Congress can't seem to reach a consensus, but the American people have overwhelmingly made up their minds: we need a public health insurance option.

A new poll conducted by NBC and the Wall Street Journal [.pdf] is the latest in a series of polls to show convincing support for a choice between a private or public health insurance plan among the American people:

On the one hand, the American public overwhelmingly favors a choice between getting insurance coverage either through the private market or a government run option. Indeed, 76 percent of respondents said it was either "extremely" or "quite" important to "give people a choice of both a public plan administered by the federal government and a private plan for their health insurance." [From the Huffington Post]

The poll also showed clear majority support for key ingredients to fixing health care like shared responsibility among employers, government, and individuals to solve the health care crisis with strong protections for small businesses. In fact, every major proposal in President Obama's health care plan received strong support.

There's just one problem: many people didn't know it was the President's plan. Despite his aggressive push to pass health care reform, more than a third of all Americans still don't know enough about the President's plan for health care to know whether or not they support it. Once the pollsters described Obama's plan, people supported it overwhelmingly.

So that's where we come in. We've got to tell everyone we know that the President has proposed a strong plan to fix health care and it's moving through Congress as we speak. We're going to discuss the best way to do that tonight on a conference call with Senator Chris Dodd at 6pm EDT.

I hope you'll join us, and I hope you'll help us urge Congress to join the American people in supporting President Obama's plan to solve the health care crisis once and for all.

On Sunday, a group of DC residents delivered all 68,000 of your petitions to the NBC studios in Washington, demanding Rick Scott's phony infomercial be pulled. You should have seen the look on the producer's face when she saw the boxes of signatures waiting for her in the lobby.


Despite the objections from thousands of viewers, NBC went ahead and aired Rick Scott's 30-minute attack ad against health care reform. And, just as we had warned, it was filled with shameful and misleading distortions. (Check out Media Matters Factcheck on the CPR infomercial here)

It's going to be up to us to push back on Rick Scott with the truth about President Obama's plan to fix health care. This Saturday, thousands of Americans will be hosting health care organizing kickoffs in their communities.

Will you take part? This is a critical opportunity to tell the real story of President Obama's plan for health care reform: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/june6signups

After 80 years, we finally have the solution to this health care crisis in our sights. Getting there is going to require an all-out sprint to the finish line that starts right now. Let's show opponents like Rick Scott that no amount of expensive television ads can stop us from winning quality, affordable health care for every American.

This evening we received word that over 68,000 people (and counting!) have signed the petition calling for NBC not to air Rick Scott's "infomercial" attacking a public healthcare option. The ad is set to air on the network after Meet the Press this Sunday.

NBC needs to know that if they run this fake "documentary"--sponsored by former hospital CEO Rick Scot and his group Conservatives for Patients Rights (CPR)--and it contains any falsehoods (which is likely, given his track record), they could face an FCC violation and big fines. SEIU sent a letter to the network, asking for this 30-minute phony "documentary" to be pulled off the air before it runs, only
serving to further distort the debate on health care reform. We've also warned Meet the Press that they're being used by Rick Scott, and will be tarnished by his swift-boating.

Media organizations like NBC and Meet the Press have a responsibility to their viewers and the public NOT to air falsehoods--and it's our job to up the ante and keep the pressure on them to do so. Along with signing the petition, we asked Washington, DC residents to give the local NBC4 station manager a call, telling them this ad by Conservatives for Patients Rights is unfit to air.

We're keeping a tally of how many calls go into the station, and many activists have already reported back to us after making the call to NBC4 and asking to speak with General Manager Michael Jack.

From caller A.L., who was unable to get through directly to NBC4's general manager Michael Jack:

Spoke with an assistant. She took my message, which was: info in the ad is not correct. Also, Rick Scott's record at Columbia/HCA (having to resign because of fraud charges) makes his claims suspect at best. If NBC4 cares about accuracy, they outght not to run the advertisement.

From caller J.B., who also spoke to Jack's assistant:

In voicing my concern, I said I generally watch NBC4 because I find their reporting more substantive than [others]. I asked that NBC, its management and staff carefully review the 30-min ad because (having seen CPR's literature), there are several things patently false and misleading.

I added that since NBC4 is interested in reporting the FACTS, that they do review this ad's content to ensure it is factual and not misleading--because it is about a very important issue for ALL of us and they should not accept the ad merely for financial purposes.

As of right now, NBC still has plans to air this unfit ad and it's up to us to get NBC to do the right thing. So if you are a Washington, DC resident, please call the NBC4 station at (202) 885-4000 and ask for General Manager Michael Jack.

The 68,000 voices who've already sent their message to NBC and Meet the Press demanding Rick Scott's 30-minute "documentary" be pulled from the air this Sunday is thanks to the combined efforts of SEIU and other healthcare reform advocate organizations HCAN, DFA and Credo. Will you join the 68,000+ people who have already taken action? Tell NBC & Meet the Press: Don't Air Rick Scott's Phony "Documentary"

You live in Washington, DC. And that's why we need you to make a quick, local call.

Yesterday, we emailed about stopping Rick Scott's phony "documentary" from airing on Washington, DC's NBC4 after Meet the Press this weekend. Today, we're upping the ante.

Can you give the local NBC4 station manager a call? To call the station, dial (202) 885-4000 and ask for General Manager Michael Jack. (If Michael Jack can't speak, leave a message.)

Here's an example of what to say to Mr. Jack or NBC4 staff:

Hi, I'm a regular viewer of NBC4 and I'm calling with a concern.

Your network is scheduled to run a thirty-minute advertisement by Conservatives for Patients' Rights which, based on previous advertisements, will be false and mislead viewers. Based on excerpts from their website, this ad is unfit to air.

As a viewer of your programs, I urge you to review the ad and halt plans to air it this Sunday.

We're keeping a tally of how many calls go into the station. After you make the call, use this form to report-back on the call.

Thanks for keeping the pressure on NBC4 to halt the airing of this 30-minute sham "documentary" on Sunday. We'll keep you updated on what happens this weekend.

P.S. We need to flood their phone lines with calls from viewers. If you can, please forward this link to friends and family in the DC area.

Rick Scott has a track record of deceit.

That's why it's hard to believe that, right now, NBC plans to air a 30-minute fake "documentary" by Rick Scott after this week's Meet the Press program in the Washington, DC market.

SEIU is sending a letter to NBC and Meet the Press, asking for this 30-minute ad be pulled off the air before it runs.

Can you join us and sign this letter, telling Meet the Press and NBC not to tarnish their brand with Rick Scott's swiftboating? Click here to sign the letter.

Scott's previous ads contained blatantly false statements and misleading excerpts of interviews with health care professionals.

We're telling NBC that if Scott's fake "documentary" contains any falsehoods (which is likely, given his track record), they could face an FCC violation and big fines. We're also warning Meet the Press that they're being used by Rick Scott, and will be tarnished by his swift-boating.

Media organizations like NBC and Meet the Press have a responsibility to not air falsehoods, and they listen to feedback from you, their customers.

Click here to sign the letter and get Rick Scott's lies off the air.

Together, we can make sure Scott's 30-minute phony "documentary" won't go unchallenged.