http://weiner.house.gov/news_display.asp...

Weiner just lived up to his name by withdrawing his amendment, which would have substituted single-payer for the House bill favored by Democratic leaders. That coward sickens me right now even more than Obama, Pelosi, Emanuel, Hoyer, and Reid put together.

Actually, this was supposed to have been one of their "district work periods" and many of them did do town halls and talk with their constituents. Still, it's more fun to raz them about going on vacation when they "should have been working on health care instead".

But now both the Senate and the House are back in session and it's as good a time as any to start another barrage of phone calls, faxes, emails, postcards, petitions, whathaveyou.

First up, Anthony Weiner. Call! Yes we still want single payer! Sign PNHP's petition! And tell him Thank You, because whether or not any of the other congresscritters did any work, Weiner made the rounds of TV Land, talking both to sane people and to wingnuts, and if anybody deserves applause, or a dozen red roses, it's the man who got Joe Scarborough to admit, on national tv, to being speechless.

Now, granted, what Weiner, a single-payer advocate, is discussing is pushing the wretched "public option," but at least he understands how to fight for something in Congress and win. And he's unapologetic about it, too.

h/t:Crooks and Liars

... and so much more. Man, he's good:

I spoke with various aides in Rep Weiner's office today, and basically didn't get a whole lot more information than anybody else, though that's more my fault than theirs at the moment.

First: Yes, Anthony Weiner is very much in favor of single payer.

Yay! Woo hoo! Happy dance!

Second: The office [I only called the Wash DC office] is being deluged with calls.

The interview is from Thursday night, so we only hear about his amendment daring Republicans to vote to get rid of Medicare, but it's a start, and a good one. Just why do we need private insurers anyway?

NY Daily News

Washington, DC - Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the Energy & Commerce Committee announced today that Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pledged to give Single-Payer an up or down vote when healthcare reform is considered before year’s end.

Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Co-Chair of the Middle Class Caucus and member of the Energy & Commerce Committee who led the effort with Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI); Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA); Rep. Elliot Engel (D-NY); Rep. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL); Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL); and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), released the following statement:

From HealthJustice:

The thrice-delayed Weiner amendment that will replace the House TriCommittee bill with the single payer bill HR 676 is finally coming to a vote tomorrow. We won on the Kucinich amendment for state single-payer. We can win on the Weiner amendment. But you have to call and fax. Not just call. Not just fax. Both.


Click here to send your free efax.

This new fax goes to all the Democrats who might vote yes.

Then pick up the phone and call tonight or tomorrow.  Read more…

just got this from Healthcare-NOW!:

Healthcare-NOW! has received confirmation that, in a display of Congressional leadership, Congressman Anthony Weiner [NY 14], will introduce a single-payer amendment similar to HR 676 to the House Energy and Commerce Committee's portion of the tri-committee healthcare legislation.

We need your help in telling members of the Energy and Commerce Committee that the people want single-payer now. It's crucial for them to hear from you on this historic vote. Please call today.

First, see if your Rep. is in the Energy and Commerce Committee here. (If not, call Chairman Henry Waxman at 202-225-3976).