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(Disclosure: I'm a former daily newspaper business reporter whose salary is paid by the Service Employees International Union. As such, I'm the communication director for Montana Change That Works.)
This is a scene that's becoming more common around Montana: Locals gathering -- post-election -- to continue to push for positive change.
About two dozen Democratic Party faithful and new volunteers gathered at the Billings Senior Citizens Center this Tuesday evening in an event that was reminiscent of the "Obama watch parties" of the presidential campaign.
This time, instead of an Obama-McCain debate, the group watched President Barack Obama deliver his first speech to the joint Congress.
In his speech -- and in a major budget proposal since -- the president indicated health care reform will be the next big piece of legislation he will push.
The event was organized by the Montana Change That Works campaign and the Yellowstone Democratic Club.
The Montana Change That uh... What?
Change That Works.
It's part of a 30-plus state campaign funded by the Service Employees International Union with the goal of fixing the nation's healthcare system and get the American economy back on track.
The meeting opened with the monthly Yellowstone Democratic Club dinner (featuring ham, green beans and carrot cake). During dinner, a local activist spoke about Sen. Max Baucus' white paper on health care reform.
The activist was Joe Splinter of Montanans for Health Care, a
grassroots organization building a coalition to support Baucus' effort to reform the nation's health care system. Baucus has a leading role in the formation of what may become the most significant piece of health care reform in U.S. history. Montana's senior senator has said he wants the reform to be his legacy.
Everybody sat in front of a big screen television at the front of the room to watch Obama. Then everybody talked about health care reform.
"We can do better, and we must do better," said Billings local Vern Klingman.
Also discussed was a new report released by a group called Montanans For Health Care. The report, called the "Cost of Doing Nothing," details how health insurance premiums cripple the finances of small businesses, families and local and state governments.
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