It is time to stop f**king around about health care.

After the last few weeks of watching phony demonstrators disrupt health care town halls to protect the profits of insurance companies, after seeing the elderly frightened by our ex-Governor's lies about 'death panels", and after watching President Obama lose his focus and actually considered taking the public option of of the table, it is time to stop dicking around and to get serious.

If we allow this circus to continue then the anti-health care reform groups will win and the American public will lose. It is that goddamn simply.

So we need to get organized and we need to get organized fast.

If you live in Alaska call or write Senator Begich. Here is his contact information:

Anchorage:
Peterson Tower, Suite 750510 L St
Anchorage, AK, 99501
phone. (907) 271 - 5915
toll free. (877) 501 - 6275 - good only for area code 907 callers, but good everywhere in Alaska
fax. (907) 258 - 9305

Fairbanks:
101 12th Ave, Room 206Fairbanks, AK 99701
phone. (907) 456-0261
fax. (907) 451-7290

Juneau:
One Sealaska Plaza, Suite 308
Mailing Address:P.O. Box 21850Juneau, AK 99802
phone. (907) 586 - 7700
fax. (907) 586 - 7702

(Hat tip to Phil Munger for getting this info together.)

Take a moment to tell Mark Begich how important it is that he support the public option and that you don't want your health care left in the hands of companies who pay their CEO's tens of millions of dollars a year to save money by keeping their customers from getting the medical procedures that they require.

The public option will dramatically bring down the cost of health care across the board and cut into the profit margin for these jackasses, which is the real reason they oppose it so aggressively. If you don't believe me then just read this AP article:

Proponents of a government plan say it could restore a competitive balance and lead to lower costs. For one thing, it wouldn't have to turn a profit.

A study by the Urban Institute public policy center estimated that a public plan could save taxpayers from $224 billion to $400 billion over 10 years by lowering the cost of proposed subsidies for the uninsured, while preserving private coverage for most people.

"Right now, there's no incentive for insurers or big hospital groups to negotiate with each other, because they can pass higher payments on through premiums," said economist Linda Blumberg, co-author of the report. "A public plan would have the leverage to set lower payment rates and get providers to participate at those rates."

"The private plans would come back to the providers and say, 'If you don't negotiate with me, you're going to be left with only the public plan.'" Blumberg continued. "Suddenly, you have a very strong economic incentive for them to negotiate."

You say you don't live in Alaska? Well that is no problem, you can find contact information for your Senator right here. Take a few minutes to tell them just how important it is to you that we really do something about health care in this country. If you have a story about a health care tragedy then perhaps you could share it. You know how these folks like to tell anecdotes about their constituents.

If we do not get this reform passed now there is no telling how long it will take before we will have the opportunity again. And after two strikes WHO in the Democratic party would be wiling to take on such a hot potato again? Nobody, that's who.

So please do yourselves a favor, and the countless Americans that will benefit from our actions today, and make that call/send that e-mail/write that letter. Just think of how proud your children will be that you helped solve one of the biggest problems facing Americans today.

Need some more inspiration? Well then head on over to Celtic Diva's site to watch President Obama talk about health care in a forum organized by the Organization for America. It is powerful stuff indeed.

P.S. Yes I know I did not include Alaska's other Senator Lisa Murkowski in my request for phone calls and e-mails, and that is because I attended her town hall last week in Anchorage and it was clear that she was sticking to the party line and was completely uninterested in doing anything that will upset the health insurance industry. But if you believe that contacting her will help then you can e-mail her here. I guess anything is worth a shot.

Oh and by the way my friends. YES WE CAN!