Tell President Obama to start from scratch and put single payer on the table!
Here's an Open Letter to President Obama on Health Care Reform From Margaret Flowers, MD
January 28, 2010 by Healthcare-NOW!
Dear President Obama,
I was overjoyed to hear you say in your State of the Union address last night:
“But if anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know.”
My colleagues, fellow health advocates and I have been trying to meet with you for over a year now because we have an approach which will meet all of your goals and more.
I am a pediatrician who, like many of my primary care colleagues, left practice because it is nearly impossible to deliver high quality health care in this environment. I have been volunteering for Physicians for a National Health Program ever since. For over a year now, I have been working with the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care/ National Single Payer Alliance. This alliance represents over 20 million people nationwide from doctors to nurses to labor, faith and community groups who advocate on behalf of the majority of Americans, including doctors, who favor a national Medicare for All health system.
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( 3.2 / 12 )When Shahram Hashemi, a university student from Iran, saw an airplane fly into the second World Trade Center building on 9-11, he immediately took action. As many ran away from the wreckage, he ran towards it, joining a group of civilian volunteers to extinguish fires and clear rubble for the search and rescue teams.
That day, Shahram helped save over a dozen lives - while here in America on a student visa.
Shahram is one of the many Iranians who have contributed to American society, but Rep. Gresham Barrett has chosen to ignore that.
more
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( 3 / 10 )Single-Payer's Last Stand?
By Greg Kaufmann
January 1, 2010
Published by The Nation.
The Progressive Caucus (CPC) is the largest caucus in Congress with 82 members—it dwarfs the often-hyped Blue Dog Democrats with its 52 yapping pups.
Yet the CPC has struggled to get the respect and attention it has strived for—prior to this Congress, it seemed like the mainstream media wouldn't even refer to it by name, instead using vague descriptions like "the liberal wing of the party."
That's because getting the talented but diverse Caucus to unite and show its legislative muscle has often been described—even by its own members—as herding cats.
This might be the moment for the Caucus to change all that in dramatic fashion.
Read More...
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( 2.9 / 16 )obituary
I hope death brought him peace. He brought happiness to others in a million ways, but had trouble finding happiness in his own life. Nonetheless, there are so many happy memories I will treasure.
Dancing with Michael was a dream, especially his signature "one step" that glided across the floor with complete freedom.
He took the time and thought to have real conversations every time, not settling for pleasantries.
He organized many social events that brought people together.
He introduced people to the joys of dancing and canoeing. He took the time and effort to learn his students' names.
He was a master gingerbread architect.
He had a fine, strong voice for Christmas carols.
He was a great cook.
He made lovely flower arrangements.
He always stopped to pet dogs (with the owner's permission, of course).
He gave his time, talent, and heart to serving others, criss-crossing the country to volunteer for people in need, including the victims of the 2007 wildfires here in San Diego.
No one who knew him will ever forget him.
More pictures
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( 2.8 / 19 )On Thursday, I read something that made me ashamed to be a Kucinich supporter: From Congressmen Dennis Kucinich and John Conyers
My disappointment soon extended to Rep. Anthony Weiner, not to mention Speaker Pelosi: NEWS: REP. WEINER WITHDRAWS SINGLE PAYER AMENDMENT FROM CURRENT HEALTH CARE DEBATE
Despite the clear superiority of the single-payer system, single-payer was taken off the table by the White House, ignored or maligned by the corporate media, silenced by Congressional leadership, and now, surrendered by its erstwhile champions in the Congress. The American people have been betrayed by all of our elected officials. We're on our own. We'll be okay as long as we never get sick. Cross your fingers.
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( 3 / 22 )See my post on the Repower America wall, and add your own!
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( 3.1 / 21 )November 3, 2009, Congressman Dennis Kucinich addresses H.RES. 867 on the House Floor. H.RES. 867 condemns the UN Goldstone Gaza Fact Finding Mission Report.
Congressman Kucinich stated:
"Today we journey from Operation Cast Lead to Operation Cast Doubt. Almost as serious as committing war crimes is covering up war crimes, pretending that war crimes were never committed and did not exist."
"Because behind every such deception is the nullification of humanity, the destruction of human dignity, the annihilation of the human spirit, the triumph of Orwellian thinking, the eternal prison of the dark heart of the totalitarian."
"The resolution before us today, which would reject all attempts of the Goldstone Report to fix responsibility of all parties to war crimes, including both Hamas and Israel, may as well be called the "Down is Up, Night is Day, Wrong is Right: resolution."
Read More...
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( 2.6 / 9 )Interesting blog post:
http://healthcare.change.org/blog/view/ ... eform_bill
My message to House leadership:
The American people deserve a vote on the Weiner Amendment. We were promised a debate on single payer, and we are still waiting. What's more, it is absolutely critical that the Kucinich amendment is included in H.R. 3962. States must have the right to enact state single payer systems. The single payer system in Canada was developed one province at a time, and one state at a time may be the best way to get a single payer system here. Single payer is the only true solution to our health care crisis. California has already passed single payer legislation, only to have it vetoed. National health reform legislation must not block our way to try again.
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( 2.8 / 9 )http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax5QzDrS ... r_embedded
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( 3 / 13 )Dear Senator Feinstein,
I got your response to my previous message about single payer. You stated that many people want to keep their employer-based coverage and therefore you can't support single payer. The problem is that the employer-based system does not really allow people to keep the coverage they have. Their employer can change their insurance plan at any time and there's nothing the employee can do about it. Or they could lose their job, and they're completely out of luck. Preserving the employer-based system is not a benefit. I have my insurance through my employer and while there are some good things about it, I am confident that the government can do much better with a single payer system. Please do not dismiss single payer! Please, please, please, show leadership here and vote for the single-payer system that will truly solve our problems, not something considered politically safe by the corporate-controlled media and the lobbyists.
I'm counting on you to reconsider and do the right thing.
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