A big week...Friday National Town Hall Meeting To Tell Congress Hands Off My Health Care

Dear Brad, Public Option Defeated Today in Senate Finance Committee While the above headline was good news, the fight against a government takeover of health care is far from over. As Congressman John Shadegg pointed out on our national tele-town hall meeting last week, Speaker Pelosi is planning an all-out effort in the House of Representatives to pass a bill containing some form of this government-run health insurance plan. As Speaker Pelosi has repeatedly said, the Left is demanding this provision stay in the bill. They know the public plan is the fastest, clearest path to killing private health insurance and forcing all Americans into a government plan. President Obama and liberals in Congress are also moving forward on a number of government mandates that will over time give Washington complete control over our health care. Under an individual mandate, politicians and bureaucrats would get to define what counts as "health insurance." They would decide what it takes in order to qualify for the mandate and decide, based on political considerations, what must be covered and what won't be covered, what the reimbursement policies will be, and potentially every aspect of your health care. Vast new government subsidies will also be required to ease passage of a bill that would otherwise slam lower-income citizens - those subsidies mean businesses and the middle class will be slammed twice - once to pay higher premiums for the now-legally-mandated purchase of health insurance, and again, with higher taxes to subsidize coverage for others. There is now word that President Obama and liberals in Congress are secretly considering using a rare parliamentary procedure to get what they want. Yes, the Senate is planning to attach Obama's health care bill to an unrelated bill passed by the House. You can expect that the Left will try to push this through without giving citizens a chance to review the bill or scrutinize it. This is what happens when you have the Left thinking they must get their way at any cost. But you and I cannot let them. Congress is now back in session. The Obama Administration and thousands of lobbyists are squeezing members of Congress like an anaconda. The mainstream media drumbeat for doing something -- anything -- is in full roar. The Washington Post -- not surprisingly -- is running stories that push for the Washington brand of reform. The liberal special interests, and sadly the AARP and many corporate interests, have sold out and are actually running ads FOR the government health care takeover. Defeating this monstrosity is up to grassroots Americans -- like you and me. We've got to maintain our momentum. This weekend in Washington, AFP will hold our "Hands Off My Health Care" town hall meeting at the Capitol as part of the 3rd annual Defending the American Dream Summit™. CLICK for DETAILS After our "Hands Off My Health Care" town hall meeting, we will divide up by state delegations and go hit the Senate offices in person to deliver our message once again. You should try to join us. CLICK HERE. Or, at a minimum sign the petition we will be delivering on Friday. On Friday evening at Americans for Prosperity Foundation's Defending the American Dream Summit™, we'll hear from nationally syndicated radio host and FOX News contributor Laura Ingraham at the Tribute to Reagan Dinner. Our goal with the "Hands Off My Health Care" Town Hall meeting is to make sure that right now -- as Pelosi, Obama, Reid and Company are moving forward with their health care takeover -- we have committed grassroots activists from across the nation at the Capitol showing our opposition. One or two thousand Americans from across the nation showing up at the Capitol on a quiet Friday at such a crucial time and then actually going into Senate offices does wonders for delivering our message!! Here's the bottom line: we must keep up the pressure. We've got to keep working and fighting. Many years ago I saw a sign in a football locker room that said something I'll never forget: "to go where you've never gone, you must be willing to do what you've never done." I'm sure the athlete was talking about winning championships in his sport. But I think it applies to us in defending our freedoms now at this decisive time. You and I have to be willing to sacrifice, to work, to persevere in a way we have not done before if we want to protect our freedoms. We're Americans -- I believe we're up to it. Tim Phillips PS: Join us this week at our "Hands Off My Health Care" town hall meeting at the Capitol on Friday at 2pm. Or, make sure you visit our website on Friday afternoon to see footage and pictures of it. We'll also have pictures and footage up Friday night and Saturday morning of AFP Foundation's Tribute to Reagan dinner and Saturday morning session with special guests like Laura Ingraham, Rep. Mike Pence, Speaker Newt Gingrich, The Wall Street Journal's Steve Moore and John Fund, Sen. Jim DeMint, Larry Kudlow and many more. For more information CLICK HERE. Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is the nation's premier grassroots organization committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 700,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 25 state chapters. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org