From: "Pierce, Crispin H." <PIERCECH@uwec.edu> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:43:07 -0500 Subject: RE: Health Care Mobilization: October 15th - And Beyond Message-ID: <4F19260FE7477F4DA03B00B62E7F6390785A72135C@CHERRYPEPSI.uwec.edu>
Dear Karen and SFPJ:
Yes, Ron, Russ, and Herb know my name well:) I strongly believe that socia
l justice is tied to universal access to good health care. Now is the time
to let our legislators know what we need in health care reform, and I have
personally called and sent email to 100 legislators, focused on those who
are crucial in the health care reform debate.
Here is contact information for all congressmen and congresswomen: http://w
ww.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
Best,
Crispin
-----Original Message-----
From: sfpj-request@listserve.uwec.edu [mailto: [mailto:sfpj-request@listserve.uwec.e
du] On Behalf Of Pope, Karen O.
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 11:38 AM
To: SFPJ
Subject: FW: Health Care Mobilization: October 15th - And Beyond
SFPJ:
I thought this was worth sharing/reading and following up on. Ron Kind, as
my US rep, has heard from me consistently; hope he also knows you by name
. . . .
Thanks,
Karen
popekj@uwec.edu
cell 715 529 0272
________________________________
From: Campaign for Fresh Air and Clean Politics [From: Campaign for Fresh Air and Clean Politics [action@freshaircleanpoliti
cs.net]
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 2:32 PM
To: Pope, Karen O.
Subject: Health Care Mobilization: October 15th - And Beyond
Dear Karen,
As the vote on health care reform works its way through Congress, the insur
ance industry is doing its best to weaken already too weak bills. In fact,
the bills Congress is considering will give the insurance industry hundreds
of billions in new annual revenue by forcing Americans to buy their overpr
iced insurance. But, even with this massive giveaway the insurance industry
is twisting the screws to squeeze every bit of profit out of "reform," con
sistently putting profits before patients.
Prosperity Agenda has been urging a different approach, the most popular re
form among Americans, a single payer national health care system - improved
Medicare for all. We've protested in Congress, written letters, emails, fa
xes and called. We are not giving up. Our Mobilization for Health Care is g
oing national in two days and is already catching fire.
When we launched the campaign we sought 100 people willing to risk arrest i
n protests of the insurance industry, already 700 have signed up. We hoped
for 3 to 4 cities by this stage, now "Patients Not Profit" sit-ins will be
happening in at least 9 cities across the country this Thursday! There is a
hunger in America for a vision like this. The incredible response of peopl
e has left no doubt - people want to end insurance company abuse. Click her
e<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=eIoB%2FQKGoZST
VImeqRFN3hCExEu6HSdA> for the list of cities where mobilizations will occur
on Thursday, and there will be even more on the next day of action, Octobe
r 28th (coincidentally, my birthday!). If you have not signed up to partici
pate, please visit www.MobilizeForHealthCare.org<http://salsa.democracyinac
tion.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2FzzWKU9Ft42H1tuLIgI7lxCExEu6HSdA> and do
so now.
The Congressional leadership took single payer off the table, but we pushed
and now we have two important single payer votes before the full House of
Representatives. First, this week Rep. Anthony Weiner will be introducing a
n amendment on the House Floor to replace the current bill with a single pa
yer system. Second, Rep. Dennis Kucinich's amendment, making it easier for
state's to pass single payer, will also be voted on in the House. Please cl
ick here<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Tyb8NlP
gy3CgIv6vm9tZthCExEu6HSdA> to write your representative to urge support for
both these amendments and urge the House to not force people to buy overpr
iced insurance.
We do not expect the Weiner Amendment to pass - there have been no hearings
and little public discussion - but it is important that this vote receive
as high a vote total as possible. Similarly, the Kucinich Amendment faces a
challenge to pass with the insurance corporations working hard to defeat i
t. But, both of these historic, first-ever votes on single payer health car
e give us a chance to see who our allies in Congress are and who are our op
ponents. Push now. Contact your representative<http://salsa.democracyinacti
on.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MHJgTCMBhz%2FleVEkyCdzxhCExEu6HSdA> to suppo
rt these amendments and oppose the requirement forcing Americans to buy ove
rpriced private insurance.
Congress has demonstrated that the multi-payer, private health system canno
t work. The plans pushed by President Obama and the congressional leadershi
p will leave tens of millions without health care and not control costs. In
fact, the insurance industry issued a report this week that said insurance
costs will rise by 111% by 2019 under the reform bill to $25,900 for the a
verage family and $9,700 for the average individual.
Since Congress failed to solve America's health problem, we are also workin
g at the state level. Several states are near passage of single payer syste
ms. When Canada created its national health system it first passed in one p
rovince. After it worked there it became national policy. There's a bi-part
isan bill working its way through the Pennsylvania legislature right now, a
nd Prosperity Agenda is already working to help pass it. Join me on October
20 in Pennsylvania's capitol rotunda in Harrisburg for the Healthcare4allP
A Rally<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=VCBz%2F8
6EHo8ZWQSFHMCnYBCExEu6HSdA>. We're urging everyone in surrounding states to
attend so Pennsylvania can create a model for the rest of the country to f
ollow.
Other states - California, Illinois, Massachusetts and Ohio - are also clos
e to passage of a single payer system that rids the nation of the scourge o
f private insurance.
This year has seen tremendous growth in the vitality of the Medicare for Al
l movement. On October 15th the Mobilization for Health Care<http://salsa.d
emocracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=nb18MM7AExYJipKC9zR%2B1xCExEu6
HSdA> will demonstrate a new political force in the American landscape - Am
ericans fed up with the real death panels, the insurance industry who are s
eeking to end their abuse once and for all. Join us<http://salsa.democracyi
naction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=05EdhMUHFBvYSwxM5HMNfRCExEu6HSdA> in se
eking a health care system that guarantees the right to health care for all
. The status quo cannot continue, and current reform proposals simply will
not solve the problem. Sign up to join us on the national days of action th
is Thursday and on October 28th.<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/tra
ck.jsp?v=2&c=jZ4fgQH3XLS0c148wjwH4xCExEu6HSdA>
Thank you to all who have donated<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/tr
ack.jsp?v=2&c=jCw5im6iyZe0of75cs8o2RCExEu6HSdA> so far - we could not d
o this without you! If you can make a donation to help build this campaign,
please donate now<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c
=ep2SGbIDlLD8nq2bFyioxhCExEu6HSdA>.
Sincerely,
Kevin Zeese
Executive Director
Prosperity Agenda
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