But it’s hard to keep our facts straight. Here’s an article by Sam Stein that misses the fact (according to Donna Smith who watched it) that during the committee debate on Kucinich’s amendment some of the Republicans cited states’ rights as their reason for voting yes. That may or may not have been sincere, but it was not just after-the-fact as Stein reports.

Also, nobody imagines a single Republican will vote for any healthcare bill, so I’m not sure why Stein read more

By David Swanson

The U.S. House of Representatives has committed to bringing single-payer healthcare to a vote following summer recess. Stranger things have happened, greater obstacles have been overcome, than what would be involved in winning that vote, winning in the Senate, and compelling the president to sign the bill. We have a moral responsibility to put everything we have into trying; and even a near-victory will advance the cause.

But it is important to recognize exactly how that promise read more

So the “leadership” avoided a vote on single-payer in the Energy and Commerce Committee in exchange for allowing one on the House floor in September, presumably prior to a vote on a public option bill. This is a good thing, as well as bad. It’s bad that we lost the chance for a committee vote today. It’s good that we can advance the cause of single-payer, and we have a month in which to work the miracle of finding 100 new supporters and/or persuading a significant caucus read more

By David Swanson, PDA
July 31, 2009, Washington, DC

Progressive Democrats of America has turned five. I’ve written before about what PDA has accomplished. On Thursday night it celebrated the five-year mark with a party at the end of a long day of rallying, lobbying, and strategizing on Capitol Hill. The party was fittingly held at Busboys and Poets restaurant, whose owner Andy Shallal has been a big supporter and participant in PDA.

Shallal spoke at the event, as did Medea Benjamin, Donna read more