For Immediate Release:
July 1, 2009
*** View ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClrISK6UKlU ***
New Ad: Progressive and Reform Groups Keep Pressure on
Landrieu to Support Public Health Insurance Option
Democracy for America, MoveOn, and Change Congress Join Together To Release Ad In Louisiana Calling Out Landrieu's Special-Interest Contributions
A new 60 second television ad, released today, features 2008 New Orleanian of the Year Karen Gadbois, an uninsured breast cancer survivor, asking Senator Mary Landrieu to do the right thing for her constituents and support the public health insurance option. The ad, released by Democracy for America, Change Congress and MoveOn.org Political Action, also reminds Senator Landrieu’s constituents of the $1.6 million she has taken from health and insurance companies, the same industries leading the fight against a public health insurance option.
The ad will run in New Orleans and Baton Rouge for a week. It is the latest stage of an escalating campaign aimed at Landrieu that has included online and radio ads -- as well as grassroots phone calls from her constituents around the state.
"Only a few months ago Americans overwhelmingly voted for change in Washington," said Jim Dean, chair of Democracy for America. "Senator Landrieu needs to know that support for health care reform in Louisiana and all of America is both overwhelming and bi-partisan. We urge her to do the right thing and support health care reform with a strong public option."
“There are millions of Americans like Karen Gadbois who work hard and deserve a quality, affordable health care system that works from them,” said Nita Chaudhary, National Campaigns and Organizing Director of MoveOn.org. “Instead of siding with big insurance companies, Senator Landrieu should be working on behalf of people like Karen to help pass real health care reform, including a robust public health insurance option.”
"Is Mary Landrieu working for Louisianians or insurance companies? We can't tell," said Lawrence Lessig, Harvard law professor and founder of anti-corruption group Change Congress. "By accepting money from the special interests she regulates and then acting to benefit them instead of the needs of her constituents, she is yet another example of what I call Good Souls Corruption -- good souls trapped in a fundamentally broken campaign-finance system."
A report <http://www.campaignmoney.org/healthcare/landrieu> from watchdog group Public Campaign shows that 64% of Landrieu's health and insurance contributions are from out-of-state.
Ad Script -
Quote |
Citation |
Karen Gadbois was named New Orleanian of the Year for exposing corruption after Katrina |
New Orleanians of the Year. January 5, 2008; Gambit weekly newspaper |
Text: 2008 New Orleanian of the Year – The Gambit weekly newspaper |
New Orleanians of the Year. January 5, 2008; Gambit weekly newspaper |
Text: Over 45 Million Americans Uninsured |
The number of uninsured people in America has risen to nearly 46 million, according to the most recent government data available. |
I'm a breast cancer survivor, so I know how important affordable health care is. But right now I'm uninsured, even though I work full-time, because the cost is just so high. It would literally take away half my salary. |
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I can't afford insurance for my daughter either. I worry about her every day -- one medical emergency would put our lives in a tailspin. |
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Text: Over 8 Million Children Uninsured |
According to the March 2008 supplement of the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey, over 8 million children are uninsured - http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthins/hlthin07/hlth07asc.html |
That’s why I was so relieved when President Obama proposed letting people like us join a high-quality public health insurance option. |
Obama’s health care proposal includes the choice of a public health insurance plan. http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/health_care/ |
It would force private insurers to compete, making health care more affordable for families like mine. And we’d all get a choice. Those who like their insurance now could keep it. |
A public insurance plan forces private companies to compete with the government option, ultimately reducing costs for consumers. See for example the Urban Institute’s study “Can a Public Health Plan Increase Competition and Lower the Costs of Health Reform?,” 10/3/08, available at http://www.urban.org/publications/411762.html.
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For me, this issue’s personal. So when I see Mary Landrieu take 1.6 million dollars from health and insurance companies |
Throughout her career, Mary Landrieu has raised $1,668,693 from health insurance and health care interests. |
Text: $1.6 million from health and insurance interests and then oppose the public option for my daughter and me… |
Public Campaign analysis, Center for Responsive Politics data: http://www.campaignmoney.org/healthcare/landrieu |
I have to ask: Whose side are you on? [Text: Tell Landrieu – support the public, not her insurance backers. (202) 224-5824] |
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MoveOn.org Political Action is a political action committee powered by five million progressive Americans. We believe in the power of small donors and grassroots action to elect progressive leaders to office and to advance a progressive agenda. We do not accept any donations over $5,000, and the average donation to MoveOn.org Political Action is under $100.
With over one million members nationwide, Democracy for America is a grassroots powerhouse working to change our country and the Democratic Party from the bottom-up. We provide campaign training, organizing resources, and media exposure so our members have the power to support progressive issues and candidates up and down the ballot.
Change Congress is a grassroots anti-corruption organization. It's website is www.Change-Congress.org.
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