by Mark Silva
MoveOn.org, the political action committee that has been confronting the Bush administration over the war in Iraq, moved on to the health-care debate today, announcing a series of rallies around the country aimed at building support for an override of the president's veto today of an expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
The organization is promising more than 225 rallies, with a goal of making 1 million contacts with members of Congress.
On Thursday, the groups says, parents and children will hold rallies in front of more than 200 congressional offices around the nation. The rallies are sponsored by a variety of groups and unions, the MoveOn.org Political Action Committee, Americans United for Change, USAction, True Majority, AFSCME and SEIU.
MoveOn is the same group that took out a newspaper ad last month criticizing Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. and multinational forces in Iraq as "General Betray Us.'' The ploy led to weeks of confrontations between Republicans demanding that Democrats apologize for the ad and Democrats retaliating with a fusilade of criticism for radio host Rush Limbaugh and his commentary last week about "phony soldiers'' protesting the war.
This time, MoveOn has a specific target in mind: An override of the president's veto. Senate Democratic leaders are confident of overriding Bush in the Senate, but House Democratic leaders say they will need to convince at least 15 Republicans to support an override. In both chambers, the SCHIP expansion was approved with significant Republican support.
"President Bush and the Republicans are blocking health care for our children," said Noah T. Winer, leader of MoveOn's health care campaigns. "It is outrageous that Bush and the Republicans are spending billions every week on the war in Iraq, but they won't protect the health of our kids back home.''
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Comments
Okay, this is too much. First they demand honesty from our military leaders, now they want children to be healthy. This immoral organization must be stopped!
Posted by: Paul | October 3, 2007 12:25 PM
I'm sure, as always, they will give a fair, non biased position that will add tremendous value to the overall debate.
I also believe they will resort to facts, and not muddle the argument with distortions, name calling and emotional pleas.
Thank Darwin for Moveon.org's professionalism, its social concious and awareness.
Posted by: JD | October 3, 2007 12:38 PM
Thank Darwin for Moveon.org's professionalism, its social concious and awareness.
Posted by: JD | October 3, 2007 12:38 PM
You're right JD,
Maybe we should let Rush Limpdong handle the PR since he does such a "fine" job with that.
Posted by: John E | October 3, 2007 12:49 PM
The problem with health care in America was caused by the government. See http://www.inteliorg.com/
Posted by: Dr Coles | October 3, 2007 12:50 PM
"Okay, this is too much. First they demand honesty from our military leaders, now they want children to be healthy. This immoral organization must be stopped!"
Nice spin Paul. You're a good little soldier. Keep it up.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 3, 2007 1:18 PM
Winer is a great name for MorOn.org's
"health care" programs. For that's all that MorOn.org does is whine (with an "h" for those who are dictionary challenged). Every day a new whine. Does anyone take these goofs seriously anymore? Except for this column which neglects to call
MorOn.org an extreme leftist organization. The conservative groups never get away with such anonymity.
Posted by: Jefferson | October 3, 2007 1:19 PM
JD,
What facts in the Betray Us ad are you disputing? Making such bold statements requires you to submit support for your argument.
Posted by: jethro | October 3, 2007 1:25 PM
"What facts in the Betray Us ad are you disputing?"
Read your first sentance where you say "Betray US"
That answers your question.
Thanks for coming out.
JD
Posted by: JD | October 3, 2007 1:46 PM
Jefferson:
"MorOn.org an extreme leftist organization. The conservative groups never get away with such anonymity."
You're so RIGHT - now let's go back to see what's on FOX News!!
Posted by: gus | October 3, 2007 2:06 PM
JD,
Sorry buddy. On this assignment you receive an F. Have you ever been to high school? Junior high? You have to tell us why you don't think General Patraeus was betraying the American trust in his testimony despite reports that show the Penatagon was using "fuzzy math" (remember that word). Try again buddy.
Posted by: jethro | October 3, 2007 2:50 PM
Everybody knows that the Move-On ad was a take off of Limprod calling Sen.Hagel (Sen.Betrayus).
I've always said that these sissy right wingers don't like to be smacked back.
David Schuster, (filling in for rightie mouthpiece, Tucker Carlson on MSNBC,) cornered Marcia Blackburn (R-TN) on Rush Limbuah’s calling Sen. Chuck Hagel a traitor. He asked her to explain how she could not condemn Limbaugh when she was so vocal about the MoveOn ad that dominated the news last week.
Rush decided to repackage the segment in an effort to spin to his listeners that he’s not really a hypocrite … not really … it’s not the same …it’s apples and oranges. Between Marcia’s rationalization, and Rush’s stammering through a pitiful self defense, it just sounds like two 5 years olds caught looking at each other naked. Limbaugh claims that people like Schuster lob these “bee bees” at his “battleship” all the time with no effect. Yet, he proceeds to dedicate an entire segment to trying to discredit Schuster with a flurry of desperate anecdotes.
Posted by: Raving Loon | October 3, 2007 4:00 PM
I think Silva is mad at me, because he didn't post my link Jethro.
Happy reading. I'm sure while reading this you'll act like the German video game kid.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2007/09/general_betray_us.html
http://www.melaniemorgan.com/latest/cnn-fact-check-on-moveon.org-2.html
...oh, and I'm not your "buddy"
Thanks again for coming out Jethro.
I'm sure you'll have some nice spin all set up to respond to CNN and the Wash Post.
Posted by: JD | October 3, 2007 4:03 PM
Ha Ha Ha,
Moveon.org uses an article by Paul Krugman as a source!!!!
Yeah...real independant study guys.
Posted by: JD | October 3, 2007 4:04 PM
After the bang-up job they did on General Petreaus, Moveon.org will help lead America back into the Age of Consumption Sanitoriums.
Geniuses. Political geniuses I tells ya!
Or to paraphrase Three Dog Night - another source of creative energy -'Eli's comin' hide your heart(attacks)!
Posted by: Pat Hickey | October 3, 2007 4:05 PM
JD, not surprised your links weren't allowed. On several occasions I used links to show John E in all his glory, but guess what? Never made it past the censors.
Yet, day after day after day after day, Mark's little buddy, John E., gets to post all of his flickr and youtube links.
Gee, I wonder why there is such inconsistency? NOT!!
Posted by: John D | October 3, 2007 5:20 PM
Ha Ha. The generalissimo Betrayus meme is catching on.
Oh, and Lil Johnny, the reason your ding dong buddies are getting censored is because they hate America and are well known traitors like you. I'm hoping they ban you soon as well.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | October 4, 2007 12:10 AM
weinerdog43, you sound like you have a lot of confidence in your arguments.
Actually, I've never seen you have one, other than name calling.
Posted by: JD | October 4, 2007 12:17 PM