Michael Bennet called me Monday, August 31st

Michael Bennet Called Me Today
(Cross posted on Square State)

Senator Michael Bennet called me personally about 4pm Monday. We talked for 20-25 minutes. He called me to thank me, and the volunteers I work with, for all of the hard work we are doing in Arapahoe County on health care insurance reform. He was very sweet about it. I was quite humbled by his call. He was traveling in rural Colorado, so we talked until his phone was about to cut out. I did not take notes while we talked. When the call was over, I wrote down what he said to the best of my recollection. If I got any of the details wrong, I apologize in advance. Here is the gist of it:

Michael Bennet:

"The campaign may be facing some challenges in the near future. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your support, and hope we will continue to have it."

He asked if I had any questions. Since the phone call caught me off-guard, I came up with a few general ones. I told him people I talk to are still confused about his stand on the public option, although I have been at numerous events where he emphatically said he was for it.
"What do I tell my friends who were at Ed Schultz's event last night?"

He replied (verbatim), "There is no sunlight between where I stand on the public option, and where President Obama stands on it. I support his efforts 100%."

I asked about the "revenue neutral" thing Ed Schultz was talking about. He said this, "Some people want Medicare to be expanded for everyone. That would be great, but, how would we pay for it? I can't vote for something that sounds great but increases the debt we pass on to my daughters and their children." Then he said (paraphrasing),
"I am in lock-step with the President on this issue."

He continued to talk about the federal deficit under Bush going from x number of trillions of dolllars to y number of trillions (I don't remember the numbers he used, exactly.)

"Take the enormous price tag of the Iraq war, for example. That was irresponsible. We can't keep doing that. It is not ethical. It is not our money to spend. It will be our kids and their kids who have to pay it off. We have to think about what we are doing."

I said, "Barack Obama says up to two-thirds of the health care insurance reform plan will be paid for by streamlining wasteful systems, making processing claims more efficient, improving technology, etc."

He said, "Exactly."

Then I said, "President Obama said letting the Bush tax cuts for the very wealthy lapse will mean increased tax revenue, and that will more than cover the last third, if I remember correctly. Are you okay with letting the very wealthy pay a little more in taxes to cover the difference?"

His exact words were, "YES. Absolutely."

He went on, "The amount of revenue we lose if the Bush tax cuts continue amounts to 15 TIMES the cost of the stimulus package we just passed. Imagine what else that money could be used for." (He went on to quote a lot of numbers and facts that I cannot remember now, and did not write down.)

"So, bottom line, you're saying you support the public option as the President does, one hundred percent, right?" I asked.

He said, "Yes, it is a moral imperative. It will save us money in the long run. Rebuilding our economy is very dependent on getting health care reform passed now. Again, I stand very firmly with the President on this issue."

He asked if I had any more questions. I told him I didn't have anything specific prepared, but wondered where he will be on energy and the environment? He said: "Have you ever met my wife, Susan?"(I actually, have, only briefly, and did not know until later who she was in relation to him.)

"She spent many years working for an environmental group. She and I talk about energy and the environment almost every day. NOTHING will get by her. She won't let it (he laughed). I am very progressive on environmental issues. What else?"

"Next question, labor. Without having specific questions prepared, on a continuum of conservative to progressive, where can I count on you to be in regard to labor?"

He answered, "Let me be perfectly straight with you. I believe in the worker's right to organize. I believe in strong labor.... (pause)... I don't believe in knee-jerk decisions based on being obligated to ALWAYS vote only one way without discussion. I have to be sure both sides consider what is best not only for the people they represent, but for the FUTURE of that industry. I am concerned about how ALL of the people who are involved will be affected in the long run, as well."

"Take Detroit for example." (something I know a little about since I am from Detroit and was raised in a UAW family. Did he know that?)

"The auto industry includes the car manufacturers and the labor unions. They failed to work together to predict where their industry was headed, and as a result, the industry failed. We can't afford to do that. We need everyone at the bargainging tables and we need everyone working together, sharing their best ideas. Rebuilding our economy depends on it."
He also said he had to do the same thing with education, and that his decisions weren't always the easy ones.

"As long as both sides have the best interests of the students at heart, particularly the most vulnerable students -- the poorer kids, for example -- that is my priority. Does that make sense?"

He mentioned more about the "green energy economy" and how important it will be to our collective future.

At that point, he needed to go because his phone was starting to cut out. I had just enough time to tell him, "Thank-you so much."