Tomorrow, it's time to arrest the insurance companies.

Thousands of people will descend on the insurance companies, who are having a conference in DC and plotting how to kill health reform at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on 22nd Street. We're going to shut down their conference and stop them and business as usual, and we'll do whatever it takes to succeed.

Leaders will be there to stand with us and confront the insurance industry. Online leaders like Howard and Jim Dean from Democracy for America, Michael Kieschnick from CREDO, and Justin Ruben from MoveOn will be there. Labor leaders like Rich Trumka of the AFL-CIO, Anna Burger of SEIU, Randi Weingarten of the AFT, and Gerald McEntee of AFSCME will be there. Community leaders like Deepak Bhargava of Campaign for Community Change, Jeff Blum and William McNary of USAction, and Bob Edgar of Common Cause will be there. We'll have leaders of faith, leaders from the doctor and nurse professions, and perhaps most importantly, victims of insurance company abuses.

Regina Holliday, a local resident of the District of Columbia, will be there.

She lost her husband, Frederick, 39, last year because he didn't get health insurance in time to diagnose his kidney cancer. By the time he found his dream job teaching at a major university - with good health insurance - his cancer was Stage 4 and had spread to his lungs and bones. Since her husband's death, Regina now cares for her two children, 11 and 4, and spends all her free time painting murals on Connecticut Avenue to draw attention to the need for health care reform and patient rights.

Stacie Ritter, someone who should be familiar to readers of this blog, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, will be there.

Stacie is the mother of twin daughters, now 11, who were diagnosed with leukemia when they were 4. Both girls needed stem cell transplants and other cancer treatments. The twins survived, but the glands controlling their growth were damaged. Doctors recommended that they receive daily growth-hormone injections. But Stacie's husband's company had switched to CIGNA for health insurance, and CIGNA refused to cover the hormone shots. With $30,000 in medical debt, a mortgage, her husband's brief unemployment and food costs, the family of six filed for bankruptcy in 2003. The twins now get their growth hormone drug free from Eli Lilly. But the family still pays about $4,012 a year in premiums to CIGNA, plus $650 co-pay for an annual cancer survivorship visit.

These people are going to put themselves on the line for what's right - health reform that works for the American people. And they're going to show Congress what standing up for what you believe in looks like.

If you're in town, you should join us. If you're not, you can follow the action live at CitizensPosse.com.

Now is when we need this kind of leadership from Congress. The insurance companies are making record profits. They're raising rates by 40% or 50% in over a dozen states. They face no competition and feel no remorse when they cut people off from their care to make a buck.

They must be stopped. Tomorrow, we're going to stop their conference. Then it'll be up to Congress to finish reform right and stop them for good.

Sometimes it's not enough to rally for reform. Sometimes it's not enough to protest your enemies. Sometimes, you have to take direct action.

And so, the street movement for health reform escalates on March 9th.

On March 9th at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Washington, DC, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the insurance industry's main lobbyist group, is holding a conference on health reform. The topics for the conference comprise a virtual playbook on how to kill or maim health reform. Some of the planned sessions include:

• Health Care Reform: What Role Does the Media Play? (translation: How can insurance companies work the press to kill reform?)
• Addressing Health Care Market Reform through an Insurance Exchange: Essential Policy Components (led in part by a fellow from the right-wing Heritage Foundation)
• American Public Opinion on Health Reform: Implications for Mid-term Elections (translation: How can we dupe the public by lying about reform and beat politicians who are standing up for the popular parts of reform)

AHIP recommends health insurance company CEOs, executives, lawyers, and others attend.

We, the people can't let this stand. The insurance companies have committed what ought to be multiple heinous crimes against the American people, and now they're coming to town to finish the job on health reform. If the powers that be won't stop these criminals, we must.

On March 9th, the people will confront the big CEOs at their conference and make sure the people responsible are held accountable. And we'll make sure Congress hears us so loudly that they'll have to listen to us and not the insurance companies and their army of corporate lobbyists. They'll have to finish health reform and finish it right, so we can finally get the care that should be a right in this country.

You can join us, either in person in Washington or from home. We've got more information here.

The crimes these companies have committed will not stand unchallenged:

• They break contracts by selling you insurance and then denying you care
• They launder money through other front groups - including tens of millions through the ultra right-wing Chamber of Commerce
• They pervert our democracy by bribing public officials by spending millions per day on corporate lobbyists
• And 45,000 people die every year because they lack insurance

We are going to take them down.

No joke here - on March 9th, the American people will stand up a make the insurance companies stand down.

The only question is whether you'll be there to join us, either in person or online. We've got ways you can help, you just need to sign up and join the posse.

So, are you with us?

Melanie's March - the 135 mile, 8 day trek health insurance company survivors are taking from Philadelphia to Washington, DC in honor of Melanie Shouse, a health care activist who died because she didn't have affordable health care - continues, with the marchers moving through Delaware and into Maryland.

Of course, along the way they're holding rallies, meeting people, and spreading the word that we need to get health reform done and get it done right.

Starting in Wilmington, DE, they walked through the entire state, arriving in Newark for a rally. They were greeted by the crowd:

We were greeted at the Newark Shopping Center by Darlene Battle of Delawareans for Social and Economic Justice and State Representative John Kowalko, both of whom spoke at a brief rally. Richard Field a local health care activists spoke as well and then three of our marchers–Iwonka, Bill, and Amy–told their stories. Local residents presented us with carnations and then we were on our way through the lovely city of Newark.

Here is an excerpt from Representative Kowalko’s remarks:
“I want to welcome all of you here today and thank each and every one of you for having the courage of your convictions and putting that into this wonderful effort to demand that the American pubic be heard…

And I want to acknowledge and thank those entities for the impeccable timing of the message they are sending which coincides with your march to Washington.

Who are those entities? Well they are the Anthems and Blue Crosses in California, Maine and other place, greedy out of touch profiteers who have decided to announce huge premium increases following record-break profits last year…Their willingness to break the back of American Working Families…will surely be seen by all those public servants in Washington as a message that cannot be misunderstood or ignored and that is

HEALTH CARE REFORM NOW, RECONCILIATION VOTE TODAY, PUBLIC OPTION NOW!”

These marchers, I'll remind you, are walking their 135 miles over land that just recently received record-breaking snowfalls. It's not easy, but they perservere:

What’s more exciting to marchers than a fabulous home-cooked breakfast?  Or warm bath? Clear Sidewalks!

We had cleared 3.5 miles easy before any of us realized we’d been walking.  Exchanging stories, jokes and anecdotes along the way, time just flew.

It was the kind of day we’d been hoping for, the kind we had earned.  But, as the mid-morning approached so, too, did the difficult and dangerous terrain.  The road ahead, Route 2, was very busy and had plenty of curves for cars to whip around at 50+ mph.  The sidewalks were completely impassable and the shoulder nonexistent.  There was, however, a wide median and we saw that as our only option.

Then, the median got smaller and angled so our footing grew sketchier.  During our lunch we began to discuss how we as a team would meet the challenges ahead.

What came next was just an incredible demonstration of  teamwork and perseverance.  When we had to trudge threw snow we did it single file and those with the best shoes went first to pat down the snow and ice.  Without being asked, the marchers bringing up the rear would step up and take over for the leaders.   Scouts would run ahead and report on the terrain to come so we could figure out how to approach it.  Jim, the SEIU RV driver we couldn’t live without, called me more than once to warn of impassable bridges ahead.  Dave secured us reflective gear and Amy kept our spirits up w/lots of chants and cheer. One marcher would fall, two would help them up and three would say “you’re doing great.”

But they keep walking, because health care is too important. And they've made it to Maryland!

As they march, people join them, like Dr. Angeles Gonzales:

SEIU cut together some great video to give you a feeling of what it's like to march 135 miles for health reform:

Their energy and spirit are winning them attention and solidarity along their route. Only a few more days until they arrive in DC, where we'll be holding a gigantic rally for them and to make sure Congress hears their message. If you live in the DC area, please join us on February 24th! Click here for details.

And if you don't, we're working with MoveOn.org to send 1 million messages to Congress on February 24th to have these marchers' backs in a serious way. Click here to sign up to participate!

Meanwhile, around the country, hundreds are rallying to make sure Congress understands that we must finish health reform and finish it right.

It's day two of Melanie's March, the 8 days, 135 mile trip insurance company survivors are making from Philadelphia to DC in honor of Melanie Shouse, a health care activist and Obama volunteer who died because she didn't have affordable insurance. Here's why Melanie fought:

They're marching to send a simple message to Congress: Listen to the people, not the insurance companies. It's time to get health reform done and get it done right.

Yesterday, the marchers crossed the state line from Pennsylvania to Delaware:

We finally made it out of Pennsylvania and into Delaware. It was about a half hour behind our target time. There were difficult obstacles that slowed us down such as unshoveled sidewalks. With three feet of snow blocking our path we weaved in and out of snow banks and crisscrossed roads. The troops pulled together- gave it all they had-to get to our next destination only a few minutes late. Everyone was really proud.

They met with local activists for lunch, and then headed to Wilmington, DE to the Bethel AME Church, where they were greeted with a rally, prayers, and a warm welcome from Reverend Silvester Beaman and the congregation.

They spent the night in the church. Last night, Antoinette Kraus brought us this update from the road:

The actual walking part has been more difficult than expected.  We hadn’t accounted for the simple obstacle of snow – four feet of snow iced over covered a good portion of the sidewalks we had been relying on for safe passage.  Weaving in and out of snow banks, crisscrossing streets -were able to pull it together to finish the miles of the day.  And, amazingly, we’ve been able to keep on pace for the most part in order to make it to our events.

Despite the obstacles and sore legs, spirits are high!  Today, a man threw up his window and cheered us on.  A Pastor, welcomed us into his church with a rally and a home cooked meal.  A clapping group of locals met us at Mr. Pasta for a meet up where they shared their stories and massaged our necks.    And a groups of teenagers eagerly awaiting the legal driving age gave us the most quizzical look and asked “why don’t you just drive?!”

The press has been following us closely.  Word about the March is really getting around.  We’re all so very proud of the volunteers making this such a success.  One of our organizers, Dave, is so proud, in fact, that he took two of them to get pedicures tonight.

I’m currently drafting this from the entry way of a church in Wilmington that has shown us incredible hospitality.  After finishing up this blog post and brainstorming for final activities, Antoinette and I are going to prepare for tomorrow.

We’ve got another 17 miles of adventure ahead of us.

Meanwhile, around the country, more people are rallying for real health care reform and to send that message to Congress.

In Iowa, the people rallied to send a message to Senator Harkin:

In New Jersey, people gathered in the snow to demand health care reform:

In Albany, NY, people rallied and called out the health insurance company lobbyists trying to kill reform:

In Maine, dozens called out Senator Snowe and pressured her to pass real health care reform:

In Montana, they rallied to send the message to Senators Baucus and Tester and Congressman Rehberg:

In Rhode Island, hundreds rallied to send the message:

The message is clear: Congress must get reform done and get it done right. No excuses!

You can help send this message, too. MoveOn.org is organizing a huge "virtual march" on Washington, DC on February 24th to welcome Melanie's March to DC and to make sure Congress hears from the people in advance of the President's health care summit on the 25th. We're participating, along with dozens of other groups.

Take it to the streets with us! Click here to sign up to virtually "march" with us on February 24th.

Almost without fail, whenever a group of people get together to discuss what can be done to pass health care reform, someone mentions "taking it to the streets." A lot of different ideas might fall under that banner but the sentiment is clear - get people into the streets for health care reform so we can get it done and get it done right.

Well, it's time for that street movement.

All over the country starting tomorrow, February 17th, there will be marches, rallies, vigils, and protests around the country. We'll have 5,000 in Seattle. Thousands in California. Big turnout in Chicago. In all, more than 70 events in state after state, mobilizing tens of thousands of people.

The message we're sending is simple: Congress, listen to the American people, not the insurance companies. It's time to pass health care that works for us - now.

Also, this is about more than just health care. We voted for change in 2008 and we need Congress and the President to deliver on the changes we need. We need jobs and workers' rights. We need to beat back climate change, rein in Wall Street, and cut off corporate influence in Washington. But if health care fails, our chances of doing any of those things plummet. This is about the entire agenda, and we're in this together.

If there ever was a time to take it to the streets, now is it. Both houses of Congress have passed health care bills, but those bills must be merged before they can pass both houses again and be sent to the President's desk. And merging the two bills means finishing reform right. The President's bipartisan summit is coming up on February 25th, with all parties involved creating their own health care plans in preparation. So if there was ever a time to make your voice heard, now's the time.

You should join us at one of these events. Chances are there's one happening near you. Click here to find one, or make one of your own.

One of the events that deserves a bit of highlighting is Melanie's March, where activists will walk from Philadelphia, PA to Washington, DC - over 150 miles.

Melanie Shouse was a health care activist. She had breast cancer. She battled with her insurance company to get the care she needed. And she just died.

Here's what the President said about her after she passed:

I got a letter — I got a note today from one of my staff — they forwarded it to me — from a woman in St. Louis who had been part of our campaign, very active, who had passed away from breast cancer.

She didn't have insurance. She couldn't afford it, so she had put off having the kind of exams that she needed. And she had fought a tough battle for four years. All through the campaign she was fighting it, but finally she succumbed to it. And she insisted she's going to be buried in an Obama T-shirt.

But think about this: She was fighting that whole time not just to get me elected, not even to get herself health insurance, but because she understood that there were others coming behind her who were going to find themselves in the same situation, and she didn't want somebody else going through that same thing.

How can I say to her, 'You know what? We're giving up'? How can I say to her family, 'This is too hard'?

One of her last wished was to have political rallies for health reform held in her honor. One of those events is called Melanie's March.

Starting on February 17th, a group of health care activists, insurance company survivors with stories of their own, and supporters will be walking from Philadelphia, PA to Washington, DC. Along the way, they'll be having rallies, vigils, and meetups to spread the word about Melanie and health care reform and demonstrate how committed we the people are to health care reform.

If you live in Philly or DC, or anywhere along the route, you should come out to walk with these marchers in support. Here are details about the route and the events along the way.

Health care and the rest of the progressive agenda hangs in the balance. It's time Congress heard our voices ringing in the streets.

President Obama went to the House Republican retreat in Baltimore on Friday to rebut right-wing lies about his Presidency and, therefore, health care reform. The insurance industry and their lobbyists were there, too, paying $25,000 each for the privilege of talking with these Republican Members of Congress one-on-one.

And on Saturday morning, in the midst of a big winter snowstorm, the people turned out as well to speak out against Republican obstructionism well funded lobbyists and to voice support for finishing health reform right and finishing it now.

Once again, survivors of horrible insurance company abuses came to town to confront Republican House members who, with the exception of one lone Congressman, voted against health care reform, preferring instead to rally around a woefully inadequate Republican alternative.

Survivors like Marcus Grimes were there. Marcus is 38, from Woodbridge, VA. He is a former teacher who worked at a D.C. charter school that didn't offer health insurance. When he began to lose his sight due to diabetes, he could not afford the treatment or the surgery to reverse the process. He lost sight in one eye, then the other, and became totally blind in 2006. He couldn't afford doctor-recommended surgeries that would have saved his eyesight and couldn't get Medicaid. He's blind because he couldn't get affordable health care.

Braving the elements, Marcus and health reform activists there to give him and the other survivors support made sure Republicans and their well funded lobbyist buddies didn't go unchallenged.

We need health care reform. We've come too far and the country's need is so great. Republicans and their lobbyists won't stand in the way. We need it finished. We need it finished right. And we need it finished now.

Tonight, the President reminded Congress and the country that we need to finish health reform AND finish it right. He said, "Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people." He's right.

And as we know, it takes more than words to pass health care reform. We have to fight. Harder than ever. Because that's exactly what the insurance industry is doing. And if they win, we lose!

So we have to turn up the heat. For months we've called and written letters, knocked on doors and had meetings. Now we have to do even more.

Right now their lobbyists are using their money and influence to block health care reform every step of the way. They're trying to scare voters and get members of Congress to back down.

We have to dig down deep — everyone of us — to do more to win the health care reform we need.

Yesterday in Washington, DC, hundreds of people rallied for reform. We marched in front of the Chamber of Commerce because the insurance industry gave them tens of millions of dollars to kill health reform. Here's what happened:

We can't let the insurance companies kill reform with their money! Not now. Not this time. We need Congress to stand up to insurance company lobbyists and finish health reform right.

That's why we need to organize actions all over the country to demand that they finish reform and finish it now!

We can't let the insurance companies win. We can't let them put people over profits any more. We can't let them kill reform with their money and power.

There's too much at stake to stop now. Every day that passes without health care reform:

• 6,821 more people lose their health insurance [pdf]
• 2,548 more people file for bankruptcy because they got sick
• 60 more people die [pdf] because they don't have the coverage they need

And the insurance industry keeps raking in money hand-over-fist. The only way we'll win reform is if we rise up as a nation and tell Congress to act now.

More details are coming soon, but we need to start organizing tonight! It's time to finish the reform right.

Will you join us? Will you make a commitment to take action today?

Click here to sign up and help mobilize the country to win the health care reform we desperately need.

We need you to come to an event near you and speak out. We need you to tell your friends, your family, your co-workers - anyone you know who's been victimized by the health insurance industry and needs change. We need you to help host an event in your community - don't worry, we'll help you do it - but we need Congress to get the message loud and clear.

Click here to sign up and join us. We'll be getting together the details in the coming days, but the organizing starts now.

Help us win the change we need. We can't do it without you.

Even more reports are streaming in from states around the country, with hundreds more people showing up to demand Congress finish health care reform right and finish it now.

In Arizona, Rep. Mitchell is getting the message:

In rainy San Francisco, Speaker Pelosi was getting the message:

And in the sunnier parts of California, the rest of the CA delegation was getting the message:

In Illinois, Rep. Schakowsky got the message:

In Indiana, Rep. Hill and Senator Bayh got the message:

In Massachusetts, Senator Kerry was getting the message:

In Montana, Senator Baucus was getting the message:

And in Staten Island, NY, Rep. McMahon was getting the message:

Congress and the President must finish reform, finish reform right, and finish reform now. There's no excuse, and we can't wait!

The Chamber of Commerce has turned into a money-laundering front group. They were paid between $10 and $20 million from the insurance companies to run smear advertisements against health care reform. These ads were up heavy in swing states and districts, so much so that the average television viewer saw these ads two or three times a day if they lived in a targeted area.

All the while, the insurance companies pretended they were in favor of health reform. By laundering money through the Chamber of Commerce, they were allowed to continue their immense lobbying campaign against reform without the negative publicity and accusations of bringing back Harry and Louise they would have faced if they had been honest with the public and Congress about their true position.

All in all, the Chamber spent $123 million on lobbying in 2009, double what they spend in 2008, and most of it likely insurance industry money.

Today, health care supporters in Washington, DC stood up and said they've had enough of the corporate influence in Washington. $123 million of insurance industry blood money can't stop Congress from finishing health care reform, finishing it right, and finishing it now.

Here's what went down in front of the Chamber of Commerce in DC today, directly across from the White House:

More reports are streaming back from the field about Members of Congress getting the message to finish health reform right and finish it now.

In Florida, they're getting the message:

In Missouri, they were getting the message out:

And in St. Louis, Rep. Carnahan is getting the message as well, as labor leaders meet with him in his home offices:

In North Carolina, Congressman Price sat down with citizens to hear the message:

In Virginia, Senator Webb is getting the message:

In Seattle, WA, everyone is getting the message:

Today in Washington, DC, I'll be out protesting the corporate lobbyists and sending this same message to Congress and the White House. If you're in town, join me at noon today! Details here.

Stay tuned for more from the events as they come in!