Right now, the Blue Dog Democrats are on the Energy and Commerce Committee, holding up the passage of health care reform in the House. This is their list of ransom demands as they're holding the public option hostage with a gun aimed at the rest of us. This is what it really is--about protecting insurance companies in their districts, not their constituents.

We're going to need you to be making phone calls today to the Democratic leadership, to Speaker Pelosi, to the three committee Chairmen, the Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and yes, to the White House letting them know what the Blue Dogs are asking are UNACCEPTABLE for us Americans.

We mustn't allow them to kill the public option, cut back subsidies for the middle-class, have state-based co-ops, and state-based insurance exchanges. That would cut down the effectiveness of this bill, and the Blue Dogs know it.

Here are the talking points below:

I'm calling to thank [Name of Member] for supporting the House health care plan, and for supporting the public option and the national insurance exchange. As an American who's faced denials of claims and has been facing higher insurance premiums, the public option and the national insurance exchange is NECESSARY to hold down the costs of private insurance and give us the kind of care we need. Please DO NOT vote for any amendments during the mark-up process that would weaken the public option and the national insurance exchange! I've been hearing that the Blue Dog Democrats want to cut back subsidies for my family, that they want a fake state-based co-op plan, and have a trigger on the national insurance exchange by having it as state-based insurance exchanges at first. What they want is unacceptable for me and my family. Don't give into their demands. I'm an American who needs the choice of the national insurance exchange and the public option.

CALL Speaker Nancy Pelosi at (202) 225-4965 and try her local office at (415) 556-4862 if you can't get through. CALL House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer at (202) 225-3130 CALL House Majority Whip James Clyburn at (202) 226-3210

Can you please CALL these THREE chairmen in the House of Representatives, with your concerns about the Blue Dog Democrats trying to block health care reform and ask them NOT to listen to the Blue Dogs or give into their demandsl?

And DON'T FORGET TO CALL THE DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF THE ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE with the talking points above.

Also, don't forget to call the co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and ask them to take a strong stand against the Blue Dogs' actions by asking the House leadership not to give into their demands to weaken the health care reform bill, and especially the Medicare-like public option in the bill.

CALL Rep. Raul Grijalva, co-chair of the CPC, at 202-225-2435

CALL Rep. Lynn Woolsey, co-chair of the CPC, at 202-225-5161

And don't forget to CRACK THE WHIP on the rest of the Congressional Progressive Caucus so they stand as a strong voting bloc in opposition to the Blue Dog Democrats!

Right now, we really need you to CALL the White House with the talking points and tell them that the Blue Dog Democrats must UPHOLD the majority view of Americans who need a strong, robust Medicare-like public option, and not to give into their demands to weaken the public option in health care reform!

CALL The White House at 202-456-1111 and E-MAIL THEM with the talking points above, and ask for Congress to stay and work on health care reform instead of going off on vacation!

Can you also please help nyceve, Jane Hamsher, me, and others in this fight for health reform by donating? We're spending day and night in this fight for you all.

Please RECOMMEND this diary so others can see the phone numbers and call today!

Also, let me know how the calls are going today! Please report back if you can.