Last week sucked - bad. Personal family situations aside, it was just terrible. There is no getting around it. Massachusetts was a setback. The SCOTUS ruling a terrible setback. Health care reform in chaos.

So now what? We get up, start a new week, and keep on going. I have neither the time nor the inclination to keep on bitching about how terrible things are without doing something about it. It's easy to point out how awful things are; it is hard to come up with ways to rectify the situations at hand. I must admit, I tire of the crowd that says 'nothing can be done, so why bother?' Because so little was done over the past 25 years, we are here. Doing nothing will make things worse. The most important thing any of us can do right now is make phone calls and write letters. We've lost too much last week and we are running out of wiggle room here.

Everyone who was active and passionate about the 2008 elections needs to stay active -- or get reactivated -- be it on a local, state or federal level. I am not good at pep talks, but I can tell you that Yes WE Can didn't mean yes they would. In today's political environment, every ounce of push-back is needed. Elected officials need to know that they need to listen to 'we the people'. Even when it seems that it's not worth it, it is. Once the masses stop pushing back, once they quiet down, those that wish to control the system - will. We simply are not there yet, not unless we give up. After last week, many were thinking of that as a viable option, including me. The next question I asked of myself was, what are the other options? The answer: there are none.

It is time to make more phone calls. For better or worse, we must get Health Care Reform passed. If you need more reasons why, read this: 47 (Now 51) Health Policy Experts (Including Me) Say “Sign the Senate bill.”
Please read the entire letter. Please use it and email it and get it out there.

Regarding the SCOTUS ruling, there are things that can be done. Last week I mentioned a bill called the Fair Elections Now Act. Here is a list of Sponsors in the Senate and the House. While there is talk of a move to get a constitutional amendment to ban corporate personhood, FENA is a quicker way to stem the incoming disaster The Citizens United decision will bring for the elections later this year. We can do both. One must be done now, the other we must work on. By the way, please sign this petition: Move to Amend.

From today's Hawaii Star Bulletin editorial page: Consider yourself on alert. Call your Senators and ask them to pass S. 752. Then call your representative and ask them to pass H.R. 1826. This is what you can do.

It is going to be and uphill battle, but not one that we are unaccustomed to. The last 8 years were not ever going to be magically easy to overcome. If you need a break from being burned out, I understand, but come back as soon as you can. We need everyone out there to fight to make this better. I have had my good cry, and I am tired, but I will not quit, not ever. I won't give them that satisfaction. We are, after all, the ones we have been waiting for.

and
Raine

PS: on a personal note, thank you all so very much for your prayers regarding my Oma. She has a long long way to go, but every day she seems to be doing a little bit better. She is out of ICU, and in a private room now, thankfully. I told her that all my friends were rooting for her and she says 'danke'.

From the bottom of my heart, I am grateful for all of you.