Lobby and Rally in Support of Single Payer Universal Healthcare

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

In coordination with Healthcare-NOW, single payer activists will be gathering all over the country to say:

Healthcare Yes! Insurance Companies No! Make Healthcare a Human Right!

Lobby State Legislators

Support State Senate Resolution in Support of HR 676, the federal Single Payer bill. Urge NYS lawmakers to adopt a State Payer Healthcare for All Program.

9:30 a.m. : Briefing. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 85 Chestnut St. Albany

11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. : Meeting with State Legislators

Rally at 12:00 noon
West Capitol Park, Albany

For more information go to: www.singlepayernewyork.org
E-mail: dunleamark@aol.com or call 518-434-7371, ext. 1

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"Nurses say patients first ! Pass single payer !"

Rose Ann DeMoro is president of the National Nurses Organizing Committee/
California Nurses Association. Idelson and Preston are spokespersons for NNOC/CNA, which just released a statement: "Registered nurses, physicians and healthcare activists delivered an emphatic protest before the Senate Finance Committee for its failure to open discussion on healthcare reform to nurses, doctors and other advocates of single-payer, guaranteed healthcare for all, while continuing to provide a red carpet to big insurance companies and other healthcare industry interests.
As the hearing opened, about 25 nurses stood up, turning their backs to the senators. Taped to each of their red shirts were signs that called on Congress to pass single payer.
"Nurses say patients first!", the signs read. "Pass single payer!"

"Five were arrested -- two RNs, members of the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association, two physicians, members of Physicians for a National Health Program, and a patient activist with PNHP and Health Care Now -- after vocally challenging the committee for what they called a stacked process against real debate.

"Marking the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, some 40 other RNs staged a silent protest -- standing before the committee in red nursing scrubs and turning their backs to show signs [critical of] America's Health Insurance Plans, the private insurance industry lobby arm that is given a regular voice by the Committee, chaired by Sen. Max Baucus, which is in the forefront of discussion on a health plan.

"What a disgrace that RNs and physicians are shut out and arrested while the insurance industry is given a seat at the table. We would expect that from the Bush administration, not in the time of the Obama administration. ... Tuesday morning's protest was also the kickoff of two national days of actions by RNs from across the U.S., coinciding with National Nurses Week."

Source: Common Dreams, NBC

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Prime-time television endorsement of Single Payer

MSNBC's Ed Schultz talks to Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont legislator who introduced a single-payer bill into the Senate, S. 703, about the impact of Arlen Specter switching to the Democratic Party and the impact it will or won't have on getting health care reform passed. Sanders stresses the need for a strong grass roots movement to put pressure on the Congress to stand up to the insurance and drug companies and start acting in the interest of the voters.

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