for women 40 and over.
“As a breast oncology nurse researcher, I can tell you that Sara’s plan would literally save women’s lives,” Phillips said. “And, Sara has already helped save lives when she forced insurance companies here in Illinois to cover mammograms because she wouldn’t take no for an answer. With 97 percent of breast cancer deaths occurring with women over 40, we cannot afford to wait another day to make this happen.”
Currently, only 20 states, including Illinois, require insurance companies to cover mammograms for women 40 and over. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also report that timely screening can reduce the mortality rates of women over 40 by anywhere from 17%-30%.
Judy Moses, whose own breast cancer was discovered during a mammogram in her 40s, expressed the urgency of expanding access to mammograms to all women 40 and over.
“The clock is ticking for millions of women and I’m confident that, just as she was able to lead the fight to require insurance companies in Illinois to cover annual mammograms for women over 40, she can get it done in Washington,” said Moses.
In the end, Feigenholtz said her motivation was clear.
“Getting insurance companies to become paying partners in expanding mammogram and early detection services is cost-efficient, it’s sound public policy and more importantly, it’s the right thing to do,” said Feigenholtz. “That’s what I’ve fought for in my 14 years in Springfield and that’s the approach I’ll take with me to Washington.”
State Rep. and IL-5 Candidate John Fritchey is taking a beating in the blogosphere and now traditional media regarding, what the Tribune called, Fritchey’s deflection of questions directed at Roland Burris during Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment hearings.
Burris is just the latest shady political story coming to light – and on the heels of Rod Blagojevich’s nationwide circus – in Illinois politics. Fritchey is tied or is related to what is becoming popularly regarded as the endemic quality in local politics.
But, if there’s any candidate in this race who will fight to the bitter end, it is John Fritchey. He’s not the type to admit to any wrongdoing and has proven able to defend himself in questionable ethical situations, such as the zoning lobby lawyer job he works part time when not legislating.
Fritchey’s most recent ad is very reminiscent of his communications style that continually positions him to deflect serious accusations against him, and turn it around against his opponents. In this TV ad, you can see Fritchey as the “reformer” who places himself above the bickering and mudslinging between Sara Feigenholtz and Mike Quigley. Again, the irony here in the video is that Fritchey conducted his own “push poll,” which I’m sure was message testing, that he accused Sara Feigenholtz of conducting. Fritchey also pushed the story about Feigenholtz’s name appearing on clout lists.
It is precisely this kind of teflon that Fritchey walks around with that makes his candidacy so viable. You cannot deny his confidence, smooth style and ability to fall on the right side of most legislation does not make a good case.
Fritchey’s communications secret is based upon several components. First, vigorously defend against accusations. Second, take those accusations and turn them on your opponents. Third, don’t stray far from the three or so major points that you base the campaign on.
It’s this sort of consistency and formulaic approach to messaging that will allow Fritchey to fight on.
By the way, if you haven’t seen Rep. Susan Mendoza go after Burris, you must watch it.
Following yesterday’s post describing IL-5 Candidate and State Rep. John Fritchey’s cover for Sen. Roland Burris during Burris’ testimony at former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s
Image from Parlour Magazine
impeachment hearings, the Fritchey Campaign released the following statement:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2009
Fritchey Urges Special Elections for All Senate Vacancies
Pledges Support for Constitutional Amendment
Chicago − State Representative John Fritchey (D-Chicago), a candidate in the upcoming Special Primary Election for Illinois’ 5th Congressional District vacancy, announced that, if elected, he will work toward the passage of a constitutional amendment requiring special elections in the case of any vacancies in a United States Senate seat. Rep. Fritchey’s statement comes as controversy continues to swirl around the recent appointment of Sen. Roland Burris by impeached former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
“While those of us in Illinois have seen firsthand the concerns that can arise when the will of the voters is replaced by the actions of one person in filling a Senate seat,” stated Rep. Fritchey, “it is clear that we are not alone in this situation and that something must be done on a national level.”
The Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides for popular election of Senators, but allows for the Governor of a state to be empowered to fill any vacancy in a Senate seat. Fritchey is advocating for passage of H.J.R.21, which proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to require direct elections for all vacant Senate seats. The measure was introduced by Rep. David Drier (R- California) and is supported by Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Michigan). Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin). The bipartisan resolution would become effective upon passage and ratification of a constitutional amendment.
“Recent events in Illinois, New York, Delaware and New Hampshire have led to renewed concerns in each of those states about the manner in which Senate vacancies are permitted to be filled,” explained Rep. Fritchey. “It is essential that the appropriate safeguards be put in place to ensure that the holder of an office as important as that of a United States Senator is filled solely in accordance with the will of the voters.”
It is becoming apparent that Fritchey is feeling some pressure given Roland Burris’ changing story on who he did and did not talk to about the open Senate seat with Rod Blagojevich’s office. This statement puts Fritchey on the right side of good government reform – again a central theme in his congressional campaign.
But the question still stands as to why Fritchey cut off the line of questioning directed towards Burris at the impeachment hearing. It was clearly irresponsible. And, given Roland Burris’ nomination by the disgraced former governor was ratified by the U.S. Senate, it will be terribly hard to remove Burris even if he was not forthcoming or perhaps lied about his contacts with Blagojevich’s office.
Yes, supporting the legislation mentioned in the press release is indicative of good government and John Fritchey’s legislative record supports that case. However, it is hard to ignore Fritchey’s role clearing Burris, whose very position as U.S. Senator represents the political insidership and murkiness that Fritchey is publicly fighting.
I invite Mr. Fritchey or the campaign to use this blog’s page to respond to this post and other stories like it.
Suffredin spoke first, bringing talking points up with him as he, from the outset, seemed extraordinarily careful about his message. Oddly enough, he started with defending 
County Board President, Davis told Northside DFA that he is.
