We need your help on Election Day to keep PA Blue!
Download the PA Democratic Statewide Judicial Candidates Voter Guide at this link:
http://www.padems.com/Officials/Candidates/PA_Dems.pdf
This week Congress started the 'marking up' session on the Health Care and Insurance Reform. It is crucial we keep the pressure on them pass the bill.
The Daily Kos has an excellent article about the amendments we should push to support, and those we should push against.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/21/10112/5602
A simple resolution to recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives was halted by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, a Republican representing Butler. Why? Because, he said, “It has a homosexual agenda.”
On the same day, also on the House floor, he made matters worse. The House was about to vote on increasing marriage license fees from $3 to $28, with the increased amount going to a fund for victims of domestic abuse. Metcalfe opposed the measure, calling the funding a domestic violence programs “a slap in the face to family values.”2 The bill passed despite his outrageous claim.
More information at this link:
http://keystoneprogress.blogspot.com/2009/09/rep-metcalfe-domestic-violence-family.html
Metcalfe information:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house_bio.cfm?id=13
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary _______________________________________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2009
Below is the text of the letter from Senator Edward M. Kennedy referenced by the President in tonight's address to a Joint Session of Congress.
May 12, 2009
Dear Mr. President,
I wanted to write a few final words to you to express my gratitude for your repeated personal kindnesses to me - and one last time, to salute your leadership in giving our country back its future and its truth. On a personal level, you and Michelle reached out to Vicki, to our family and me in so many different ways. You helped to make these difficult months a happy time in my life. You also made it a time of hope for me and for our country.
When I thought of all the years, all the battles, and all the memories of my long public life, I felt confident in these closing days that while I will not be there when it happens, you will be the President who at long last signs into law the health care reform that is the great unfinished business of our society.
For me, this cause stretched across decades; it has been disappointed, but never finally defeated. It was the cause of my life. And in the past year, the prospect of victory sustained me-and the work of achieving it summoned my energy and determination. There will be struggles - there always have been - and they are already underway again.
But as we moved forward in these months, I learned that you will not yield to calls to retreat - that you will stay with the cause until it is won. I saw your conviction that the time is now and witnessed your unwavering commitment and understanding that health care is a decisive issue for our future prosperity. But you have also reminded all of us that it concerns more than material things; that what we face is above all a moral issue; that at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country.
And so because of your vision and resolve, I came to believe that soon, very soon, affordable health coverage will be available to all, in an America where the state of a family's health will never again depend on the amount of a family's wealth. And while I will not see the victory, I was able to look forward and know that we will - yes, we will - fulfill the promise of health care in America as a right and not a privilege.
In closing, let me say again how proud I was to be part of your campaign- and proud as well to play a part in the early months of a new era of high purpose and achievement. I entered public life with a young President who inspired a generation and the world. It gives me great hope that as I leave, another young President inspires another generation and once more on America's behalf inspires the entire world.
So, I wrote this to thank you one last time as a friend- and to stand with you one last time for change and the America we can become. At the Denver Convention where you were nominated, I said the dream lives on. And I finished this letter with unshakable faith that the dream will be fulfilled for this generation, and preserved and enlarged for generations to come.
With deep respect and abiding affection,
Ted
You might want to sit down to read this one .......
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-dorlester/guaranteed-health-care-in_b_280528.html
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary ___________________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release September 8, 2009
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN A NATIONAL ADDRESS TO AMERICA'S SCHOOLCHILDREN
Wakefield High School Arlington, Virginia
12:06 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. All right, everybody go ahead and have a seat. How is everybody doing today? (Applause.) How about Tim Spicer? (Applause.) I am here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we've got students tuning in from all across America, from kindergarten through 12th grade. And I am just so glad that all could join us today. And I want to thank Wakefield for being such an outstanding host. Give yourselves a big round of applause. (Applause.)
I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it's your first day in a new school, so it's understandable if you're a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now -- (applause) -- with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you're in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer and you could've stayed in bed just a little bit longer this morning.
I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived overseas. I lived in Indonesia for a few years. And my mother, she didn't have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with an American education. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday. But because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4:30 in the morning.
Now, as you might imagine, I wasn't too happy about getting up that early. And a lot of times, I'd fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I'd complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and she'd say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster." (Laughter.)
So I know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I'm here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I'm here because I want to talk with you about your education and what's expected of all of you in this new school year.
Now, I've given a lot of speeches about education. And I've talked about responsibility a lot.
I've talked about teachers' responsibility for inspiring students and pushing you to learn.
I've talked about your parents' responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and you get your homework done, and don't spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with the Xbox.
I've talked a lot about your government's responsibility for setting high standards, and supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren't working, where students aren't getting the opportunities that they deserve.
But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, the best schools in the world -- and none of it will make a difference, none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities, unless you show up to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and grandparents and other adults and put in the hard work it takes to succeed. That's what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education.
I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself. Every single one of you has something that you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide.
Maybe you could be a great writer -- maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper -- but you might not know it until you write that English paper -- that English class paper that's assigned to you. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor -- maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or the new medicine or vaccine -- but you might not know it until you do your project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice -- but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.
And no matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that you'll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You're going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You cannot drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You've got to train for it and work for it and learn for it.
And this isn't just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. The future of America depends on you. What you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.
You'll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You'll need the insights and critical-thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You'll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.
We need every single one of you to develop your talents and your skills and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems. If you don't do that -- if you quit on school -- you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.
Now, I know it's not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.
I get it. I know what it's like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mom who had to work and who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn't always able to give us the things that other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and I felt like I didn't fit in.
So I wasn't always as focused as I should have been on school, and I did some things I'm not proud of, and I got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.
But I was -- I was lucky. I got a lot of second chances, and I had the opportunity to go to college and law school and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, she has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn't have a lot of money. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.
Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don't have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job and there's not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don't feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren't right.
But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life -- what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home -- none of that is an excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude in school. That's no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. There is no excuse for not trying.
Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you, because here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.
That's what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.
Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn't speak English when she first started school. Neither of her parents had gone to college. But she worked hard, earned good grades, and got a scholarship to Brown University -- is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to becoming Dr. Jazmin Perez.
I'm thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who's fought brain cancer since he was three. He's had to endure all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer -- hundreds of extra hours -- to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind. He's headed to college this fall.
And then there's Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods in the city, she managed to get a job at a local health care center, start a program to keep young people out of gangs, and she's on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.
And Jazmin, Andoni, and Shantell aren't any different from any of you. They face challenges in their lives just like you do. In some cases they've got it a lot worse off than many of you. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their lives, for their education, and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.
That's why today I'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education -- and do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending some time each day reading a book. Maybe you'll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you'll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all young people deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you'll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, by the way, I hope all of you are washing your hands a lot, and that you stay home from school when you don't feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.
But whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.
I know that sometimes you get that sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star. Chances are you're not going to be any of those things.
The truth is, being successful is hard. You won't love every subject that you study. You won't click with every teacher that you have. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right at this minute. And you won't necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.
That's okay. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures. J.K. Rowling's -- who wrote Harry Potter -- her first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. He lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that's why I succeed."
These people succeeded because they understood that you can't let your failures define you -- you have to let your failures teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently the next time. So if you get into trouble, that doesn't mean you're a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to act right. If you get a bad grade, that doesn't mean you're stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.
No one's born being good at all things. You become good at things through hard work. You're not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don't hit every note the first time you sing a song. You've got to practice. The same principle applies to your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right. You might have to read something a few times before you understand it. You definitely have to do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enough to hand in.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength because it shows you have the courage to admit when you don't know something, and that then allows you to learn something new. So find an adult that you trust -- a parent, a grandparent or teacher, a coach or a counselor -- and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.
And even when you're struggling, even when you're discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you, don't ever give up on yourself, because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.
The story of America isn't about people who quit when things got tough. It's about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.
It's the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and they founded this nation. Young people. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google and Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.
So today, I want to ask all of you, what's your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a President who comes here in 20 or 50 or 100 years say about what all of you did for this country?
Now, your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I'm working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books and the equipment and the computers you need to learn. But you've got to do your part, too. So I expect all of you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don't let us down. Don't let your family down or your country down. Most of all, don't let yourself down. Make us all proud.
Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. God bless America. Thank you. (Applause.)
END 12:22 P.M. EDT
Progressive Change Campaign Committee
Friday night, Keith Olbermann led his show talking about the PCCC's latest campaign:
"More than 200 former Obama staffers, 13,000 Obama volunteers, 23,000 Obama donors on a petition: A bill without a public option would not be 'change we can believe in.'"
And those numbers are increasing! All weekend, former Obama organizers are putting their skills to use -- calling and emailing other Obama organizers to get them involved in this campaign.
Will you add your voice to theirs -- and join the thousands of Obama voters, donors, and organizers who still believe we can defeat the insurance interests and bring real change to the health care system?
Please sign the petition at this link:
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5649/t/4951/content.jsp?content_KEY=2802&tag=pod_e2-non
Then, please forward this to friends. Time is of the essence. This Wednesday, President Obama will speak to Congress about his health care priorities.
We're making a national ad that will highlight the voices of former Obama staffers who want the public option -- and it will include the number of petition signers. So let's get the number as high as possible.
We need to make sure President Obama (and any White House staff urging him to capitulate) knows that the overwhelming majority of Americans want a public option -- and that includes those who worked hardest to get him elected. Can you add your name to the petition?
Thanks for being a bold progressive. -- Adam Green, Stephanie Taylor, Michael Snook, Evan Miller, Andrew Perez, and the PCCC team
http://boldprogressives.org/
September 4, 2009
I am greatly disturbed and offended by the decision of the superintendent of schools in Nutley, New Jersey to preview a Presidential speech in an attempt to find “relevance”.
An address directed toward school children about education is unquestionably relevant. The address will not have anything to do with any academic curricula. The speech is to be a commentary on the importance of education. I am certain that President Obama will not attempt to brainwash or indoctrinate our children regarding health care reform or economic proposals.
The importance of staying in school, earning a diploma and/or a higher degree, learning a trade and being a responsible citizen, and similar concepts have been integral to President Obama’s position on education. While most children learn political20ideas from their parents, are these not values that all children should learn regardless of political orientation? Even if one does not agree with the President’s political ideas, it is nonetheless, beneficial for our children to hear differing opinions and ideas and discuss them. By not encouraging our children to listen to the Presidential address we are promoting censorship. We cannot pretend that his ideas and commentaries are irrelevant just because they may not coincide with our personal political agendas.
In my opinion, it is an egregious disregard for the President’s well intentioned attempt to inspire our children, and in essence, the future of our nation.
Sincerely,
Alicia RealmutoNutley, NJ
NJmortican@gmail.com
AMERICANS UNITED FOR HEALTH CARE AND INSURANCE REFORM
http://www.americansunitedhcr.wordpress.com
Phone/Fax (712) 239-0992
Direct Questions to:
americansunitedhcr@cableone.net
Press Release
9 A.M. CDT, August 31, 2009
AMERICANS UNITED FOR HEALTH CARE & INSURANCE REFORM RALLY & March in Washington, D.C. Sept. 13, 2009
Sioux City, August 31, 2009: A rally/march will be held in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 13, 2009 between 12N – 5pm in support of the administrations health care and health insurance reform goals. It is the goal of Americans United for Health Care and Insurance Reform to let congress know that all Americans need health care and insurance. Over 47 million Americans are uninsured and millions more are underinsured or at risk of losing their health insurance
The rally/march will begin at the Lincoln Memorial and march to the steps of the Capitol Building via the National Mall. This rally/march will be peaceful.
Robert Reich has given his support to this rally and march, “….I just want Congress to know how many Americans want universal health care and will settle for no less than complete coverage and no less than a public insurance option, to keep private insurers honest. So I’m happy to lend my support to whatever you are doing.”
Americans have enjoyed the freedom of movement, speech and employment. It is time that American citizens have the freedom that comes from knowing they have affordable health care for themselves and their families. Health care is not just for the privileged but it is a fundamental right.
Other groups marching on September 13, 2009 for health care reform are Congressman Fattah’s “March for Healthcare”, “Medicare for All”, and “March on Washington for Health Care.”
We invite all those who wish to participate visit our web blog at http://www.americansunitedhcr.wordpress.com and register to rally.
For more information please see our web blog (address above)Please direct all questions to our committee at americansunitedhcr@cableone.net.
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
March For Healthcare - Global
Organize a march on September 13th across the USA.
Every city in the country needs you to come out on that day and March For Healthcare.
If there are a million of you out there then we can make our voices heard.
Let's March!!!
Contact Info Email:
Website: http://www.marchforhealthcare.com
Let's go change the world...
It's time for Health Insurance Reform!
WEDNESDAY, JULY 29TH, 2009 AT 5:59 PM
The President Highlights Health Insurance Consumer Protections
Posted by Katherine Brandon
Speaking to North Carolinians at a town hall in Raleigh, the President made clear why health reform will benefit all American: "if you’ve got health insurance, then the reform we’re proposing will also help you because it will provide you more stability and more security. Because the truth is we have a system today that works well for the insurance industry, but it doesn’t work well for you." We all know the horror stories, which is why the health insurance consumer protections that are part of reform are so important.
At the town hall, the President outlined these core principles: Let me be specific. We will stop insurance companies from denying you coverage because of your medical history. (Applause.) I've told this story before -- I will never forget watching my own mother, as she fought cancer in her final days, worrying about whether her insurer would claim her illness was a preexisting condition so they could wiggle out of paying for her coverage. How many of you have worried about the same thing? (Applause.) A lot of people have gone through this. Many of you have been denied insurance or heard of someone who was denied insurance because they got -- had a preexisting condition. That will no longer be allowed with reform. (Applause.) We won't allow that. (Applause.) We won't allow that.
With reform, insurance companies will have to abide by a yearly cap on how much you can be charged for your out-of-pocket expenses. No one in America should go broke because of an illness. (Applause.) We will require insurance companies to cover routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies -- (applause) -- eye and foot exams for diabetics, so we can avoid chronic illnesses that cost not only lives, but money. (Applause.) No longer will insurance companies be allowed to drop or water down coverage for someone who's become seriously ill. That's not right, it's not fair. (Applause.)
We will stop insurance companies from placing arbitrary caps on the coverage you can receive in a given year or in a lifetime. (Applause.) So my point is, whether or not you have health insurance right now, the reforms we seek will bring stability and security that you don't have today -- reforms that will become more urgent and more urgent with each passing year. So, in the end, the debate about reform boils down to a choice between two approaches. The first is projected to double your health care costs over the next decade, make millions more Americans uninsured, bankrupt state and federal governments, and allow insurance companies to run roughshod over consumers. That's one option. That's called the status quo. That's what we have right now. I want everybody to understand this. If we do nothing, I can almost guarantee you your premiums will double over the next 10 years because that's what they did over the last 10 years. It will go up three times faster than your wages, so a bigger and bigger chunk of your paycheck will be going into health insurance. It will eat into the possibility of you getting a raise on your job because your employer is going to be looking and saying, I can't afford to give you a raise because my health care costs just went up 10, 20, 30 percent. And Medicare, which seniors rely on, is going to become more and more vulnerable. On current projections, Medicare will be in the red in less than 10 years. So that's the status quo. When everybody goes around saying, why is Obama taking on health care -- that's the answer. That's one option. I don't like that option. You shouldn't either. (Applause.) That plan doesn't sound too good. That's the health care system we have right now. You can read more about the President’s eight health insurance consumer protections here, and figure out how reform will directly affect you and your family.
This document was put together by Jodi Griffin from Red Lion, PA. She was tired of the spin and misstatements about health care reform. She wanted to know in more detail what the President wanted to achieve; what were the accurate statements and what is spin?
It looks like Insurance Companies (like United Healthcare) and Republican Senators (and some Democratic Senators) think that if the debate takes too long the emerging bill will be defeated. They think it is a victory to push a vote until after the August recess. They think during the delay they can win by spreading fear.
I think that delay gives us time to share accurate information with friends and neighbors and call our senators. Who wins the debate is up to us. We can fight organized money with organized people. We can fight fear. Yes We can.
Declare your support: http://my.barackobama.com/reform
