http://www.gop.com/About/AboutRead.aspx?Guid=a4cc4fcb-6043-4af2-860a-41ae912a2c42
RULE NO. 9 Filling Vacancies in Nominations
(a) The Republican National Committee is hereby authorized and empowered to fill any and all vacancies which may occur by reason of death, declination, or otherwise of the Republican candidate for President of the United States or the Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States, as nominated by the national convention, or the Republican National Committee may reconvene the national convention for the purpose of filling any such vacancies.
(b) In voting under this rule, the Republican National Committee members representing any state shall be entitled to cast the same number of votes as said state was entitled to cast at the national convention.
(c) In the event that the members of the Republican National Committee from any state shall not be in agreement in the casting of votes hereunder, the votes of such state shall be divided equally, including fractional votes among the members of the Republican National Committee present or voting by proxy.
(d) No candidate shall be chosen to fill any such vacancy except upon receiving a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
WFMZ-TV: Swann may run for Guv again in 2010
http://blogs.wfmz.com/rnc/2008/09/swann-may-run-a.html
Swann may run again for PA gov.
Our cameraman, Bill Seiders, spoke with Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh Steelers great and Republican candidate for Pennsylvania governor, on the floor of the arena here in St. Paul a short time ago. Swann told Bill he's talking it over with his wife about another run for governor. He lost his first bid to Ed Rendell in 2006. Swann said he wouldn't consider running for Congress because "it's not a good fit" for him.
Swann may run again for PA gov.
Our cameraman, Bill Seiders, spoke with Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh Steelers great and Republican candidate for Pennsylvania governor, on the floor of the arena here in St. Paul a short time ago. Swann told Bill he's talking it over with his wife about another run for governor. He lost his first bid to Ed Rendell in 2006. Swann said he wouldn't consider running for Congress because "it's not a good fit" for him.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Amy Goodman Arrested at RNC
ST. PAUL, MN—Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was unlawfully arrested in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota at approximately 5 p.m. local time. Police violently manhandled Goodman, yanking her arm, as they arrested her.
Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfuly detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman’s crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.
Ramsey County Sherrif Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul.
Democracy Now! is calling on all journalists and concerned citizens to call the office of Mayor Chris Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar. These calls can be directed to: Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman’s office at 651-266-8535 and the Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0).
Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amenmdent rights of these journalists.
During the demonstration in which they were arrested law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force. Several dozen others were also arrested during this action.
Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism’s top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar is a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists from the nation’s leading independent news outlet.
Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.
Where does your member of Congress stand on health?
Where does your member of Congress stand on health?
Are they with you, standing for quality affordable health care for all? Or are they with the insurance companies, working to increase their profits?
Don't know? Click here to call your member of Congress and find out!
Hope, Change, and Health Care
I want you to ask this question because, whatever your party and whatever your preference between one candidate and another, most Americans like you have been supporting change in this election year. And they have been embracing hope for the future, hope that our government can once again address our deepest problems with innovative solutions that serve us all.
We know, however, that real change won’t occur just by electing a new President and Congress. Powerful forces stand in the way of the change we need. A new President and Congress will need a movement of people committed to real change in order to overcome that opposition.
So in asking you to contact our member of Congress about health care, I’m asking you to join, a new movement for one of the changes we need, Health Care For America Now (HCAN)!
The Critical Importance of the Health Care Issue
Americans want an economy that creates opportunities and sustainable prosperity for everyone, not just for a few.
Americans want an economy that creates opportunities and sustainable prosperity for everyone, not just for a few. That means we have to deal with the environmental and energy problems that not only hinder economic growth but make it impossible for our growth to be sustainable. And it means with have to deal with the health care problems that not only hinder economic growth but make it impossible for our growth to be equitable.
Our economy cannot grow as it should when health care and health insurance costs are rising at rates that far exceed rates of inflation and wage growth and when concerns about health insurance prevent Americans from moving into new jobs. And it can’t grow in a way that benefits us all when so many people don’t have health insurance they can count on.
Today, a critical barrier to creating an economy that serves everyone is the failure of the private health insurance industry. Its problems are well known:
Health insurance premiums, co-pays, and deductibles are rising at rates that far exceed rates of inflation and wage growth. They are a major financial burden on the middle class. Many employers and individuals have been forced to drop insurance.
American workers are too often stuck in jobs that don’t suit them—or that don’t make the best use of their talents—because they are afraid that changing jobs would cost them their health insurance. And American businesses cannot compete in a world market when their health care costs are so high.
Insurance companies are restricting coverage and denying care. Even people who have insurance find out that they can’t get the best care and, in far too many cases, any care at all.
Too many people are uninsured. And that hurts us all. Health care costs go up for everyone when people who are uninsured or underinsured receive expensive treatments in hospitals that would have been unnecessary if they had received early and inexpensive care in a doctor’s office. Over ten per cent of our premium costs go to provide health care for the uninsured.
Two Paths To The Future in Health Care
We know that change is inevitable in health care because it is happening now. But we have to choose between two possible paths to the future.
The path we are now on has been set by the private insurance industry. It leads to a future in which we are left on our own to deal with the insurance industry. There will be no controls on insurance company premiums or profits, no guarantees on the benefits we receive, and no limits on how much drug companies can charge for prescriptions. Insurance companies will be free to deny us coverage or charge exorbitant rates if we have had some health problems in the past.
If we go in this direction, soon many of us will only be able to afford high deductible, high premium insurance plans with limited coverage. Government will offer nothing but tax deductions for health insurance that subsidize insurers while being of little value to most Americans. And all of us who get health insurance from our employers will have to pay taxes on it.
The future proposed by HCAN is different. We seek a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all. Americans will have a choice between the health insurance they have now, another private insurance program or a new, public health insurance program. All plans will offer comprehensive benefits and a choice of doctors and hospitals. All will charge premiums according to the ability to pay.
If we go in this direction, new rules for insurance companies will require that they make money the old fashioned way, by insuring more people, not by denying coverage and care. And the public health insurance program will be open to all. It will control costs by bring drawing on the administrative efficiencies and buying power created by large insurance programs.
Our Question
HCAN is a movement that will incessantly ask citizens and politicians to answer one question, “Which side are you on?” Do you want a future that serves the insurance companies or a future that benefits the citizens of this country? We will:
· Show Americans how the health insurance industry has been undermining our health care.
· Build a grassroots movement of health care activists.
· Secure the commitment of the members of the next Congress to our principles of reform now.
· Make this election is about the choice between the two directions in health care reform
· Use events, house parties, email and the internet as well as paid advertising to get our message out.
· Spend over $40 million dollars to build this movement.
Which Side Are You On?
So now is the time for you to answer this question. If you are on our side:
· Call your member of Congress and ask them “which side are you on?” You can use our online tool to do this or you can call toll free at 1-888-436-8427 to be connected to your member of Congress.
· Sign on to our petition to the new President and Congress.
· Volunteer for HCAN Pennsylvania at http://healthcareforamericanow.org/page/s/PAvol
It’s Not Just About Health Care
Restoring equity in health care is the critical issue for those of us who care about social justice because health care is so important and has become so expensive. But if we are successful in reshaping health care in a way that benefits the vast majority of Americans, we will do far more than meet this critical need. We will re-legitimate government for the next generation and point the way to other reforms that serve us all.
So join HCAN today. And click here to find out which side your member of Congress is on.
Contact us
Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or suggestions.
Marc Stier
Pennsylvania State Director
Health Care For America Now
info@hcanpa.org
(800) 764-1832
Health Care For America NOW (HCAN) is co-chaired nationally by SEIU and AFSCME. There are over 150 organizations that have signed on with us nationally. You can see the whole list at http://healthcareforamericanow.org/site/content/who_we_are/
Our Pennsylvania organization is staffed by me and Gregg Potter, who is the head of the AFL-CIO CLC in the Lehigh Valley and by Ali Kronley, Ian Phillips, and MaryEllen Hayden of Acorn; Jeff Garis and Richard McVay of Penn Action and Antoinette Kraus of PUP. Our coalition and includes the AFL-CIO, UFCW Local 1776, the Communications Workers of America, Mon Valley Unemployed Committee, Community Action Association of PA, Keystone Progress, the Jewish Labor Committee, Philadelphia Jobs with Justice and Philly for Change with other groups joining every day.
Are they with you, standing for quality affordable health care for all? Or are they with the insurance companies, working to increase their profits?
Don't know? Click here to call your member of Congress and find out!
Hope, Change, and Health Care
I want you to ask this question because, whatever your party and whatever your preference between one candidate and another, most Americans like you have been supporting change in this election year. And they have been embracing hope for the future, hope that our government can once again address our deepest problems with innovative solutions that serve us all.
We know, however, that real change won’t occur just by electing a new President and Congress. Powerful forces stand in the way of the change we need. A new President and Congress will need a movement of people committed to real change in order to overcome that opposition.
So in asking you to contact our member of Congress about health care, I’m asking you to join, a new movement for one of the changes we need, Health Care For America Now (HCAN)!
The Critical Importance of the Health Care Issue
Americans want an economy that creates opportunities and sustainable prosperity for everyone, not just for a few.
Americans want an economy that creates opportunities and sustainable prosperity for everyone, not just for a few. That means we have to deal with the environmental and energy problems that not only hinder economic growth but make it impossible for our growth to be sustainable. And it means with have to deal with the health care problems that not only hinder economic growth but make it impossible for our growth to be equitable.
Our economy cannot grow as it should when health care and health insurance costs are rising at rates that far exceed rates of inflation and wage growth and when concerns about health insurance prevent Americans from moving into new jobs. And it can’t grow in a way that benefits us all when so many people don’t have health insurance they can count on.
Today, a critical barrier to creating an economy that serves everyone is the failure of the private health insurance industry. Its problems are well known:
Health insurance premiums, co-pays, and deductibles are rising at rates that far exceed rates of inflation and wage growth. They are a major financial burden on the middle class. Many employers and individuals have been forced to drop insurance.
American workers are too often stuck in jobs that don’t suit them—or that don’t make the best use of their talents—because they are afraid that changing jobs would cost them their health insurance. And American businesses cannot compete in a world market when their health care costs are so high.
Insurance companies are restricting coverage and denying care. Even people who have insurance find out that they can’t get the best care and, in far too many cases, any care at all.
Too many people are uninsured. And that hurts us all. Health care costs go up for everyone when people who are uninsured or underinsured receive expensive treatments in hospitals that would have been unnecessary if they had received early and inexpensive care in a doctor’s office. Over ten per cent of our premium costs go to provide health care for the uninsured.
Two Paths To The Future in Health Care
We know that change is inevitable in health care because it is happening now. But we have to choose between two possible paths to the future.
The path we are now on has been set by the private insurance industry. It leads to a future in which we are left on our own to deal with the insurance industry. There will be no controls on insurance company premiums or profits, no guarantees on the benefits we receive, and no limits on how much drug companies can charge for prescriptions. Insurance companies will be free to deny us coverage or charge exorbitant rates if we have had some health problems in the past.
If we go in this direction, soon many of us will only be able to afford high deductible, high premium insurance plans with limited coverage. Government will offer nothing but tax deductions for health insurance that subsidize insurers while being of little value to most Americans. And all of us who get health insurance from our employers will have to pay taxes on it.
The future proposed by HCAN is different. We seek a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all. Americans will have a choice between the health insurance they have now, another private insurance program or a new, public health insurance program. All plans will offer comprehensive benefits and a choice of doctors and hospitals. All will charge premiums according to the ability to pay.
If we go in this direction, new rules for insurance companies will require that they make money the old fashioned way, by insuring more people, not by denying coverage and care. And the public health insurance program will be open to all. It will control costs by bring drawing on the administrative efficiencies and buying power created by large insurance programs.
Our Question
HCAN is a movement that will incessantly ask citizens and politicians to answer one question, “Which side are you on?” Do you want a future that serves the insurance companies or a future that benefits the citizens of this country? We will:
· Show Americans how the health insurance industry has been undermining our health care.
· Build a grassroots movement of health care activists.
· Secure the commitment of the members of the next Congress to our principles of reform now.
· Make this election is about the choice between the two directions in health care reform
· Use events, house parties, email and the internet as well as paid advertising to get our message out.
· Spend over $40 million dollars to build this movement.
Which Side Are You On?
So now is the time for you to answer this question. If you are on our side:
· Call your member of Congress and ask them “which side are you on?” You can use our online tool to do this or you can call toll free at 1-888-436-8427 to be connected to your member of Congress.
· Sign on to our petition to the new President and Congress.
· Volunteer for HCAN Pennsylvania at http://healthcareforamericanow.org/page/s/PAvol
It’s Not Just About Health Care
Restoring equity in health care is the critical issue for those of us who care about social justice because health care is so important and has become so expensive. But if we are successful in reshaping health care in a way that benefits the vast majority of Americans, we will do far more than meet this critical need. We will re-legitimate government for the next generation and point the way to other reforms that serve us all.
So join HCAN today. And click here to find out which side your member of Congress is on.
Contact us
Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or suggestions.
Marc Stier
Pennsylvania State Director
Health Care For America Now
info@hcanpa.org
(800) 764-1832
Health Care For America NOW (HCAN) is co-chaired nationally by SEIU and AFSCME. There are over 150 organizations that have signed on with us nationally. You can see the whole list at http://healthcareforamericanow.org/site/content/who_we_are/
Our Pennsylvania organization is staffed by me and Gregg Potter, who is the head of the AFL-CIO CLC in the Lehigh Valley and by Ali Kronley, Ian Phillips, and MaryEllen Hayden of Acorn; Jeff Garis and Richard McVay of Penn Action and Antoinette Kraus of PUP. Our coalition and includes the AFL-CIO, UFCW Local 1776, the Communications Workers of America, Mon Valley Unemployed Committee, Community Action Association of PA, Keystone Progress, the Jewish Labor Committee, Philadelphia Jobs with Justice and Philly for Change with other groups joining every day.
How are progressive organizations responding to Palin? Defenders of Wildlife
Shocking Choice by John McCain
WASHINGTON-- Senator John McCain just announced his choice for running mate: Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska. To follow is a statement by Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund.
“Senator McCain’s choice for a running mate is beyond belief. By choosing Sarah Palin, McCain has clearly made a decision to continue the Bush legacy of destructive environmental policies.
“Sarah Palin, whose husband works for BP (formerly British Petroleum), has repeatedly put special interests first when it comes to the environment. In her scant two years as governor, she has lobbied aggressively to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, pushed for more drilling off of Alaska’s coasts, and put special interests above science. Ms. Palin has made it clear through her actions that she is unwilling to do even as much as the Bush administration to address the impacts of global warming. Her most recent effort has been to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the polar bear from the endangered species list, putting Big Oil before sound science. As unbelievable as this may sound, this actually puts her to the right of the Bush administration.
“This is Senator McCain’s first significant choice in building his executive team and it’s a bad one. It has to raise serious doubts in the minds of voters about John McCain’s commitment to conservation, to addressing the impacts of global warming and to ensuring our country ends its dependency on oil.”
###
The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (www.defendersactionfund.org) provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm.
Privacy Policy Contact Us Donate Now Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Home
© Copyright 2008, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund
This message was sent to denniswingle@verizon.net.
Paid for by Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund at http://www.defendersactionfund.org/and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
WASHINGTON-- Senator John McCain just announced his choice for running mate: Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska. To follow is a statement by Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund.
“Senator McCain’s choice for a running mate is beyond belief. By choosing Sarah Palin, McCain has clearly made a decision to continue the Bush legacy of destructive environmental policies.
“Sarah Palin, whose husband works for BP (formerly British Petroleum), has repeatedly put special interests first when it comes to the environment. In her scant two years as governor, she has lobbied aggressively to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, pushed for more drilling off of Alaska’s coasts, and put special interests above science. Ms. Palin has made it clear through her actions that she is unwilling to do even as much as the Bush administration to address the impacts of global warming. Her most recent effort has been to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the polar bear from the endangered species list, putting Big Oil before sound science. As unbelievable as this may sound, this actually puts her to the right of the Bush administration.
“This is Senator McCain’s first significant choice in building his executive team and it’s a bad one. It has to raise serious doubts in the minds of voters about John McCain’s commitment to conservation, to addressing the impacts of global warming and to ensuring our country ends its dependency on oil.”
###
The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (www.defendersactionfund.org) provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm.
Privacy Policy Contact Us Donate Now Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Home
© Copyright 2008, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund
This message was sent to denniswingle@verizon.net.
Paid for by Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund at http://www.defendersactionfund.org/and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Planned Parenthood W PA Action Fund: McCain Out of Touch on Women's Health
John McCain: Out of Touch on Women’s Health
Pittsburgh — The Planned Parenthood Western PA Action Fund, the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania today criticized John McCain during his visit to Washington, PA for his out-of-touch record on issues relating to women’s health.
“For 25-years, Sen. John McCain has shamefully opposed support for basic health care for women, including affordable birth control — even in the face of rising health care costs,” said Kimberlee Evert, President of the Action Fund. “While Sen. McCain dodges questions on the campaign trail about whether or not he thinks it’s fair for insurance companies to cover Viagra but not basic birth control, his abysmal record on women’s health care speaks volumes.”
In an effort to raise awareness among voters, especially women voters who remain a crucial voting block this election, the national Planned Parenthood Action Fund has launched a “kNOw McCain” campaign, an aggressive grassroots and online effort to educate the public about McCain's extreme anti-women's health care record.
“It’s ironic that McCain is parading through Pennsylvania with former Governor Tom Ridge, known for his support for reproductive rights,” said Evert. “We need to let the public know that McCain can’t have it both ways: he can’t advertise himself as a moderate, and consistently vote against basic women’s health care.”
In Washington, McCain has consistently voted against women’s health for more than two decades. From standing with the Bush administration in opposing funding for family planning programs to voting against requiring insurance coverage of birth control, McCain has taken extreme positions against women’s health and has failed to support legislation that would help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion. Just as alarming, McCain wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, potentially putting the lives and health of women in jeopardy.
McCain’s 25-year record in Congress of opposing initiatives to better women’s health has earned him a zero rating from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the lowest rating possible.
The following are highlights of McCain’s abysmal voting record on women’s health issues:
· McCain opposed requiring insurance coverage of prescription birth control. In 2003, McCain voted NO on legislation to improve the availability of contraceptives for women and to require insurance coverage of prescription birth control. [Murray Amendment, S.Amdt 258 to S. 3, vote 45, 3/11/03]
· McCain opposed Title X family planning program. In 1990, McCain voted NO on legislation to extend the Title X federal family planning program, which provides low-income and uninsured women and families with health care services ranging from breast and cervical cancer screening to birth control. [Motion to Invoke Cloture; Family Planning Amendments of 1989, S.110, 9/26/90]
· McCain supports overturning Roe v. Wade. In February 2007, the AP reported, “Republican presidential candidate John McCain, looking to improve his standing with the party's conservative voters, said Sunday the court decision that legalized abortion should be overturned. ‘I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned,’ the Arizona senator told about 800 people in South Carolina, one of the early voting states.” [AP, 2/18/07]
For more information on McCain’s out-of-touch record on women’s health and the “kNOw McCain” campaign, please visit www.plannedparenthoodaction.org.
Pittsburgh — The Planned Parenthood Western PA Action Fund, the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania today criticized John McCain during his visit to Washington, PA for his out-of-touch record on issues relating to women’s health.
“For 25-years, Sen. John McCain has shamefully opposed support for basic health care for women, including affordable birth control — even in the face of rising health care costs,” said Kimberlee Evert, President of the Action Fund. “While Sen. McCain dodges questions on the campaign trail about whether or not he thinks it’s fair for insurance companies to cover Viagra but not basic birth control, his abysmal record on women’s health care speaks volumes.”
In an effort to raise awareness among voters, especially women voters who remain a crucial voting block this election, the national Planned Parenthood Action Fund has launched a “kNOw McCain” campaign, an aggressive grassroots and online effort to educate the public about McCain's extreme anti-women's health care record.
“It’s ironic that McCain is parading through Pennsylvania with former Governor Tom Ridge, known for his support for reproductive rights,” said Evert. “We need to let the public know that McCain can’t have it both ways: he can’t advertise himself as a moderate, and consistently vote against basic women’s health care.”
In Washington, McCain has consistently voted against women’s health for more than two decades. From standing with the Bush administration in opposing funding for family planning programs to voting against requiring insurance coverage of birth control, McCain has taken extreme positions against women’s health and has failed to support legislation that would help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion. Just as alarming, McCain wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, potentially putting the lives and health of women in jeopardy.
McCain’s 25-year record in Congress of opposing initiatives to better women’s health has earned him a zero rating from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the lowest rating possible.
The following are highlights of McCain’s abysmal voting record on women’s health issues:
· McCain opposed requiring insurance coverage of prescription birth control. In 2003, McCain voted NO on legislation to improve the availability of contraceptives for women and to require insurance coverage of prescription birth control. [Murray Amendment, S.Amdt 258 to S. 3, vote 45, 3/11/03]
· McCain opposed Title X family planning program. In 1990, McCain voted NO on legislation to extend the Title X federal family planning program, which provides low-income and uninsured women and families with health care services ranging from breast and cervical cancer screening to birth control. [Motion to Invoke Cloture; Family Planning Amendments of 1989, S.110, 9/26/90]
· McCain supports overturning Roe v. Wade. In February 2007, the AP reported, “Republican presidential candidate John McCain, looking to improve his standing with the party's conservative voters, said Sunday the court decision that legalized abortion should be overturned. ‘I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned,’ the Arizona senator told about 800 people in South Carolina, one of the early voting states.” [AP, 2/18/07]
For more information on McCain’s out-of-touch record on women’s health and the “kNOw McCain” campaign, please visit www.plannedparenthoodaction.org.
Lancaster Healthcare Conference on September 18
From Progressives for Pennsylvania:
PRESTIGIOUS PANEL HEADS IMPORTANT HEALTHCARE CONFERENCE IN LANCASTER SEPTEMBER 18
Support Mounts for Single-Payer Legislation in Pennsylvania
LANCASTER, PA—Progressives for Pennsylvania (P4P), a locally-based activist group and vocal advocate for healthcare reform, is sponsoring its second regional healthcare conference, this time focusing on the single-payer, universal coverage option offered by House Bill 1660 and Senate Bill 300, now pending in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Entitled “Single-Payer, GUARANTEED HEALTHCARE for All: A Mainstream Solution!,” the conference will be held on Thursday, September 18, 2008, at the Roschel Performing Arts Center of Franklin & Marshall College, 628 College Avenue, Lancaster, from 7 pm to 9:30 pm. The public is welcome and admission is free.
A stellar panel of experts representing a true cross section of policy makers and opinion leaders will clarify the oft-misunderstood or misused concepts of “single-payer” and “universal” as applied to healthcare coverage. A question-and-answer period will follow the formal presentations.
In addition to former Philadelphia Health Commissioner and nationally recognized healthcare consultant Dr. Walter Tsou, the panel members represent groups as varied as the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, Pennsylvania nurses, Pennsylvania medical students, Pennsylvania doctors, the Pennsylvania League of Women voters, award-winning journalists, business leaders, union leaders, and educators. A complete list of panelists and their credentials is posted on the Progressives for Pennsylvania website at www..progressives4pennsylvania.com.
SB 300 and HB 1660, known collectively as "FAMILY AND BUSINESS HEALTHCARE SECURITY ACT," were introduced in their respective legislative bodies by State Senator Jim Ferlo and State Representative Kathy M. Manderino to address the growing crisis in Pennsylvania. Statistics from various sources estimate as many as 4 million are uninsured and underinsured, or about one third of the Commonwealth’s population.
“This legislation, if passed, would make Pennsylvania the first state in the nation to enact truly universal, comprehensive healthcare for all, and it would pay its own way in the process,” says Progressives for Pennsylvania leader Jerry Policoff, “And it would cost less than Pennsylvania taxpayers and businesses are currently spending on health-related expenses.”
Both Ferlo and Mandarino will be at the conference to discuss specifics of the bills and what sets them apart from competing bills proposed by Governor Rendell and other legislators.
Co-sponsors of the conference are American Medical Students Association (AMSA); American Patients United; HealthcareforALLPA.org; Lancaster Coalition for Peace and Justice (LCPJ); League of Women Voters Pennsylvania; Progressive Democrats of America: Healthcare Not Warfare Campaign; Pennsylvania Council of Churches; The Local Economy Center at Franklin & Marshall College; Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP); Physicians for a National Healthcare Program (PNHP); Pennsylvanians United for Singlepayer Healthcare (PUSH)
“At a forum P4P held last year, Governor Ed Rendell pledged to sign this legislation if it reached his desk, a pledge he had made before and has reiterated since,” said Policoff.
“This is an idea whose time has come, and it is gaining momentum and growing mainstream support every day”.
PRESTIGIOUS PANEL HEADS IMPORTANT HEALTHCARE CONFERENCE IN LANCASTER SEPTEMBER 18
Support Mounts for Single-Payer Legislation in Pennsylvania
LANCASTER, PA—Progressives for Pennsylvania (P4P), a locally-based activist group and vocal advocate for healthcare reform, is sponsoring its second regional healthcare conference, this time focusing on the single-payer, universal coverage option offered by House Bill 1660 and Senate Bill 300, now pending in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Entitled “Single-Payer, GUARANTEED HEALTHCARE for All: A Mainstream Solution!,” the conference will be held on Thursday, September 18, 2008, at the Roschel Performing Arts Center of Franklin & Marshall College, 628 College Avenue, Lancaster, from 7 pm to 9:30 pm. The public is welcome and admission is free.
A stellar panel of experts representing a true cross section of policy makers and opinion leaders will clarify the oft-misunderstood or misused concepts of “single-payer” and “universal” as applied to healthcare coverage. A question-and-answer period will follow the formal presentations.
In addition to former Philadelphia Health Commissioner and nationally recognized healthcare consultant Dr. Walter Tsou, the panel members represent groups as varied as the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, Pennsylvania nurses, Pennsylvania medical students, Pennsylvania doctors, the Pennsylvania League of Women voters, award-winning journalists, business leaders, union leaders, and educators. A complete list of panelists and their credentials is posted on the Progressives for Pennsylvania website at www..progressives4pennsylvania.com.
SB 300 and HB 1660, known collectively as "FAMILY AND BUSINESS HEALTHCARE SECURITY ACT," were introduced in their respective legislative bodies by State Senator Jim Ferlo and State Representative Kathy M. Manderino to address the growing crisis in Pennsylvania. Statistics from various sources estimate as many as 4 million are uninsured and underinsured, or about one third of the Commonwealth’s population.
“This legislation, if passed, would make Pennsylvania the first state in the nation to enact truly universal, comprehensive healthcare for all, and it would pay its own way in the process,” says Progressives for Pennsylvania leader Jerry Policoff, “And it would cost less than Pennsylvania taxpayers and businesses are currently spending on health-related expenses.”
Both Ferlo and Mandarino will be at the conference to discuss specifics of the bills and what sets them apart from competing bills proposed by Governor Rendell and other legislators.
Co-sponsors of the conference are American Medical Students Association (AMSA); American Patients United; HealthcareforALLPA.org; Lancaster Coalition for Peace and Justice (LCPJ); League of Women Voters Pennsylvania; Progressive Democrats of America: Healthcare Not Warfare Campaign; Pennsylvania Council of Churches; The Local Economy Center at Franklin & Marshall College; Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP); Physicians for a National Healthcare Program (PNHP); Pennsylvanians United for Singlepayer Healthcare (PUSH)
“At a forum P4P held last year, Governor Ed Rendell pledged to sign this legislation if it reached his desk, a pledge he had made before and has reiterated since,” said Policoff.
“This is an idea whose time has come, and it is gaining momentum and growing mainstream support every day”.
How are progressive organizations responding to Palin? Change to Win
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following is a statement from Change to Win chair Anna Burger regarding presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain’s announcement today of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate for the 2008 election.
"Even though it is John McCain's 72nd birthday, it looks like Barack Obama and Joe Biden got the best gift with McCain's choice of Sarah Palin to be McCain's running mate. In an election McCain claims is about experience and security, he picks someone who barely has the equivalent of a learner's permit in elected office, let alone foreign affairs. She has served well under two years as governor, and her prior experience as a mayor of a town with 9,000 people does not qualify her to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
“America's working families want change. They want leaders with a proven record of standing up for better wages, health care for all, retirement security, fair trade deals that value jobs here at home, and for rebuilding our middle class through green jobs that pay a living wage. They want the chance to better themselves through union representation without facing illegal employer harassment.
“Governor Palin's lack of experience and thin record give us no choice but to return to the clear facts; that John McCain has a long and terrible record of failing America's workers. McCain's record is a train wreck for families who want a shot at the American Dream, and this choice, his first as a presidential candidate, shows a serious lack of judgment and understanding about what this election is about.
“That's why Change to Win members are so excited about the Obama-Biden ticket. We're in our sixth month of backing a candidate who has the vision and leadership to make real change for all of America's working families. Obama had the wisdom to pick a partner with over 30 years of experience in foreign affairs, and who has always stood on the side of workers in the fight for good jobs, retirement with dignity, and the opportunity to leave a better life for their children. That is why we are proud and excited to continue to knock on thousands of doors, visit thousands of worksites, and make millions of phone calls to educate our members and turn out an historic vote this November.”
** Note: Media representatives interested in scheduling an interview to discuss Change to Win’s political program should contact Noreen Nielsen at Noreen.nielsen@changetowin.org.**
# # #
About Change to WinChange to Win is a six million member partnership of seven unions founded in 2005 to represent workers in the industries and occupations of the 21st century economy. Change to Win committed to restoring the American Dream for a new generation of workers – wages that can support a family, affordable health care, a secure retirement, and the opportunity for the future. The seven affiliated unions are: Service Employees International Union, UNITE HERE, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Laborers' International Union of North America, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and United Farm Workers of America.
How are progressive organizations responding to Palin? United Steelworkers of America
USW International President Leo W. Gerard commented today on John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate, saying, "It is important to realize that while the governor's husband is a member of a union, this does not automatically qualify her for an on-the-job training program to become a heartbeat away from the presidency. And while her husband is one of 850,000 dues-paying members of the steelworkers union, it does nothing to absolve Sen. McCain of his long history of anti-union sentiment and anti-worker actions, including continuously pushing an anti-working family agenda."
Read more of the statement here.
Read more of the statement here.
How are progressive organizations responding to Palin? Sierra Club
McCain VP Pick Completes Shift to Bush Energy Policy
Washington, DC: Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope issues the following statement in reaction to Senator McCain's pick of Governor Sarah Palin for Vice President:
"With the pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for his running mate, John McCain's race towards the Bush administration's failed energy policy is now complete."
"John McCain was once willing to stand up to his own party, but now that he is running for President, he supports the same Bush policies and powerful special interests that put us in the grip of the oil companies. One of the last remaining independent policies putting him at odds with Bush was his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, yet he has now picked a running mate who has opposed holding Big Oil accountable and been dismissive of alternative energy while focusing her work on more oil drilling in a wildlife refuge and off of our coasts."
"Palin herself told Roll Call earlier this week, 'When I look every day, the big oil company's building is right out there next to me, and it's quite a reminder that we should have mutually beneficial relationships with the oil industry.'" (Roll Call, 8/25/08)
"No one is closer to the the oil industry than Governo Palin. Along with her support for drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge and off our coasts, she also opposes a windfall profit tax on the richest oil companies. Under her leadership, Alaska has sued the federal governent for considering listing the Polar Bear as a threatened species even though global warming threatens its very existence.
She has been dismissive of alternative energy, saying "alternative-energy solutions are far from imminent and would require more than 10 years to develop" (The Post and Courier Charleston, SC, 8/16/08), when in reality it is the oil she would like to drill that would take a decade to bring to market."
"Senator McCain has lost any chance of having a balanced or moderate ticket with this choice and has instead opted for the same, business-as-usual reliance on the outdated oil companies that has been the hallmark of the Bush-Cheney administration. On the third anniversay of the hurricane that knocked loose oil rigs and spilled millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf Coast that is bracing for another hit, McCain is sending a terribly indifferent message by selecting a candidate who only repeats Big Oil's talking points."
"Senators Obama and Biden share the common goals of putting America back to work by building a balanced clean energy economy, taking on Big Oil and meeting the challenge of global warming. Under their leadership, our economy can become stronger, and our world cleaner and safer."
Paid for by the Sierra Club Political Committee, http://www.sierraclub.org/, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
How are progressive organizations responding to Palin? Campaign Money Watch
http://www.campaignmoney.org/pressroom/2008/08/29/mccain-palin-pick
Palin Pick Underscores McCain's Loss of Maverick Reformer Credentials
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Washington, D.C. – Campaign Money Watch, a nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog, released the following statement today from its director, David Donnelly, regarding Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) selection of Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) to be his vice presidential running mate:"In choosing Governor Palin, Senator McCain is clearly trying to shore up his past maverick reformer image – an image that is now in tatters due to the type of campaign he's run and the big money lobbyists he depends on every day of the week," Donnelly said.
"This selection raises plenty of questions," Donnelly continued. "She bills herself as a reformer, but has been silent on whether she supports public financing of elections in her own state. As governor of an oil-producing state, she's been a friend to Big Oil. Given John McCain's extensive fundraising from Big Oil, her selection raises concerns of whether the McCain-Palin ticket will promise the same access for oil companies and their lobbyists that we've seen for nearly eight years from the Bush-Cheney administration."
Gov. Palin recently told a reporter, "When I look every day, the big oil company's building is right out there next to me, and it's quite a reminder that we should have mutually beneficial relationships with the oil industry."
For John McCain, that mutually beneficial relationship includes millions in campaign donations.
Campaign Money Watch is a project of the nonpartisan Public Campaign Action Fund. The organization works to hold politicians who are against comprehensive campaign finance reform accountable for where they get their political donations.
Palin Pick Underscores McCain's Loss of Maverick Reformer Credentials
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Washington, D.C. – Campaign Money Watch, a nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog, released the following statement today from its director, David Donnelly, regarding Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) selection of Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) to be his vice presidential running mate:"In choosing Governor Palin, Senator McCain is clearly trying to shore up his past maverick reformer image – an image that is now in tatters due to the type of campaign he's run and the big money lobbyists he depends on every day of the week," Donnelly said.
"This selection raises plenty of questions," Donnelly continued. "She bills herself as a reformer, but has been silent on whether she supports public financing of elections in her own state. As governor of an oil-producing state, she's been a friend to Big Oil. Given John McCain's extensive fundraising from Big Oil, her selection raises concerns of whether the McCain-Palin ticket will promise the same access for oil companies and their lobbyists that we've seen for nearly eight years from the Bush-Cheney administration."
Gov. Palin recently told a reporter, "When I look every day, the big oil company's building is right out there next to me, and it's quite a reminder that we should have mutually beneficial relationships with the oil industry."
For John McCain, that mutually beneficial relationship includes millions in campaign donations.
Campaign Money Watch is a project of the nonpartisan Public Campaign Action Fund. The organization works to hold politicians who are against comprehensive campaign finance reform accountable for where they get their political donations.
How are progressive organizations responding to Palin? League of Conservation Voters
Choice of Palin Promises Failed Energy Policies of the Past
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The League of Conservation Voters (LCV), which works to turn environmental values into national priorities, today expressed its deep disappointment with John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate.
“Unfortunately, with her support for drilling in the Arctic Refuge and off our coasts, Governor Palin will simply continue the failed policies of the Bush-Cheney Administration and their Big Oil friends – policies that could make us even more dependent on foreign oil," LCV President Gene Karpinski said.
Governor Palin characterizes McCain’s flip-flop on drilling offshore as a positive step in his transformation from maverick to Big Oil's best friend.
She has implored McCain to change his position against drilling in the Arctic – something she will have plenty of opportunities to pursue as his running mate.
In addition to supporting backward-looking energy policies, Governor Palin has also opposed a crucial clean water initiative, sued the federal government for listing polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and opposed other important wildlife protection measures.
This ticket now stands in even starker contrast to the visionary energy plan laid out by Senator Obama last night, which will create millions of new jobs, improve our national security, and reduce global warming pollution.
“Now more than ever, America is in need of real vision and leadership to bring us a new clean energy future, and the McCain-Palin ticket offers nothing of the sort.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The League of Conservation Voters (LCV), which works to turn environmental values into national priorities, today expressed its deep disappointment with John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate.
“Unfortunately, with her support for drilling in the Arctic Refuge and off our coasts, Governor Palin will simply continue the failed policies of the Bush-Cheney Administration and their Big Oil friends – policies that could make us even more dependent on foreign oil," LCV President Gene Karpinski said.
Governor Palin characterizes McCain’s flip-flop on drilling offshore as a positive step in his transformation from maverick to Big Oil's best friend.
She has implored McCain to change his position against drilling in the Arctic – something she will have plenty of opportunities to pursue as his running mate.
In addition to supporting backward-looking energy policies, Governor Palin has also opposed a crucial clean water initiative, sued the federal government for listing polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and opposed other important wildlife protection measures.
This ticket now stands in even starker contrast to the visionary energy plan laid out by Senator Obama last night, which will create millions of new jobs, improve our national security, and reduce global warming pollution.
“Now more than ever, America is in need of real vision and leadership to bring us a new clean energy future, and the McCain-Palin ticket offers nothing of the sort.”
How are progressive organizations responding to Palin? NARAL
I’m heading home from Denver and my ears are still ringing from the roar of the crowd that celebrated this amazing moment in Mile-High Stadium. Sen. Barack Obama is the leader our country needs right now - and I can’t wait to get home to start the final leg of our fight to put him into the White House.
And now we know what we’re up against, with Sen. John McCain’s announcement moments ago that anti-choice Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is his pick for vice president.
By picking Palin, we now risk having two anti-choice extremists who will push a rigid anti-choice agenda. Any remaining doubts about McCain’s extreme anti-choice position should be put to rest when voters learn about the combined anti-choice records of Palin and McCain.
Speak out for the future of a woman’s right to choose by making a donation to NARAL Pro-Choice America to help elect Sen. Obama.
We must reach hundreds of thousands of Independent and Republican pro-choice women in suburban and exurban swing districts this fall - and we need your help to do it.
Palin is not just anti-choice, she’s opposed to abortion, even in cases of rape or incest. [Juneau Empire, “Abortion Draws Clear Divide in State Races,” accessed 8/29/08 and Anchorage Daily News, “Governor’s Race: Top contenders meet one last time to debate,” 11/03/06.] Palin is also a member of the anti-choice group Feminists for Life.
We can’t let McCain-Palin continue George Bush’s rigid and extreme anti-choice legacy.
Help defeat John McCain and Sarah Palin, and help NARAL Pro-Choice America protect choice at every level. Donate today.
Thank you for everything that you do.
My best,
Nancy KeenanPresident, NARAL Pro-Choice America
And now we know what we’re up against, with Sen. John McCain’s announcement moments ago that anti-choice Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is his pick for vice president.
By picking Palin, we now risk having two anti-choice extremists who will push a rigid anti-choice agenda. Any remaining doubts about McCain’s extreme anti-choice position should be put to rest when voters learn about the combined anti-choice records of Palin and McCain.
Speak out for the future of a woman’s right to choose by making a donation to NARAL Pro-Choice America to help elect Sen. Obama.
We must reach hundreds of thousands of Independent and Republican pro-choice women in suburban and exurban swing districts this fall - and we need your help to do it.
Palin is not just anti-choice, she’s opposed to abortion, even in cases of rape or incest. [Juneau Empire, “Abortion Draws Clear Divide in State Races,” accessed 8/29/08 and Anchorage Daily News, “Governor’s Race: Top contenders meet one last time to debate,” 11/03/06.] Palin is also a member of the anti-choice group Feminists for Life.
We can’t let McCain-Palin continue George Bush’s rigid and extreme anti-choice legacy.
Help defeat John McCain and Sarah Palin, and help NARAL Pro-Choice America protect choice at every level. Donate today.
Thank you for everything that you do.
My best,
Nancy KeenanPresident, NARAL Pro-Choice America
How are progressive organizations responding to Palin? Planned Parenthood
Yesterday morning, on my way back from the high of the Democratic National Convention, I learned that Sen. John McCain chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential pick. What might have been encouraging news for women was just the opposite — somehow McCain had managed to find a woman running mate even more conservative than he is on women's rights.
It was heartbreaking news, especially on the heels of such an inspiring week. Right now there is so much shameless rhetoric from the Republicans about breaking the glass ceiling, especially from McCain and his running mate.
What good does it do to break a glass ceiling with a woman who wants government to control women's reproductive health? That isn't the world I want for my two daughters. A day later, and I'm still having trouble expressing the depth of my anger about McCain's choice of a running mate.
This shameless pandering to women — with a woman who doesn't trust other women to make their own decisions about childbearing — has really got me going.
My dear friends and supporters, the stakes in this election just got unbelievably higher. More than ever before, the November 4 election is the most important vote for women's rights of my generation. And our actions in the next eight weeks — yours, mine, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund's — have never been more critical.
Believe me, I don't say that lightly. It's time to get to work — and hard. If you can only do one thing, it should be to tell every woman you meet that McCain and Palin are the most anti-choice, anti-women pair imaginable.
Don't stop at just telling your friends. You can bet that I'll be telling strangers in the checkout line at the grocery store, the women I see at the gym, parents at my kids' schools. Women trust other women to tell them the straight truth — and the straight truth is that McCain and Palin would take us back to a time when women had absolutely no right to decide whether or not to have a child ... zero. It's been widely reported that Palin is against abortion even in the cases of rape and incest!
And, yes, money helps us too — very much. That's how this all works. Your donations help the Planned Parenthood Action Fund reach voters person to person — conversations with one million women that tell the truth about John McCain and Sarah Palin.
Bear with us over the next two months. We're going to be asking for your help, your contributions and your time a lot. Thank you in advance for doing what you can, when you can.
Times like these, it's hard not to hear my mother's voice in my head. I can tell you that my mother, the former governor of Texas and a remarkable feminist leader of her time, would have been downright outraged right now. What would have offended her most about McCain's decision to put Sarah Palin on the ticket is how utterly calculated, how awfully pandering it is to women. It is the worst kind of politics. Mom would have said, "Women voting for this ticket is just like chickens voting for Colonel Sanders."
We have the opportunity in Barack Obama and Joe Biden to elect a team that have always stood strong with us for women's health — end of story. I'm so excited coming back from Denver — but with this decision by John McCain, I recognize that everything for us is at stake.
Thank you, as always, for standing up with the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the women Planned Parenthood health centers serve. We are quite a force, aren't we?
Cecile Richards, PresidentPlanned Parenthood Action Fund
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Free Speech at the DNC
The "Free Speech Zone" at the DNC is reminiscent of the "Free Speech Zone" at the Beijing Olympics. Funny, I thought the Free Speech Zone was called the United States of America. The City of Denver's Free Speech Zone is not viewable by the delegates, unless they make a special trip. It also has no shade, no water and no rest rooms.
Barack "O-Bomb-A"
Last night, after the convention, I went to the Union Station parking lot to get my car, but I was stopped by the Denver Police. They said there was a suspicious package. I went back to the Big Tent to wait until they cleared the lot. Moments later there was an explosion, prompting us to all run outside to see what happened. The police had exploded the suspicious package:
It turned out to be a case of flyers for an independent group supporting Democrats for Congress:
New Healthcare figures from Census Bureau
While we're on the topic, the new healthcare figures from the Census Bureau are available here:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthins/hlthin07/hlthtables07.html
Released on 8/26/08
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthins/hlthin07/hlthtables07.html
Released on 8/26/08
Harry and Louise Return to Promote Healthcare for All
Harry and Louise are back; this time to promote full quality helath coverage for eveyone. In 1993, Harry and Louise wer the fictional characters created by the insurance industry to scare Americans away from the clinton healthcare plan. While the Clinton plan left a lot to be desired, the Harry and Louise-inspired backlash helped Newt Gingrich and the Republicans take over Congress in 1994. Those events are the prime reason why politicians have been reluctant to support quality, affordable healthcare for all until now. Here's to a new Harry and Louise inspired backlash; this time against anyone refusing to back healthcare for all Americans.
In case you've forgotten (or were too young) here's the insurance industry's original Harry and Louise ad:
http://www.familiesusa.org/
In case you've forgotten (or were too young) here's the insurance industry's original Harry and Louise ad:
http://www.familiesusa.org/
SEIU and Families USA Hold Healthcare Forum at DNC
Healthcare is the topic of the week at the DNC and events throughout Denver. Every time a speaker mentions health care coverage for all Americans, the crowd erupts in approval. It's pretty obvious that the activists who make up the crowds want to make this topic number one.
I've counted at least a dozen separate events, all of them advocating for universal coverage. Some of the events are advocating for single payer as the only solution, but the vast majority of the events are for a starategy that calls for universal coverage without specifying what that means.
The SEIU/Families USA event was a star-studded affair that included Senator Clinton, Tom Daschle, Speaker Pelosi, Governor Ed Rendell and many other elected officials.
Ron Pollack, the executive director of Families USA provided us with the most recent statistics on healthcare which were just released on tuesday. The new number of uninsured according to the US Census Bureau is 45.7 million in 2007, which is down slightly from 2006. That number is still the equivalent of the total population of 24 states plus DC. The drop in uninsured is a little deceptive, though, according to Poolack. Emlpoyer provided health coverage dropped to 59.3% in the same period.
So why are there fewer uninsured? More government provided health coverage. From 2006 to 2007 there were 1.3 million more enrolled in CHIP and Medicaid, 1 million more in Medicare and more people covered by military health care. together, there were over 2.7 million more covered by governmental programs in 2007.
And one needs to remember that in 2000 there were 38.4 million uninsured according to the Census Bureau.
All of the speakers encouraged the attendees to support Obama for president and to work for Democratic majorities in Congress and the Statehouses. They also urged the activists to stay engaged after the election. As Rep. John Dingell put is, "The number of our opponents has decreased, but their viciousness has intensified."
Kansas Governor Kathleen sibelius reminded the audience that the 16 cents of every helathcare dollar goes to paying for the uninsured and an additional 33 cents goes to paperwork.
The best line of the day was delivered by 13 year old Graham Frost from Baltimore. You may remember Graham from last year's S-CHIP debates. Graham gave a Staurday Morning Democratic radio message, talking about his familiy's healthcare problems following a near-fatal car crash involving him and his sister. Both suffered Traumatic Brain Injuries so severe that both he and his sister had to learn to walk, talk and eat. Graham said that if it were not for CHIP, he wouldn't be in Denver today.
He closed by saying, "If someone needs healthcare, like me and my sister did, they should get it. Not as a privilege, but as a right."
More photos, click here
SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania
Families USA
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