NEW YORK—1,500 postcards from New Yorkers, each telling a story, were delivered to Sen. Charles Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) New York office on Tuesday to encourage his continued support of President Obama’s health insurance reform.
A coalition of grassroots groups created out of the 2008 Obama election campaign collected a total of 2,500 personal accounts that are demanding health care reform legislation by the end of the year. One thousand cards were sent to Schumer’s office in Washington D.C. earlier this month.
“Dear Senator Schumer,” one postcard from Doreen, White Plains, New York, reads. “I am a registered nurse. I know so many people who cannot go to the doctor or get their medicine, because they have no insurance. I just helped someone this morning whose blood pressure was 184/109 and she refused to go to the emergency room because she could not pay. She said that she has no money to buy her medicine.”
Erica from Valhalla, New York said that her husband’s job offers insurance, yet the cost is $1,200 a month.
“This is way too much! We need health insurance at an affordable price,” she wrote on her postcard.
Schumer, a member of Senate Finance Committee, together with Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) started a national online petition on June 19 in support of health care reform that includes an option for public health insurance. As of Tuesday evening, 79,015 signatures have been collected.
Arlene Geiger, spokeswoman for Upper West Side Babyboomers for Obama’s Agenda, said that she has health insurance currently from her employer.
“But if I end up, say, getting cancer, stroke or something,” said Geiger. “I would not be able to keep my job. At that point, I would not have my insurance anymore … And I’m not unique in that.”
Alan Howard, spokesman for Tribeca for Change, said that they want to let Schumer know that they expect him to continue taking his “very firm position” despite pressure from private insurance lobbyists.
“We want him to know that the people vote for him want to be able to vote for him again and feel confident for what he has done,” said Howard.
Victor Pichardo, Schumer’s community outreach coordinator, confirmed that the senator’s position hasn’t changed, while accepting the albums of postcards.
“New York State, you know everyone is a very, very strong supporter of the public option,” said Pichardo.
He suggests that these New York-based grassroots groups can reach outside the state and encourage other citizens to appeal to their elected officials.
“I am pleased to give Senator Schumer the extra boost that he needs to say that this is what his constituents want,” said Rachel Estroff, founder of the Westchester Health Care Reform Task Force.
“I do feel that we were able to solidify his position in support of the public option. In part, because we were saying, ‘We are here. This is what we want,’” she said.
Starting on Tuesday evening, members of the groups are making calls to voters of other states to promote their advocacy.
“And let them know that they can make a difference,” said Estroff.
To sign Sen. Schumer, Durbin and Leahy’s online petition, please visit citizensforapublicoption.com .
A coalition of grassroots groups created out of the 2008 Obama election campaign collected a total of 2,500 personal accounts that are demanding health care reform legislation by the end of the year. One thousand cards were sent to Schumer’s office in Washington D.C. earlier this month.
“Dear Senator Schumer,” one postcard from Doreen, White Plains, New York, reads. “I am a registered nurse. I know so many people who cannot go to the doctor or get their medicine, because they have no insurance. I just helped someone this morning whose blood pressure was 184/109 and she refused to go to the emergency room because she could not pay. She said that she has no money to buy her medicine.”
Erica from Valhalla, New York said that her husband’s job offers insurance, yet the cost is $1,200 a month.
“This is way too much! We need health insurance at an affordable price,” she wrote on her postcard.
Schumer, a member of Senate Finance Committee, together with Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) started a national online petition on June 19 in support of health care reform that includes an option for public health insurance. As of Tuesday evening, 79,015 signatures have been collected.
Arlene Geiger, spokeswoman for Upper West Side Babyboomers for Obama’s Agenda, said that she has health insurance currently from her employer.
“But if I end up, say, getting cancer, stroke or something,” said Geiger. “I would not be able to keep my job. At that point, I would not have my insurance anymore … And I’m not unique in that.”
Alan Howard, spokesman for Tribeca for Change, said that they want to let Schumer know that they expect him to continue taking his “very firm position” despite pressure from private insurance lobbyists.
“We want him to know that the people vote for him want to be able to vote for him again and feel confident for what he has done,” said Howard.
Victor Pichardo, Schumer’s community outreach coordinator, confirmed that the senator’s position hasn’t changed, while accepting the albums of postcards.
“New York State, you know everyone is a very, very strong supporter of the public option,” said Pichardo.
He suggests that these New York-based grassroots groups can reach outside the state and encourage other citizens to appeal to their elected officials.
“I am pleased to give Senator Schumer the extra boost that he needs to say that this is what his constituents want,” said Rachel Estroff, founder of the Westchester Health Care Reform Task Force.
“I do feel that we were able to solidify his position in support of the public option. In part, because we were saying, ‘We are here. This is what we want,’” she said.
Starting on Tuesday evening, members of the groups are making calls to voters of other states to promote their advocacy.
“And let them know that they can make a difference,” said Estroff.
To sign Sen. Schumer, Durbin and Leahy’s online petition, please visit citizensforapublicoption.com .
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