Hi Everyone,As some of you might have seen, Organizing fror America is asking us to call our senators and our congressional rep to support our President on healthcare reform.I just called my 2 Senators and 1 Congressman ( I called Akaka, Inouye and Abercrombie).  After calling I reported my call to our DA Healthcare reform action email: actionagenda@democratsabroad.org and to OFA at http://my.barackobama.com/TTDCallI asked the receptionist at each office I called if they were keeping track of the number of people calling today on healthcare.  They said they were keeping track!  So, I asked them to put me down as one in favor of reform (see below).  Also, I asked if they had gotten lots of calls on healthcare today, they said they had!I told the receptionist that I was calling from overseas and I then asked to be put in touch with the staffer dealing with healthcare reform.  They all connected me with them.  I talked to one and left messages with others and asked them to email me:

1. I explained I am a constituent and that I currently live and work overseas.
2. I asked if the senator/congressman was going to support Obama’s 3 core principles of affordability, choice and coverage for ALL Americans.
3. I told them that Americans that live overseas are Americans too and that our healthcare coverage was just as disparate as that of Americans living in the US – some have great coverage (France, Canada, Japan), some have coverage but, like many in the US, they are afraid of denials of coverage for pre-existing or if they get ill or change jobs, and that some have no coverage at all.
4. I said that Americans that live overseas need security in their health coverage too and that we would like to be able to access the same coverage and be able to use it overseas.  I asked if the senator/congressman would support that.
5. Because all of my  calls were to Hawaii Pols and because some of them were inclined to support Obama, I reminded them that Obama’s inspiration for Healthcare Reform for all Americans was colored by his experience with his mother – who, as they knew, worked in developing countries and, as a result, had issues with her healthcare coverage and had to fight insurers as she fought cancer.
6. I asked if the senator/congressman would be supporting a public option and said that was important for any meaningful reform.
7. I explained that there are many, many Americans (some of them constituents) that live in my region that agree with these points.
8. I also provided them my own experience with coverage issues/concerns.

    

I also called friends and family and asked them to call.I voted for change.  I helped others vote for change last November — this is the change we need!!!  Please make your calls today.Aloha,WayneWayne Weightman International Treasurer Democrats Abroad (DPCA) Chair – Democrats Abroad Cambodia