One Million Americans - and Counting - Come Out Against President Obama's Health Care Plan

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) and Salem Radio Network announced today the 1 millionth signature on their joint "Free Our Health Care Now" petition calling on Congress to stop the nationalization of the American health care system.

The millionth signature milestone comes just over a week after President Obama reached a million signers on his health reform petition, funded and promoted by the Democratic National Committee's "Organizing for America."

"It seems we have a horserace," said NCPA President and Kellye Wright Fellow John C. Goodman. "This national debate over how best to repair a dysfunctional health care system has evolved into trench warfare between government vs. patient and doctor controlled health care."

The petition, available at www.freeourhealthcarenow.com, was launched on May 25 by Salem Radio Network, with the team of Mike Gallagher, Bill Bennett, Hugh Hewitt, Michael Medved, Dennis Prager and Janet Parshall, who reach millions of listeners each week and cover 90 percent of the United States. The NCPA, a leader in public policy research for over 25 years, provided the content and analysis on almost all facets of the debate, including educational guidance on the framing and substance of the petition itself.

"This is and continues to be an amazing response from a large segment of the American people," explained SRN president Greg Anderson. "Talk radio is at the epicenter of public opinion and citizens from all across the country are making their concerns known loud and clear."

"None of this could have happened without the expertise, acumen and dedication of the NCPA, and its CEO and President, Dr. John Goodman. His knowledge of health care, his experience in policy debate, and the great team he has built at the NCPA all were integral to this great educational success. The more our audience learned about the health care landscape, the more disenchanted our audience became with President Obama's desire for a so called 'public option,' and with his rush to get health care reform completed by the end of the summer."

"We are thrilled that our educational outreach with Salem Radio Network led to such a surge of interest in this topic," said Dr. Goodman. "Healthcare represents 17 percent of the economy, and the NCPA has long argued that placing government in control of health care would result in significant declines in access, choice and quality of care."

The Free Our Health Care Now petition will be delivered to Congress in late August, and at current signing rates, may become the biggest petition delivered to Capitol Hill since Newt Gingrich delivered 1.3 million signatures to Congress last summer as a part of American Solution's "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" campaign.

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DGA Welcomes Former Gov. Barnes to Georgia Race

/PRNewswire/ -- With the announcement that former Governor Roy Barnes is entering the race for Georgia governor, the Democratic Governors Association today adds the state to its growing list of potential pickup opportunities in 2010.

"Roy has the right vision to look forward, restore the values that Georgians grew up with and improve the lives of all Georgians throughout the state," said Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, Chairman of the DGA. "Roy has the knowledge and character to get rid of the special interest influence that's rampant at the Capitol and get the economy moving again. His campaign will strengthen a healthy Democratic field."

Barnes' entry into the race makes Georgia a high-level pickup opportunity, as recent polling shows him in a dead heat with and even overtaking the leading Republicans. In one recent poll, Barnes is leading both of the top two GOP contenders by 5 points. ["IA poll: Barnes could threaten the GOP streak," Atlanta Journal Constitution, March 20, 2009]

Electoral trends in Georgia also have been moving in Democrats' favor. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jim Martin forced Republican Saxby Chambliss into a runoff election, and President Obama came within 5 points of beating Sen. John McCain.

The national playing field continues to expand for Democrats in previously red territory. In the past month, Florida and Minnesota have also become top-tier pickup opportunities.

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Secretary of State Handel Applauds Denial of Georgia Democratic Party’s Motion to Block Use of Photo ID

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel issued the following statement today regarding Fulton County Superior Court Judge Tom Campbell’s denial of the Georgia Democratic Party’s motion for a Temporary Restraining Order to block the use of photo identification in the July 15, 2008 General Primary:

“I applaud Judge Campbell’s ruling to deny the Democratic Party’s frivolous motion to block the use of photo ID in the General Primary Election. Photo ID has been implemented without incident in eight elections, including the Presidential Preference Primary that featured record voter turnout.

“In the past year, the Georgia Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court in Rome and the U.S. Supreme Court have all rejected attacks on the constitutionality of the photo ID requirement. Opponents of photo ID have failed to produce even one voter who has been harmed by the requirement, despite years of scouring the state in search of such an individual.

“I remind voters that Georgia’s photo ID law remains in place. As required by the law, Georgia voters casting their ballots in-person on Election Day must bring one of the required six forms of photo ID to the polls on July 15.”