House parties for healthcare

It worked on the $787 billion economic stimulus package.

So President Obama's grassroots group is scheduling house parties on June 6 to help push through a healthcare overhaul. Obama, himself, plans to join in via conference call that Saturday.

"In thousands of homes across the country, we'll gather to launch our grassroots campaign for health care. We'll watch a special message from the President. We'll build the teams and draw up the plans for winning health care reform the same way we won the election: Building support one block, one neighbor, one conversation at a time. And we'll put those plans into action," David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager last year, wrote to supporters on the email list of Organizing for America.

"These gatherings on June 6th are just the beginning of a battle between those who fought and believe in change and those who would protect a broken status quo. The stakes for our country could not be greater," Plouffe added. "Some call this strategy pie-in-the-sky. They say we'll never have enough volunteers to make a real impact; that you need insiders and Washington lobbyists to make a difference. But you and I know firsthand how wrong they are. Starting June 6th, it's once again time to show this country how bottom-up change is done."