David e. Delk,  Alliance for Democracy – Portland Chapter 503 232 5495 www.afd-pdx.org

About Us  Become a member  Find a chapter  Read Justice Rising, our quarterly journal   Urgent: Read and take action! October 29, 2009 Please forward widely! Dear David ,Today, House leadership introduced its healthcare bill–and they threw us under the bus. No Kucinich Amendment. This amendment would have eliminated a legal hurdle that currently can be used to prevent states from creating their own single payer systems. But this amendment is nowhere in the final bill. And now the Weiner Amendment may never come to the floor for a vote, despite Nancy Pelosi’s July promise. But there’s one last chance to fight back for both the Kucinich and Weiner Amendments. For the Kucinich Amendment, House leaders can call for a “Manager’s Amendment” even when a bill–like this health reform bill–is closed to any other amendments. A Manager’s Amendment is a package of individual amendments agreed to by “the managers,” the majority and minority members of the House who manage their side’s debate on a bill. Here are the House members to call, with Washington and district office numbers–demand that the Kucinich Amendment be included in the House bill.  Speaker Nancy Pelosi: Washington, DC, office (202) 225-4965; San Francisco office (415) 556-4862 Majority Leader Steny Hoyer: Washington, DC, office (202) 225-4131; Greenbelt office (301) 474-0119; Waldorf office (301) 843-1577 Rep. Henry Waxman: Washington, DC, office (202) 225-3976; Los Angeles office (323) 651-1040 Rep. Charles Rangel: Washington, DC, office (202) 225-4365; New York office (212) 663-3900 Rep. George Miller: Washington, DC, office (202) 225-2095; Concord office (925) 602-1880; Richmond office (510) 262-6500; Vallejo office (707) 645-1888 And remind Nancy Pelosi to honor her word and allow the Weiner Amendment to go to a floor for debate and vote. We’ve come a long way in this fight, and regardless of what happens in the next few weeks in Washington, it will continue–both on the state level for single payer and across the country as we continue to take back our government from corporate rule. We thank you for taking action and urge you to spread the word to friends, family and fellow activists: Make the call today for a Manager’s Amendment and for a vote on the Weiner Amendment.  As a member or supporter of the Alliance for Democracy, you’ll receive a monthly e-mail newsletter to update you on our work and alert you to ways you can act to support it. We will also send you periodic “Action Alerts” that pertain to our campaigns and those of allied groups. If you’d like to unsubscribe from our e-mail newsletter or the Action Alerts, please reply to this e-mail with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line or click on the link below. Thanks for your ongoing interest and support of the Alliance! The Alliance for Democracy PO Box 540115, Waltham, MA 02454 781-894-1179 * www.thealliancefordemocracy.org Click here to unsubscribe

Also of interest is this story back in April on the fact that “non-profit” Regence Blue Cross CEO Mark is the highest paid healthcare CEO in the state
at close to $900,000. http://www.allbusiness.com/insurance/insurance-policies-claims-insurance/12405107-1.html

David e. Delk, Alliance for Democracy – Portland Chapter 503 232 5495 www.afd-pdx.org

Including the 12 in Portland, 54 people were arrested nationwide.

Regence denies it’s part of problem

Rejected for carpal tunnel

“It’s a positive but I’m concerned with the ageism involved. I’m 44. Next year my premiums are going to go up when I’m 45.”

For an audio version of this story at KBOO.fm click here.

For related articles about Regence click here.

David e. Delk, Alliance for Democracy – Portland Chapter 503 232 5495 www.afd-pdx.org
 

About Us  Become a member  Find a chapter  Read Justice Rising, our quarterly journal Please forward widely! Call the Senate Finance Committee: Public option a step on the road to single payer! The Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote on amendments to add a choice of a public health insurance option to Max Baucus’s bill tomorrow, Tuesday September 29. If your senator serves on the Finance Committee, please call him or her on Tuesday morning and ask for a vote for a public health insurance option.Please take this action even if you are a single payer supporter–as we are! Remember that if a health reform bill gets out of the Senate Finance Committee–the most conservative committee in the more conservative house of Congress–with a public option included, it will show all our legislators that there is strong popular support for health care reform, and help build momentum for single payer. Remind your senator that single-payer is your first choice, too.         Please make the call on Tuesday morning! Senate Finance Committee Democrats MAX BAUCUS, MT JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, WV KENT CONRAD, ND JEFF BINGAMAN, NM JOHN F. KERRY, MA BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, AR RON WYDEN, OR CHARLES E. SCHUMER, NY DEBBIE STABENOW, MI MARIA CANTWELL, WA BILL NELSON, FL ROBERT MENENDEZ, NJ THOMAS CARPER, DE Republicans CHUCK GRASSLEY, IA ORRIN G. HATCH, UT OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, ME JON KYL, AZ JIM BUNNING, KY MIKE CRAPO, ID PAT ROBERTS, KS JOHN ENSIGN, NV MIKE ENZI, WY JOHN CORNYN, TX Go to www.Senate.gov and look up phone numbers of each member or just call 202-224-3121  and ask to be connected to your Senator.

His healthcare speech suggests that he will not.  In his healthcare address to Congress last week, he said that single payer healthcare (which removes the for-profit health insurance companies from their all powerful position) would not be considered and he said that he supports forcing all Americans to buy insurance. A token few, maybe 5% by his estimate, could use the public option.
 
Note that then a day or so later House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate leader Harry Reid said that they were no longer tied to a public option at all.  It was no longer a deal breaker.  Teddy Partridge as well as David Sirota then revealed that on the same day, United Healthcare’s, one of the largest health insurance companies in America, chief lobbyist announced that it would hold a fund raising event for her – $2400 plate for individuals, $5000 plate for PACs.  I am sure there is no connection between the two events. 
 
I am attaching a pdf of the salaries of executives of the major American health insurance companies.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to pay for these bloated CEOs?  Let’s keep calling our representatives and senator to support Rep. Anthony Weiner’s in his attempt to replace all the language of HR3200 with the Conyers bill  (HR676) for Single Payer Healthcare, improved Medicare for All.  Also, while calling, support Rep. Kucinich’s proposal to allow states the right to implement their own single payer plan.  Remember that is how Canada got single payer, one province enacted it and then the rest of the nation followed. 

David e. Delk, Alliance for Democracy – Portland Chapter 503 232 5495 www.afd-pdx.org

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David e. Delk, Alliance for Democracy – Portland Chapter 503 232 5495 www.afd-pdx.org

Forwarded from Unions for Single Payer wtillow@bellsouth.net
August 1, 2009 

Progressive Friends,

 The insurance company lapdogs in Congress that told us single payer national healthcare was off the table are now eating their words!

 Those who have told us that HR 676 – The National Healthcare Act would not come up for a vote this year and that we had to work for a compromise have been proven wrong!

 The trade union leaders that have been hugging the insurance companies and turning their backs on the rank and file workers are now red-faced!

 Today, the progressive Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, led by Congressman Weiner of NY, withdrew their motion to substitute HR 676 for HR 3200 after being promised by Speaker Nancy Pelosi that HR 676 would be introduced, debated, and voted by the full House in September!

 Not since the Voting Rights Act has such a far-reaching piece of social change legislation reached the floor of the House. Progressive Democrats, independents, and liberals must unite in a massive grassroots lobby campaign during the month of August to call, visit, picket, and persuade your Congressperson to vote for HR 676 – the National Single Payer Healthcare Act when Congress reconvenes in September.

 How did this happen when so many, including some trusted leaders, had already thrown in the towel on single payer national health insurance? There is a profound political groundswell underway that is shaking up all political relations and requires us to reassess the potential for radical change.

 The main reason this breakthrough has occurred is the persistent growth and action of the grass-roots movement for single payer healthcare. It is led by Progressive Democrats of America, the California Nurses Association, the Physicians for a National Health Program, the All Unions Committee for Single Payer Healthcare, and Healthcare NOW, along with hundreds of local committees, in coordination with the office of Congressman John Conyers and the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

 This upswell was manifested on July 30th, the national lobby day for single payer healthcare when over a thousand vocal and articulate single payer activists visited their Congresspersons and Senators after a rally at the Capitol.

 The second factor that led to this breakthrough is the tremendous frustration in Congress and among the public with the pace and the character of the effort of the leadership of the Democratic Party and their supporters at the top of the trade unions and the undemocratic mass organizations like MoveOn to forge a compromise with the insurance companies that own most of the Republicans and a large number of Democrats. The people’s fear and loathing of the compromising Democrats and the human-hating Republicans when lives are at stake is rising to a roar of threatening anger.

 Lastly the Republican Party, which has been captured by the far-right anti-Obama, anti-communist, Christian right, neo-nazi fanatics, has taken the position that the best healthcare reform – single payer healthcare – is the greatest liability for the Democratic Party and President Obama. They believe their own propaganda: that single payer healthcare is socialism – communism – government controlled murder- etc. This has lead them to adopt the tactic of supporting the progressive Democrats’ efforts for single payer, in what they believe will be an embarrassment to President Obama and House Democrats. Not surprisingly for this group of reactionaries, this is a serious miscalculation. We can only hope that the Republican cretins do not realize their mistake before the vote in September.

 If they continue this tactic, then HR 676 has a very good chance of passing in the House. This event will destroy the Republican leverage in the Senate. It will lead to a completely different compromise in the reconciliation of the House and Senate bills – a compromise which will be much better for the American people. And this will lead to a tremendous battle to whip 51 Democratic Senators in line to support the reconciled bill.

 Indeed we have been presented with an opportunity to wage a legislative battle that could be the most important battle of our generation. Let us all throw ourselves into an all out effort to leave no task undone to convince, pressure, and threaten our representatives to vote for HR 676 in September. As our brother, British Labor Party member Tony Benn, pointed out in the movie Sicko, national healthcare will free the American people from the oppressive fear of illness and bankruptcy, and allow us to build a more just and democratic society.

 Randy Shannon

 www.beavercountyblue.org

Following is latest e-alert from the national Alliance for Democracy for Single Payer Healthcare.  Note the picture from the Die-in at Rep. Blumenauer’s office to support single Payer healthcare.  Note the single payer is not the same as the Obama/Baucas/Kennedy public option.  If you make this call, be sure to be clear that you feel a public option is a public cop-out, that public option is destined to failure and that we should not be forced to buy insurance in order to have healthcare. Healthcare is a human right, not a profit generating opportunity.

Following that is Press Release from Single Payer Action for rally/protest at Rep. Blumenauer/Howard Dean healthcare town hall on Friday afternoon. Please make the call and show up on Friday.

David e. Delk, Alliance for Democracy – Portland Chapter 503 232 5495 www.afd-pdx.org

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We send this update and ask you to keep up the pressure and the calls.

We are making a difference–60% of Americans favor single payer non-profit universal health care. HR 676 now has the support of 78 House members, and it is endorsed by over 15,000 doctors, 40 state AFL-CIO organizations, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the American Public Health Association.

The House of Representatives will be moving forward with health care reform legislation in the coming weeks. The draft bill is scheduled to be released the week of June 15. From there the bill will go to three House committees: Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means.

Please call the chairmen of these committees and say that “because the majority of Americans, doctors and nurses support a universal single payer health care system, we hope to see a robust debate on single payer health care–with single payer advocates as witnesses–at the hearings in the People’s House.”

Remind each of them that it is was disgraceful to see Senator Baucus arrest doctors and nurses at the Senate Finance Committee roundtables. These individuals were blocked from providing their expert analysis and information on health care reform. It would be outrageous for this to occur in the House of Representatives as well.

Here are the chairmen to call:

• Energy and Commerce Chairman: Rep. Henry Waxman (202) 225-2927
• Education and Labor Chairman: Rep. George Miller (202)-225-3725
• Ways and Means Chairman: Rep. Charles Rangel Phone: (202) 225-3625

In Mid-May, Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), and Donna Edwards (D-MD), along with Michael Lighty and Donna Smith from the California Nurses Association and Tim Carpenter of the Progressive Democrats of America, met with House Democratic Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer. Rep. Hoyer indicated that he was supportive of “robust, deep debate on single payer” in the House during the 111th Congress. Let’s hold him to it!

On June 3, Sen. Baucus finally met with single payer advocates, although he told them he would not be inviting their participation in reform discussions. Read about it here, as well as President Obama’s June 3 letter to Senators Baucus and Kennedy, in which he outlines his coverage and cost-cutting goals for health care reform.

AfD’s team for single payer thanks you for your calls to Congress. In the coming weeks, you–we all–can make a difference in the debate when the House takes up health care reform.

Nancy, Lou, Peter, Ruth W., David D., Rick, Ruth W. and Barbara

Photo by David Delk, AfD Portland demonstrating for Single Payer at Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s NE Portland district office

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For more information contact:

Philip Kauffman at 503.250.0327

Russell Mokhiber at 202.468.8868

Single Payer Action at www.singlepayeraction.org

Single Payer Advocates Hold Protest for Single Payer Healthcare at Howard Dean/Earl Blumenauer Town Hall

At 2:30, on Friday, June 5, 2009, advocates of a single payer healthcare system will hold a protest at the Town Hall on Healthcare, hosted by Howard Dean and Rep. Earl Blumenauer at PCC’s Cascade Campus (705 N. Killingsworth Street, Portland, Oregon.)

Participating in the protest will be advocates from Single Payer Action, Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), Healthcare-NOW!, the Portland Jobs With Justice Healthcare Committee, and members of local labor unions.

Rep. Blumenauer has said a Single Payer system is not politically feasible and Howard Dean has said it should not be “imposed on everybody.”

“We challenge Congressman Blumenauer and Howard Dean to tell us why an option that a majority of Americans and physicians favor is not politically feasible,” said Single Payer Action’s Philip Kauffman.  “Congressman Blumenauer and Dean need to stand up to the insurance industry and not allow them to dictate the debate on healthcare.  A single payer system will save tens of thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars every year and is the only option that will cover all Americans.”

Proponents of a single payer option have recently been arrested and charged with “disruption of Congress” for asking that the Senate Finance Committee hear from single payer advocates.

That committee held three days of hearings on health care recently and called 41 witnesses — not one of which was a single payer advocate.

The Baucus 13, as they have become known, will begin arraigned in Washington, D.C. this week.

Single Payer activists in Oregon have recently held a “Die-In” Rally at Rep. Blumenauer and held a silent protest at Sen. Ron Wyden’s (D-OR) Forest Grove Town Hall.

“Our leaders will shrug these events off.  They will say — ‘It’s democracy in action.’”  said Kauffman, “But the real irony is that it is their very democratic inaction, their inability to put the people’s needs over the insurance industries profits, that leads us to these demonstrations.”