"I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last."

[Karin]

My Friends,

Tonight, President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress, urging
the importance of comprehensive health insurance reform.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

He concluded his remarks by reminding us that, "We did not come here
to fear the future, we came to shape it."

Tomorrow, it is time for us to start doing our part.

We need to fix our healthcare system because it is a disgrace to let
46 million Americans live in fear that if they get sick, they can't
afford to be treated. We need to fix this broken system because it's
unforgivable that more than 60% of personal bankrupcies in the US
arise from a medical emergency - and that many of these are from
people who did have insurance. We need to fix our crazy system because
with lifetime caps on payouts it's possible for a 10 year old child
with Leukemia to use up her lifetime quota of insurance claimes before
she even enters her teens.

We need to fix our system... because we can. Because it's bizarre to
pretend that America has no choice but to be the most expensive health
care market in the world at the sime time we are falling behind on
life expectancy, infant mortality and rates of chronic diseases.

We have to fix our health care system because, frankly, it's downright
unpatriotic to deprive Americans of the benefits enjoyed by citizens
all over the world as a basic right.

Tomorrow morning, I want you to pick up the phone and call your Member
of Congress and both of your Senators. I want you to tell them that
you are a constituent, that you vote, that you care about this issue,
and tell them why.

If your legislator is on the fence, ask them to clarify their
position. But do it politely.

If your legislator has expressed opposition to reform, ask them
politely to clarify how they propose to solve the problem of massively
rising uninsured (especially as unemployment is exaserbating this
problem) and unsustainbly high costs.

If your legislator is a supporter of health care reform, thank them
warmly and let them know you'll remember their good work on this issue
the next time you come to vote.


JOIN US THIS WEEKEND - SUNDAY AFTERNOON LETTER WRITING EVENT

By far the most effective communication that you can send to your
congressional representative is a hand written letter. Why? Because in
this age of e-mail and cut and paste communications, legislators know
that a hand written letter took time to write. That means, someone
cared.

Will you join us this Sunday afternoon in a Central London pub to talk
about health care reform and write letters to your congress people?
We'll supply pen, paper, envelopes, congressional addresses, we'll
even sell you stamps. If you can make it please RSVP to
obama...@gmail.com and we'll let you know where it's happening.

Game on, people! Let's make this happen.

OTHER EVENTS:

Join us next week for a special event with Liberal Democrat Leader
Nick Clegg

http://www.democratsabroad.org/node/9537

And next month for a lively chat with former Labour spin doctor
Alastair Campbell.

http://www.democratsabroad.org/node/9538

BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

The Obama London blog is still going strong, by the way! Check out
these recent posts on

Ted Kennedy (RIP):

http://obamalondon.blogspot.com/2009/08/ted-kennedy-has-died.html

http://obamalondon.blogspot.com/2009/08/teddy.html

and Health Care Reform:

http://obamalondon.blogspot.com/2009/08/whats-up-side.html

http://obamalondon.blogspot.com/2009/08/deep-thought.html

http://obamalondon.blogspot.com/2009/08/heartbreaking.html

Plus, here's me trying to put the summer into some sort of
perspective:

http://obamalondon.blogspot.com/2009/08/chillin-out-its-august.html


Still fired up and totally ready to go,

Karin


PS: "We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time
has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm
our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward
that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to
generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free,
and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that
greatness is never a given. It must be earned." Barack Obama,
Inaugural Address