The matter of a comprehensive national health care system for all has been debated for over 60 years. We can no longer financially sustain our current "national" health care system, created in the 70's. Not only do we pay 23.8% of every federal tax dollar toward our current national health care system, but not all Americans are insured. It's a system that has been built to sustain obscene profits for a few off the backs of the many - the taxpayers. As we continue to throw good money after bad, our Country has fallen into an economic decline that has us shackled by taxation without receiving the social services we pay for with those dollars.
In that context, WE have become SLAVES to our system. A system that requires us by law to pay for many non-social programs that are divisive in policy. A system that is built on profit for government subsidized corporate entities, paying huge bonuses to CEO's, while millions of Americans are struggling between paying for health care and feeding their children. A system that has consistently robbed from our social programs, like Medicare and SS, in the name of the "general fund" to support profit initiatives like the War in Iraq. A system where an average of 400 citizens die daily, because they could not get health care treatments to save their lives. Where is "We the People" in our public policy?
Further, what is the opposition really opposing? Nothing. They're asking us to continue these corrupt and corrosive systems - health care, energy, and defense for example, with convergent ideology that is focused on maintaining status quo, protecting profits for a few with our tax dollars, substituting democracy with popular sovereignty. The opposition is telling us we're Socialist, Communists, Obama-Nazi's, and societal deviants for supporting the President, and any effort to restore balance to our fractured systems. An opposition willing to destroy our property, disrupt free speech, and monopolize the airwaves with hate filled rage and politcal dogma, just to be heard above the voices of reason.
Recently, I've been hearing the "tea baggers", rightwing political pundits, and opposing legislators refer to Lincoln, as the cornerstone of their beliefs and principles. I believe Lincoln would have had much to say about the opposition to our reforms, and the general state of our country today. The roots of "tea baggers" didn't start with throwing tea into the Boston harbor, as many would like you to believe. Their roots started around the 1840's as a rage filled faction, demonstrating and obstructing the rights of 3 million immigrants, mostly Irish and Germans, from being part of "We the People". Strange as it may sound this faction group was also "anti-slavery". They disrupted town meetings, they used symbolic propaganda to perpetuate fiction from fact, they burned immigrant shop owners' stores, and used force to keep immigrants from exercising their right to citizenship and voting. As such, adehered to principle of "popular sovereignty", to discrupt the minority voice, and allowed to develop a strong platform within the legislative and judicial branches of government during that time. Sound familiar?
In Lincoln's day they were called "Know-Nothings", and - ironically part of a splinter group, which formed the National Republican Party. Lincoln had utter disdain for the "Know-Nothings", and their discriminatory beliefs. In a letter to friend Joshua Speed, he writes, "How can any one who abhors the oppression of negroes, be in favor of degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' WE now practically read it 'all men are created equal, except negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty- to Russia, for instance". Lincoln's concerns couldn't be clearer today. It seems that this faction, the "Know-Nothings", have become the reigning voice in our current public policy, despite the numbers of citizens who do not believe their position is representative of our country's founding principles.
We've compromised our best legislation, trying to appease this group for decades, integrating their concerns within our process. Further, the "Know-Nothings" have risen to the foremost voice and driving force of who we are in the eyes of the world. Hypocrits in slanted ideologies. A country so loathsome we are hated around the world. This is NOT America. Fear and Hate, two prime emotions that feed our opposition's addictive dogma have no place in our progressive society. They've been allowed by virtue of free speech and "popular sovereignty" opportunity to bastardize our Democratic Republic, and confuse fear with sound public policy. Free speech is not the issue. It's the public policy written to give this group almost free reign within a media that supports infotainment and fiction, instead of information and facts.
Our Democratic Party with supporting Progressive Republicans/Independents represent the principles of our forefathers, and Abraham Lincoln. WE are the voice of diversity, and we need to be louder and clearer than our opposition. WE the People elected a President most representative of our nation's core principles with our democratic process. Yes we did, and WE know WE can reform this country.
Like many of you, I receive emails with glorious pictorials of our forefathers, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights from the opposition, annointing themselves the voice of "We the People" - revolutionaries with a purpose to dethrone President Obama, the new King George. Some may look at their feelings as sour grapes. Perhaps. However, I believe it goes much deeper, and essentially a litmus test for who we are as a nation. Our voices and strength in this country's principles must be stronger than the opposition.
The new "Know-nothings" will stand on the pulpit of "We the People", waving the American flag as proof of their commitment to protect it's ideals from change. If you can stand to listen, "We the People" is laced with exclusions. "We the People, except homosexuals, Latinos, blacks, immigrants of any color, non-Christians, atheists, agnostics, welfare Moms, union members, socialist programs (Medicare, SS, public educations), and liberals, etc., etc., etc." Exclusionary principles based on personal bias toward a group within the human race, believing these people/groups are the reason for our country's and world's problems. This is nothing less than bigotry, racism, and prejudiced biases that are not reflective of our nation's core values of inclusion. Values that have a history of dismantling the most powerful nations of the world by virtue of inclusive diversity.
Convergent ideology simply implodes upon itself, since it's purpose is to maintain "status quo" - stagnation. Our nation, and this world, are not stagnant. It is constantly changing. The human race is not stagnant, and change is part of the evolutionary process. Essentially, many fear "change". These modern day "Know-Nothings" believe that they are the revolutionaries in this "war against change"; rallying together in the name of our forefathers, and Lincoln, and their principles. They take up arms in the name of hate and fear, essentially fighting a principle that established our Country - change! It's political dogma and popular sovereignty they're really supporting - not our nation's principles, and certainly not representative of the Democratic Republic our forefathers established. Lincoln in his words and actions would have been adamantly opposed to our oppositions' dogmatic rhetoric, and concepts of "We the People". In time of change we need courage, not fear.
Who is served by this fear? Fear is essentially divisive, fragmenting "We the People". Fear compromises the natural process of change. Change is a constant many find difficult to embrace fostering deeper fears, and lack of control to stop it. Further, these fears are fed, financed, and promoted by those entities who profit from our current system. A system that has allowed profit driven government subsidized entities to write (the lobby), and legislate (sympathetic legislators on both sides of the aisle), and dictate the terms of "We the People" in our public policy, making trillions (our tax dollars) to keep "We the people" fighting among each other on political dogma, instead of debating and promoting progressive policy. When We the People are fragmented, we cannot mobilize against these special interests that dictate the terms of our public policy.
WE are at a critical time in history. It's not simply health care reform for all, it's changing the dynamic of how we define "We the People", and establish policy based on the principle that "All men (humans) are created equal". WE, all (yes, all - undocumented and/or otherwise) of us living in this great Country deserve what is essentially basic human rights, and the covenant with we have with our forefathers. Providing social programs that help all the people is not socialism, it's social responsibility. We pay taxes to pay for services that provide us with basic human services - health, clean water/air, education, good roads, all based on "non-profit" principles. Principles Lincoln, and many of our forefathers supported, as elementary necessities in a free society. Instead we confused the basic needs of all with the other need called profit. When 78% of our tax dollars are allocated to profit driven government subsidized entities, leaving financial scraps for our social programs, we as a people have lost sight our our responsibilities. Imagine the possibilities for All, if we were able to adjust the numbers? Imagine policy that is clear about our priorities as a nation, instead of being shackled by governments subsidized entities who dictate the terms of our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
Lincoln phrased it beautifully, in response to the infamous Dred Scott case, castigating the Court's decision with their flaws of logic in deciding in favor of pro-slavery initiatives, "The Chief Justice insists at great length that negroes were not part of the people who make, or for whom was made, the Declaration of Independence, or the Constitution. Yet at least five states, black voters acted on the ratification of the Constitution and were among the "We the People" by whom the Constitution was ordained and established. The founders, did not 'declare all men equal' in all respects. They did not mean to say all were equal in color, size, intellect, moral developments, or social capacity. But they did declare all men "equal in certain inalienable rights, among them were life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".....They meant simply to declare the right, so the enforcement of it might follow as fast as circumstances should permit". Clearly, the Constitution is an evolving document.
WE are entering a time of "Civil Reform". Health Care will be one in many battles to move our nation forward in progress. We have the opportunity to take back this Country and continue the promise of what was established over 200 years ago. Each one of you on this list is part of that promise that "All men (humans without exception) are created equal", and "We the People" (without exception) will govern, NOT the profit driven entities that have enslaved us. Health Care Reform is just the start!
WE are in a new Civil revolution. WE, the people of liberty and the children of our forefathers, are now enslaved by factions within this system, who believe WE does not mean ALL. It is not simply a matter of being compromised. We are compromised. Our economy is testament to the greed that has become common place. Our policies are not consistent with our inclusive principles. We are imbalanced economically, progressively, and morally. When legislators don't write policy, and lobbying interests do, WE the people are no longer represented. Lobbies for profit driven government subsidized corporations, and WE are taxed accordingly. Public policy that is not written to be inclusive, but public policy that is divisive at its core. Policy that robs our social programs, that serve us, to virtual collapse.
WE elected a President and legislators willing to change the direction of this country with reforms that represent opportunities for all. We cannot allow the voice of a divisive, fear, and hate inspired group to dismantle our efforts. We know the wolves in sheep's clothing to be the government subsidized entities receiving 78% of every federal tax dollar paid to support their profits and CEO bonuses, while 22% is disbursed among the social programs that help us.Let's make our voice strong, our efforts specific, and the courage to stay focused on what is wrong with our country. It is not the "Know-Nothings", it is those government subsidized entities we've allowed to write our policy. Let's minimize the "Know-Nothings" voice, by focusing on the entities that created them. When we talk about "We the People" let's be firm that "WE" is ALL with NO exceptions.
We must continue to push our legislators from both sides of the isle to support reforms that are inclusive for all. Let's not stop until WE, the people of liberty and inclusion become the reigning voice in public policy. I am proud to be in support of progressive reforms being addressed by our President and this Administration at this moment in history. Many opportunities to collectively restore balance and inclusion to our failing policies and regain economic stability and prosperity for all. The "Know-Nothings" and our legislators need to hear our voice to help them to reassess theirs. They need us, whether they realize it or not. The fact is, these government subsidized entities, these shackling forces that bind us like slaves, also have a habit of cannibalizing their own. Let's use our weapons - voice, fact, and knowledge in this battle, and act with resolve. After all we, means the opposition, as well. "We the People" will take back our Country. We have the power to change that which does not work! It is our civic responsibility.
Respectfully,
Anita Sherman Hughes
The debate about health care is getting ugly. In some cases, it is getting violent.
I can't even begin to list all the misinformation being spewed forth on this issue. The most egregious affront to liberty is the use of the tactic that involves demonstrators appearing at the town hall meetings of members of congress, and shouting down anyone else who wants to speak. That does not promote debate; it is an attempt to kill it.
Actually, the worst thing may be telling seniors that Obama's health care plan is going to kill them. Unbelievable.
Beware of the insurance industry, fighting for its profits by paying lobbyists and others to kill health care reform. This is BIG money. They will not give up without a fight, and that fight is ugly. It reminds me of the newsreel footage I've seen of union battles in the first half of the 20th century. Ugly. Dangerous. Deadly.
Here are some links, for those who are interested.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07312009/watch.html
At the last meeting of the Linn County Democrats our chairman urged our guest speakers, Dr. Michael Huntington, MD and Dr. Norm Castillo, DO, to write a guest op ed piece to the Albany Democrat Herald (ADH). They agreed to do so. I thought you might want to see an early view of the article (attached). They also asked a previous speaker, Dr. Paul Hochfeld, MD. if he would be add a contribution to the article. We had Dr. Hochfeld as our guest speaker at our Health Care Forum that we sponsored in June.
The Letter:
Yes, there is a great deal of confusion regarding a single-payer plan and the public option, but let's be clear. One is a winner. The other is fatally flawed.
In the single-payer plan, a governmental or quasi-governmental agency becomes the administrator of a national health insurance, a pooled fund obtained by progressive taxes to pay for the health care needs of a single risk pool of all Americans. The original concept of insurance would be revived: using contributions from a very large risk pool to cover the medical costs of the few who are unlucky enough to get sick or injured. Everybody in. Nobody out.
Currently we have 1100 "private" insurance companies competing for profits primarily by limiting their risk pools to only healthy patients. This process results in small risk pools of people who will not cost insurance companies money. Those people who are excluded from insurance are relegated to haphazard and delayed health care. The result is often personal disaster and bankruptcy after a neglected illness becomes advanced and difficult to treat. Those who are able to buy insurance pay a hidden premium tax of 10% to cover the healthcare costs of those who are excluded from private insurance. The societal costs of our current for-profit non-system are staggering in terms of human suffering, financial hardship, and poor health for the populace and the work force.
What is the “public option”? The public plan option refers to a publicly owned and managed health insurance plan that would compete with private plans through an insurance exchange mechanism. An insurance exchange is intended to serve as an insurance shopping mall for policies and allow citizens to choose among many plans. The public option uses tax dollars and graduated subsidized premiums to pay for the health care needs of those Americans who are without insurance or are dissatisfied with their employer-based or individual insurance plans. Theoretically, a public plan would have no need for profits or advertising and would have such economies of buying power that its overhead would be very low. The public plan should therefore be able to out-compete the private plans and provide better service at lower cost.
But unfortunately, the public option will be swimming in shark-infested waters. The private health insurance companies are adept at avoiding risk. They stay in business by excluding customers who might cost them money and by denying services. They over-market the healthy and under-market the sick. They vigorously recruit the healthier clients found in employee groups and assiduously avoid the unemployed, poor, sick, and older Americans who then gravitate to the public plan. Furthermore the public plan will not have the advantages of a single-payer plan because it will remain part of a very fragmented health care system with its associated inefficiencies and administrative costs of 30%. The public plan will therefore become more costly than the private plans, will struggle, and in a few years fail. Opponents will then say, "See, your public plan failed and so will a single-payer plan!"
Members of Congress and the public are beginning to recognize that anything short of single-payer is fiscally irresponsible, unaffordable, and a bailout for the private health insurance industry. The Congressional Budget Office two weeks ago said that Congress's current proposal for healthcare reform HR 3200 will cost $1.3 trillion and leave millions of Americans uninsured. It may be for this reason that Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi last week agreed to allow Representative Weiner (D-NY) to introduce an amendment to HR 3200 (http://pubrecord.org/politics/3105/pelosi-allow-floor-single-payer/) which would basically replace the text of that bill with HR 676, the single-payer bill, which for several years has been sponsored by Rep. Conyers of Michigan. Just allowing that debate on the floor of the House would constitute a major victory for truth and the public, regardless of outcome.
All of us should call and e-mail our Representatives, Senators, and President daily to encourage them to proceed with the debate of single-payer healthcare in both houses of Congress.
Be well. To be otherwise is very expensive.
Mike Huntington MD
Norm Castillo DO
Paul Hochfeld MD
WE THE PEOPLE are at war, we are fighting the biggest battle since the war between the states, and this time the war is between the citizens of the great county and the big business that want to control them. Please consider this link below:
Now let me introduce you to Senator Wyden of Oregon…
Sen. Wyden wants to mandate that we all buy insurance from the private market from the very companies you witnessed in the above video. Now it appears he is joining forces with them to try to scuttle health care reform. Private businesses are in the business to make money or they do not stay in business. Nonprofits insurers still have to compete with for-profit insurers and have fewer options for raising capital than companies that can sell shares to Wall Street. So, what you have is a stalemate and there are no incentives to share best business practices with an industry competitor…we are horribly inefficient and do not learn from the excellence of others. Back to Wyden, I just now watched on the news he also wants to decouple insurance from employers that provide those benefits. First, I am most definitely a single payer advocate. I know not all of you have employer benefits, but some of you have advocates within your HR departments when a claim is denied, your employer can call in your behalf, which carries more weight than a single subscriber does. The part of this that bothers me is the systematic method big business is using what we thought is our congressional representatives to do their bidding. Have you ever watched a BBQ with coals, they have a nice warm glow. Now take one of those coals away, what happens, the glow is less, the removed coal gets cold and turns black…that is exactly what is happening. It is not too late to have your voices heard, send a strong message to Sen. Wyden that we are watching, that he is out of touch with Oregonians and single payer is only the real option.
His office numbers are listed below.
DC - (202) 224-5244
Portland - (503) 326-7525
Eugene - (541) 431-0229
Salem - (503) 589-4555
Medford - (541) 858-5122
Bend - (541) 330-9142
La Grande - (541) 962-7691
Submitted for: Dr. Paul Hochfeld
Friend,
Oregon PHNP has a plan. The following letter is going out today to health care advocates and organizations around the country. If you know anybody, somewhere on the Northern Route from the Willamette Valley to D.C., who might be interested in helping us on the ground, please forward what follows to him/her. We’re really mad! Aren't you? Spending $1.6 million every day, The Health Care Industry has been blatantly manipulating public policy for profits. Despite the support of the majority of Americans and the efforts of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and innumerable national organizations, Congress refuses to consider the only real solution: Single Payer Health Care. What’s missing? We need a rallying event that both national and local media can easily and eagerly embrace. Oregon PNHP has a plan. Enter: the Mad As Hell Doctors road tour.The vision. Imagine a small group of Oregon doctors leaving the Willamette Valley in a wrapped motor home, expressing our outrage at public rallies, making TV/radio appearances, hearing peoples’ stories, uploading video, attracting serious media attention, and pulling into D.C. with a caravan of cars to raise Hell with Congress. We will demand that they put Single Payer Health Care on the table for the Congressional Budget Office to evaluate it, and put it to a vote. If our road trip captures your imagination and you share our anger, we need your help, now. Our projected departure date is Sept. 8. Not only do we need funding, we need people to invite us to stop in his/her community and help us organize/publicize rallies and contact local media prior to our arrival. Time is of the essence.This is a serious effort. "We" have already put up $15,000 of our own money to cover the cost of phase one, which includes hiring Gary Jelinek (Dennis Kucinich's National 2004 Campaign Organizer) and Adam Klugman (creative media consultant). Phase two is the trip.Please donate your time and/or tax deductiblemoney. We can bring this vision to life. We can energize the Single Payer movement. Please pass this email on to all your friends and contacts who might be interested.To find out more and to support this effort, go to www.MadAsHellDoctors.com For questions email Gary Jelinek at garyjelinekdoctors@gmail.comBest regards and be well. Being otherwise is very expensive.Oregon PNHP: Dr. Samuel Metz (Anesthesiology) Dr. Joe Eusterman, (Retired Internal Medicine/Occupational Medicine) Dr. Eugene Uphoff, (Family Medicine) Dr. Paul Hochfeld, (Emergency Medicine, producer of "Health, Money and Fear") Dr. Mike Huntington, (Retired Radiation Oncology, co-convener Oregon PNHP)
I fear the the deck maybe stacking against President Obama.
Even with majority of 60 in the senate it will not matter big money does have their hands in the pockets of too many congressman. There is a vote in 2010 which we should also focus on that fact to get the right people in congress that will help President Obama achieve his goals which happen to be our goals on health care. I am sure the argument in this session of congress is going to be let's save what we have and keep the status quo or if there is a public option it will be shackled so the public option will be ineffective. We really need you your voices to be heard! In know in my head and feel in my heart that it is for the best interest of the American People to insist on Health Care Reform that would include or be a single payer system. The alternative is the private, fragmented, investor-owned health care system where profits are the first priority. It does not really matter why we have the worst health care in the developed world, and we are crippling our people and our manufacturing segments, especially the small business segments, due to these costs...most do not see this. No other capitalist country on this planet treats health care as a commodity. It is amazing we all started this health care reform campaign at the request of President Obama and the things we learn on the way kind of empowers us, but we have a long way to go to empower the rest of this nation's people. We need a green field approach not a band-aid on the current system that allows the American people to be treated as a commodity. It is not too late to write your own story online: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/healthcarestory Your Senators: Sen. Jeffery A. Merkley (DEM) District: 0S2 United States Senate 107 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-3753 Fax: (202) 228-3997 WebSite: http://merkley.senate.gov/ E-Mail: http://merkley.senate.gov/contact/ Sen. Ron Wyden (DEM) District: 0S1 United States Senate 223 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510-0001 Phone: (202) 224-5244 Fax: (202) 228-2717 WebSite: http://wyden.senate.gov E-Mail: http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/ Peace be with you, Ed
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Health Care Reform meeting yesterday in Bend. What a great response! For such a beautiful day with so many other fun things going on in Central Oregon, we were happy to see over 45 people in the Brooks Room.
We followed the general guidelines provided by OFA for the meeting. After overcoming a few technical difficulties, we watched President Obama's welcoming video with a message from the spokesperson for OFA. Rob Cohen walked us through a power point presentation that gave some historical background of the current U.S. health care ‘system.' We broke into groups and shared our own health care stories. When we came together again, several people shared stories from their groups. Finally, we held a brainstorming session to plan our community service event for June 27th.
Here are some of the ideas we talked about:
The majority in attendance committed to participate in our event on June 27th. A steering committee was formed to pursue these ideas and come up with an action plan. Volunteers are: Mike Schmidt, Marjorie Lickley, Jim Davis, Loye Dice, Ray Miao, Ed Lee, Rob Cohen, Mary Ann Hart, Gwenn Wysling, Patty Pachtman and Linda Mathison.
Just keeping you all informed of the progress of lack of on our OFA project, "Made in Linn County"
The buy local and community service project, "Made in Linn County" is moving forward again.
We have a grant writer, Toni Reynolds who moved recently from Maryland and is a strong Barack Obama support. We have a Lawyer that will help up with forming a non-profit group. The decision to go non-profit we believe will open many doors for us.
In the beginning, we were overly sensitive to those around us which caused delays. These delays caused us to ask questions about our mission and it helped remind us where we want to go with this project. Loyd and I have pondered this deeply and we cannot be all things to all people. Of course we will try to be all things while we remain focused on our goals of community service. We wish to educate and awaken the conscience of the people of the benefits of buying local and helping our local economy, but more than that, we want to create a sense of community. I have a cassette tape from Dennis Waitley, LOL, now I am dating myself, anyway, Dennis said, " Courage means to keep working a relationship, to continue seeking solutions to difficult problems, and to stay focused during stressful periods." Do we have courage, I not sure how one defines that but we do need to remain focused on our mission. Our mission, we will be changing our mission statement within the next week to recognize our neighbors. Although we will have the boundaries of Made in Linn County to remain unique and somewhat identifiable, we are also going to recognize and support our neighbors.
I just wanted to post this, cuz I'm always looking for way to still have hope for real healthcare reform that will work for my children and myself...
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Private-sector-signs-on-for-cnnm-15194800.html
I'm never sure what is going on in DC, but I can hope that we are making progress.
We had a get together meeting last night for OFA in Albany. Our circle is relatively small but expanding. Afterall, Rome was not built in a day, but with each new active participant, one's effort is multiplied. Our next OFA project will be to divide the name and phone numbers I have of people that volunteered during the last election campaign and divide them up in groups of forty. These volunteers have volunteered in the past once so the list is a filtered list in that sense. We are going to call those volunteers and ask them if they would like to get regular OFA updates and request their emails...our lists are basically names and phone numbers. Those who wish to keep their emails private we will be asking them if the would like to be part of a phone tree and call five other people for OFA events. I will be creating a form to assist us when we call for our circle to approve. We should be start calling within a week or two and have a new list of those who wish to be active.
Regards,
Ed
Yes Made in Linn County is still alive. We are meeting again on the 27th of this month. We had some curve balls thrown our way in illness and also people's schedules. Plus, the Linn County Democrat Headquarter will probably need to move to make way for a barber shop. Loyd Henion and I will be getting together for lunch tomorrow and will be discussing both topics. We have some community merchants to discuss our plans and hopefully we will make those contacts before the 27th. We will have an agenda by the 27th as we get some more diesel in this train! One of our objectives will to assign task and report on those results. We started out this project this way, but I got sick and basically missed our last meeting, other than a token drop by. My wife had contacted some flesh eating bacteria and needed my attention, but all is well and tomorrow night I will be writing a new update and hopefully by Tuesday night I will send emails to those who were present in our organizing meeting over a month ago. Weds, Thurs, and Friday I will be training in Portland on a new ARC Flash Software for work.
Catching up, looks like the weekend will be busy!
Ed :-)
April 18, 200911am - 5pm
Saturday April 18, 2009
There will be an Earth Day Fair and Procession of the Species Parade which starts at 11am on Louisiana and runs along Bond and Wall back to Troy Field. The parade will end at Troy Field with the traditional drum circle in front of the stage.
ACTION ITEMS FOR CENTRAL OREGONIANS:
Congress voted last week to approve President Obama's budget along straight party lines. It was a big test not only for President Obama, but for our entire movement. Take just a few minutes to call our Senators and let them know how much we appreciate their crucial votes.
Let Congressman Walden know how disappointed you are that he did not support a budget that tackles the long-term challenges to our prosperity.
Rep. Gregg Walden (R-OR-02)
CALL: 202-225-6730
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
CALL: 202-224-5244
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
CALL: 202-224-3753
Deschutes County Town Hall Meeting
Residents of Deschutes County are invited to attend an open forum Town Hall Meeting with Senator Ron Wyden to ask questions and voice their concerns. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. The event in Bend is town hall number 509.
Date: Monday, April 6, 2009
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Location: Bend Elks Club
63120 Boyd Acres Rd. (Off of Empire Blvd)
SAVE THE METOLIUS
A pivotal public hearing for saving the Metolius will be on April 7th at 3:00pm in our Capitol in Salem. (Hearing Room E)
This is our chance to show members of the Legislature that the Metolius is a special place worthy of strong protection. We need them to pass HB 3100 in order to protect against two proposed large scale developments that truly threaten the Metolius as we know it.
Any help you could provide to get lots of people to the hearing would make a tremendous difference. Some of the potentially swing legislators aren't personally familiar with the Metolius and don't necessarily realize that a lot of people from all over Oregon view it as a treasure. We have a great deal of support from many legislators, but as of now the final vote looks to be very close. It could well hinge on the strength of our collective voices.
THANK YOU for all of your work!!!!
-Jonathan Manton
541 729-2923
For information about the American Recovery and Revitalization Act and how it can be tapped to grow the green economy please note the following websites:
· The federal government's ARRA website is: http://recovery.oregon.gov/
· Oregon State's ARRA website is: www.recovery.gov
· The Oregon Department of Energy's direct ARRA website is: www.oregon.gov/energy/Stimulus2009.shtml
The Oregon Green Jobs Initiative, spearheaded by 3EStrategies, now has a bill number -- HB 3300. HB 3300 would require the Oregon Workforce Investment Board to prioritize its focus on green jobs and to develop a comprehensive green jobs development strategic plan to be presented to the Oregon Legislature in early 2010.
The Oregon Employment Department has identified a green job as one that provides a service or creates a product in any of the following categories:
-Increasing energy efficiency;
-Producing renewable energy;
-Preventing, reducing or mitigating environmental degradation;
-Cleaning up and restoring the natural environment; or
-Providing education, consulting, policy promotion, accreditation, trading and offsets, or similar services supporting any of the other categories.
Upcoming Event:
Green Building: The New Economy and the Future of the Building Industry with Jason McLennan, at COCC, 5:30pm, Sunday April 12
For links to more information on these events, visit:
3EStrategies Events Page
