MoveOver.orginize

As the health care debate moved out of Washington in August and onto the airways and into the streets, special interest groups from both sides have tried to stake out their positions, rally their troops, influence their legislators and in some cases directly pressure the insurance industry. One way to do all of that was seen around the country tuesday (21st)

as MoveOn.org held a National Day Of Action, with three rallies here in Maine. The rally/action in the Portland area was outside the offices of Anthem Blue Cross / Blue Shield, (in South Portland ) which is a subsidiary of Wellpoint, Inc.

The group ( many of whom are Anthem members) hoped to hand over a "Policy" addendum to higher ups which would advocate three items
1) "if a qualified physician recommends care" Anthem BCBS would not substitute its judgement
2) "Anthem BCBS will not deny or drop coverage for a pre-existing condition... or incentivize or reward employees
3) Anthem BCBS " will not use any resources to oppose" reform proposals

Well they got some press and a spokesman was allowed into building and left a packet at the reception desk but even the Anthem PR spokesman wouldn't agree to a brief meeting!

Maine's Olympia Snowe, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, had been a urging a slow down in the process so that the revised version of "Baucus" bill could have a final $ amount attached to it by the Congressional Office, but republicans lost a procedural vote on thursday, in committee, on the slow down.

"Do Ya Wanna Dance" (and hold my hand)

This is the first post to "MPPN, the Blog" and it covers a dueling health care rally on the corner of Exchange & Middle Streets, outside Congresswoman Chellie Pingree's office, in Portland, Maine.  If this was a prize fight, it would be scored a unanimous decision for the pro health care side.  With a vocal 5 or 6 to 1 advantage in numbers they showed better.  That's not to say the small government status quo side didn't get off a few heavy blows with a couple of very aggressive proponents making their voices heard.  Passing cars honked ( although it was hard to tell for which side) and passing pedestrians stopped to talk to proponents of both sides.

A larger slide show can be seen on flickr ( Here ) and for those of you who never made it to the Old MPPN site, click (Here).
I'm sure I'll be seeing many of you at future events on both sides of the many issues coming along in 2010 and I may post some way to contact me directly later, but for now use the comments.
This was the main page towards the end and some of the slide shows are still active.  As it was a tag along on my wife's pottery site I think those links are actives as well.