Those arrested are a cross-section of Americans hurt by our broken healthcare system. A social worker, tired of watching her clients suffer. Cindy Young, health policy director of the California School Employees Association, who is tired of watching full-time school employees and other union members depend on free clinics for care. A senior leader, a retiree, a progressive activist. They don't have a seat at the table alongside the insurance industry, but they should.

These activsts are learning what the stars of Michael Moore's SiCKO report in the following video: their problems will not be addressed by this bill.

These are the people that the House leadership lied to when they claimed, earlier this year, that they would allow a vote on the Kucinich amendment—so that right-wing, red-state Democrats don’t veto California’s move to healthcare justice. These are the people tired of watching their loved ones suffer because their claims for healthcare were denied, or were approved, only to go bankrupt with co-pays.

These are the people who have made calls and helped build the coalition in California to pass SB 840, the state’s single-payer bill, which has twice been sent by the legislature to Gov. Schwarzenegger, only to meet with his veto. Arnold will be gone next year, but the federal roadblocks to putting single-payer into place in the states will remain. And the roadblocks will remain in the other states that will seriously consider single-payer reforms...Maine and Pennsylvania being at the top of that list.

Hundreds of calls have been flooding the offices of House leaders in support of two amendments, cited in this e-mail alert today from Floridians for Health Care:

It's not too late to call! The managers' amendment that can put the Kucinich amendment back into the legislation has not been released. Members of Congress have received many phone calls. The push for single payer is working. Please keep it up and call now! Take the two following steps: Keep the Kucinich amendment in HR 3269! The Kucinich amendment makes changes to ERISA law that make it possible for states to pass single payer and not have it challenged on the basis of ERISA. Keep the promise and let the Weiner amendment come to the floor of the house for a debate and vote. See the video of this at: http://www.youtube.com/... This will be the first time that single payer has come to a vote in the House. It is historic and we don't want to lose this opportunity. Call:

Speaker Pelosi at 202-225-4965

Majority Leader Hoyer at 202-225-4131

Chairman Waxman at 202-225-3976

I’ll leave you with the words of Robert Kuttner, who argues that this “industry-sponsored” healthcare will be at best a wash politically for the President, and the Democrats—not the defining victory it could have been.

It takes a huge leap of faith to believe that this measure is a good incremental strategy to achieve secure health care for Americans and a more just and efficient allocation of health resources. The long-term struggle for health reform doesn't end with this bill. In the next round, Harry and Louise should accurately be identified as the problem, not the partners.

He’s right. The long-term struggle for health reform is only beginning—irrespective of what happens with this bill.

UPDATE: Here's the San Francisco Chronicle report on the protest