October 16, 2009
Please strongly support the Public Option publicly now! We need to hear your voice. The People are counting on you to back up the promises you made.
Respectfully,
Roland Madore
1725 C Spring Meadows Ct.
Fort Collins, CO 80525-1164
Hello everyone,
For those of you who don’t know me, I was the Colorado New Media director for the Obama campaign. I’m now working with an organization called ProgressNow, which works to advance progressive politics and fight back against right wing propaganda in Colorado. We’re also working closely with OFA.
We know OFA is probably keeping you busy these days fighting for health insurance reform and we are working hard on those efforts too, in collaboration with OFA. We’ve been working to grow a listserv we call our GrassRoots Leaders. It’s made up of activists across the state and organizational leaders. And we’ve used this list to share information about events, local happenings and organizational happenings. The group also offers you a place to ask questions, find out more about the issues and learn about ways to get involved in local political action.
We’d love for you to join. Click on the link below and sign up.
http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/s/rootsleaders
By further building this group, we will to develop a comprehensive network that will give people the opportunity to stay informed and connected. We hope the Roots Leaders group will become a forum where people can discuss issues, build activism and support for local political movements in Colorado.
Thanks
Jenn
Apply for Training (OFA Colorado)
If you want to learn how to organize while helping make Health Insurance Reform a reality in 2009 then please apply for Community Organizer training with OFA Colorado by filling out this form. http://www.ofacolorado.com/apply-for-organizer-training
Wednesday Night Watch President Obama address Congress
President Obama is going to address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday September 9th.
This is a critical moment for us to build our movement here in Fort Collins.
Since our OFA Summer Organizer, Samantha, left we have had a slow going building our group and recreating the incredible organization we had during the campaign.
But, summer is over and we need to get back to work...Following the speech we will have a special call with David Plouffe, who will discuss the speech and give us a blueprint for how to win this battle.
Time to be announced...check back to this site for updates...
Go to mybo, find an event near you.....and RSVP
Nat'l coordinated Move On PAC for WED. Sept. 2, 5pm. Venue:NW Corner of College & Mulberry Date: Wednesday Sep 02 2009. Start Time: 5:00 p.m. Event Address: College & Mulberry. City: Fort Collins. State: Co Target: CO_04 - Rep. Betsy Markey. Zip: 80524. Phone: 970.672.9884. Host: Steve Slaton. Best way to contact: Email: allbulliesarecrazy@gmail.com
Max # of attendees: 1000. heck: I am OK with hearing from other coordinators in my area.Check: It's OK to put interested press in touch with me.
Public Description of the event: Nat'l coordinated MoveOn PAC for WED. Sept. 2 vigils all across America.
Optional Move On RSVP link:
http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=98222
We have an urgent moral obligation to change the health care system in this country so that every American has access to affordable, quality health care.
Yet at a town hall in Pueblo on Saturday, Sen. Michael Bennet was greeted by a self-described "mob" with chants of "Health care...NO!" and "I hate Obama-nation."
While we should have a substantive conversation about health care, we cannot back down in the face of these intimidation tactics.
Any health care reform bill should control costs, allow people to keep their own medical plan and their own doctor, increase competition, and increase coverage -- all in a fiscally responsible way.
Providing patients with a public insurance option -- that increases competition and drives down prices -- would help to achieve these goals.
Watch the video from Michael's town hall in Pueblo and sign the petition to support health care reform today.
Washington, DC -- Legislation introduced by Michael Bennet to protect the eligibility of military families for income sensitive child nutrition programs passed the Senate yesterday.
Bennet introduced the Military Family Nutrition Protection Act of 2009 so military families will not be penalized for their service to our country.
Under previous guidelines the additional pay received by military personnel when deployed was factored into determining eligibility for several child nutrition programs. These programs include the National School Lunch Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). WIC provides health care and nutrition assistance for mothers and infants, including vouchers for food.
"Taking away these nutritional benefits to kids and families when a loved one is being deployed doesn’t make any sense. Our military families are already struggling in these tough economic times and the challenges only increase when a family member is deployed,” Bennet said. “This bill is a common-sense fix that will make sure our kids aren’t denied access to healthy foods when their family members are bravely serving our nation in combat overseas."
Bennet introduced this bipartisan legislation with Mike Johanns (NE-R) and Bob Casey (PA-D).
Denver, CO -- Michael Bennet continued his push for health care reform during a visit on Monday to St. Joseph Hospital in Denver.
Bennet pointed to runaway costs as a problem underlying all aspects of our health care system.
"Having to plan around a double-digit increase every year is simply intolerable," said Bennet.
Bennet stressed that our current system must be changed to empower doctors, nurses and patients, rather than insurance companies.
Our current health insurance structure was cited by the medical professionals in attendance as a source of increased medical costs. The Denver Post has more:
Medical providers talked about the costly and time-consuming process of processing insurance claims.Dr. Janet Steele of Larimer County said she deals with 65 different insurance companies, all with different rules, "at an enormous cost to the bottom."Bennet noted the problem is even worse in rural Colorado.
Medical providers talked about the costly and time-consuming process of processing insurance claims.
Dr. Janet Steele of Larimer County said she deals with 65 different insurance companies, all with different rules, "at an enormous cost to the bottom."
Bennet noted the problem is even worse in rural Colorado.
Michael Bennet discussed the factors he thinks are essential to improving performance in our schools in a National Journal blog post on July 30.Bennet emphasized that great teachers are the key factor in improving student performance. For that reason, it is important that the best talent is drawn into the teaching profession. To ensure this happens we need to reexamine and improve the way teachers are recruited, hired and compensated.Bennet also urged that improving student performance starts with sending our kids to school ready to learn. Increasing the access and quality of early childhood education will mean more kids are prepared when school starts. We also need to make sure our children aren't going to school hungry or sick because that makes learning more difficult.Bennet stressed that meaningful education reform is going to be a community effort. From the National Journal:
Our schools should be centers for communities, delivering services, providing opportunities for families to learn together, and engaging entire communities in raising expectations for our students. If we expect failure from our schools, that's exactly what we'll get. Communities must own outcomes, and challenge the status quo. If a city does not pick up the trash, or shovel the snow, there is public outrage. Surely, we can muster that kind of outrage in response to what is happening to our kids.When I was a superintendent, I was often asked if I was afraid of the unintended consequences of the changes we were making. My reaction was, and still is, that the burden of proof is not on the people who want to change the system. The burden is on people who resist change, and work to keep the system the same. We have to break free from existing policies that don’t work and never will, and we have to learn from our mistakes. Our kids are depending on us to show the courage to change. Let’s get to work so we can meet this challenge.
Training to be a Community Organizer is challenging yet very rewarding....
I thought perhaps, I was too old, but the young people at OFA are awesome....If you are interested in training, email Samantha our Northern Colorado Summer Organizer before she leaves....There will be another Community Organizer training in August in Denver....so check it out and email me if you have any questions....ellebergere@gmail.com
We received 110 declarations of support today for President Obama's Three Principles of Health Care Reform....and 4 new volunteers....While working for Health Insurance Reform I have might the nicest and kindest people...I welcome you to join me.
Washington, DC -- Michael Bennet took steps this week to fight our enormous budget deficit by voting against wasteful government programs, and introducing legislation to guarantee more responsible spending by Congress.Bennet explained that, “Coloradans have been forced to tighten their fiscal belts. It’s time the government did too.”The Denver Post has more on the efforts by Bennet to reduce our budget deficit:
As he defines his still fuzzy political persona, Sen. Michael Bennet is honing in on the words "deficit hawk," with two significant moves in that direction this week.On Tuesday, he voted to strip $1.75 billion in additional funding for the F-22 fighter jet. And Wednesday, Bennet scored a coup, announcing that he would be the primary co-sponsor in the Senate of the "pay as you go" legislation that just passed the House."One of his highest concerns is the deficit and debt, and how we're going to lower it. He believes that's a huge economic problem for our country," said Bennet's spokeswoman, Deirdre Murphy. "That's pretty much ground zero."Known as pay-go for short, the legislation would require new spending to be offset by increased taxes or cuts in other programs. If that doesn't happen, automatic cuts kick in — giving the process more teeth than current Senate rules meant to do the same thing.
Denver, CO -- More than 50 supporters of Organizing for America gathered for a conversation about the urgency of reforming our health care system at Michael Bennet's Denver office today.Today's health care conversation comes the day after President Barack Obama held a prime time news conference pressing the need to reform our health care system.President Obama emphasized that reforming health care will improve the lives of millions of Americans, "This is about the woman in Colorado who paid $700 a month to her insurance company, only to find out that they wouldn't pay a dime for her cancer treatment; who had to use up her retirement funds to save her own life."Michael Bennet spoke earlier this month in Colorado Springs about the principles he believes should guide health care reform: lowering costs, making coverage available to all Americans and not passing the costs of reform onto our children. Click here to see footage of Bennet’s comments.Organizing for America supporters have been holding events nationwide to show opponents of change that Americans want health reform now. Earlier this week opponents of health care reform predicted its defeat will be President Obama's "Waterloo moment".
For some reason I can't post the last part of this blog. So I am linking to an outside website that has the blog in its entirety. There is a lot of useful information for local organizations in that part of the post. I hope you check it out.
http://www.3waters.org/Catalpa/Information.htm
Thanks for stopping and talking with us Saturday!
We have compiled information to make people aware of National Health Care Reform. All the people you met today endorse 3 Main Principles when it comes to Health Care Reform. We need a public Health care option that:
1)Reduces Costs - Cost must be brought under control!
2)Guarantees Choice - Keep whatever doctor and healthcare plan we have or Choose a new doctor or Healthcare Plan.
3)Ensures Affordable Care for all - Everyone must have Access to quality and affordable health care.
(I am posting this in parts because I have been having trouble the past couple days posting the whole thing as one blog. I hope this works!)
Centennial, CO -- Michael Bennet engaged in a wide-ranging conversation with the Arapahoe County Young Democrats and the ArapaHope Community Team on Saturday, June 27. A large number of the crowd's questions for Michael concerned fixing our dysfunctional health care system.
Bennet told the crowd that changes must be made to our health care system because too many people aren't getting the care they need. He stressed the urgent need for health care reform that provides affordable access to quality health care for all Coloradans. Bennet said he is open to any fiscally responsible solution, including a public option, that will put an end to soaring health care costs while preserving patient choice.
Photo courtesy of Gena Ozols, President, Arapahoe County Young Democrats.
Washington, DC -- Michael Bennet pushed the case for reforming our broken health care system during a floor speech on June 25. Bennet cited skyrocketing health care costs as a barrier that prevents increasing numbers of Coloradans from receiving the medical services they need.
During his speech Bennet called for responsible solutions to our health care problems that won't "pass on the cost to the next generation in the form of increased deficits and debt." Bennet said the usual political gamesmanship -- on both sides of the aisle -- will need to be set-aside for meaningful, positive reforms to be enacted.
Bennet singled out the story of a woman in Pueblo as an example of what is wrong with our current health care system. The Pueblo Chieftain has more on her story:
Bennet, a freshman Democrat, said the real median income of American families has declined over the past decade while the cost of health insurance nearly doubled.He cited as examples the cases of Theresa Trujillo of Pueblo and the small town of Blanca, in Costilla County.In Trujillo's case, Bennet noted the young woman was forced to take out a loan to pay for breast cancer chemotherapy when her company-paid health coverage ran out.
Bennet, a freshman Democrat, said the real median income of American families has declined over the past decade while the cost of health insurance nearly doubled.
He cited as examples the cases of Theresa Trujillo of Pueblo and the small town of Blanca, in Costilla County.
In Trujillo's case, Bennet noted the young woman was forced to take out a loan to pay for breast cancer chemotherapy when her company-paid health coverage ran out.
