WHEREAS, the health care system of the United States is in a crisis, with almost fifty million Americans lacking any health insurance, tens of millions more lacking adequate coverage, and millions more who do have private coverage paying increasingly unaffordable premiums, resulting in inadequate access to care and premature death, illness, or financial ruins for millions of Americans; and
WHEREAS, public polls show that an overwhelming majority of Americans want health care reform to offer the choice of a robust public option similar to Medicare in order to, in the words of President Obama, "keep the insurance companies honest," while co-ops or so-called "triggers" are inadequate in and of themselves to address the health care crisis by creating significant competition for the medical insurance industry; and
WHEREAS, Republicans and their allies in the health insurance industry have organized and funded groups of extremists to disrupt efforts on the part of the Democratic majority and administration to reasonably discuss the issue with the American people, and have demonstrated and utter unwillingness to compromise in any way to pass meaningful health care reform;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Santa Clara County Democratic Party urges Democratic members of Congress to vote for only such healthcare reform proposals as contain at least a robust public option at all stages of the legislative process including conference and reconciliation, as well as a provision to allow states to implement a single-payer plan, and encourages Democratic legislators to use any available parliamentary means to pass such reform;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the body shall send a copy of this resolution to all Democratic members of Congress who represent at least a part of the geographic region of which this Committee is the officially sanctioned body of the Democratic Party.