Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!

Update on Patients Not Profit Sit-Ins

Great news people!! The sit-ins were a success...but here is the update in its entirety:

Dear Laura Lynne,
Yesterday, the next wave of the Mobilization for Health Care for All began with great success. See below for a list of media coverage of the actions. 

In 11 cities across the country, hundreds of everyday Americans who want Medicare for All confronted the insurance companies and demanded that they redirect the money they're spending to control our democracy to pay for the care they deny to their members. Almost every company refused to even talk to us, and 37 people were arrested including doctor Matt Hendrickson at a Cigna office in Glendale, California. Dozens more - like the 30 people who blockaded the Blue Cross office in San Francisco for hours - sat in but weren't arrested. In Rhode Island, however, the protestors who joined cancer patient Robert Darling in occupying the UnitedHealthcare office won the first concessions of our campaign - a company representative agreed to give an answer to Robert about paying for his previous bone marrow transplant within 24 hours and to arrange a meeting for the group with the UnitedHealthcare CEO within a week! After 115 arrests in 18 cities, these companies are starting to feel the heat of our movement. And with more than 900 people now signed up to sit-in, this battle is just beginning.

Today, the Mobilization continued in Louisville, Kentucky and Baltimore, Maryland. The brave folks in Louisville are in the 9th hour of their sit-in inside the Humana headquarters as we send out this email. Humana is trying to wait them out, but may are prepared to stay overnight if they have to.  

In Baltimore, four people were arrested at a CareFirst (Blue Cross) office including two doctors. One of those doctors, Margaret Flowers of the "Baucus 8," has withheld her name and is planning to stay in jail until the CEO of CareFirst, Chet Burrell, agrees to a public meeting with her. 

Please call Mr. Burrell immediately and regularly at 410-528-2222 to demand that he agree to meet publicly with Margaret. 
You can also email CareFirst by going to http://www.carefirst.com/email/html/ContactMediaRelations.html. Send the following message in your email: 

I am writing to urge CEO Chet Burrell to agree to a public meeting with Dr. Margaret Flowers who was arrested at the CareFirst office in Baltimore while demanding to meet with Mr. Burrell about CareFirst business practices. She is going to stay in jail until Mr. Burrell agrees to a public meeting with her. CareFirst must publicly account for the serious concerns that citizens have about your company's practices. 

Also, please donate generously today so we can be prepared to pay any bail that is set for Margaret's release. She decided to risk arrest and stay in jail despite a possible 6 month jail sentence for violating probation from her previous arrest in the fight for real health care reform - let's show her that we've got her back. Please donate today to support Margaret and post messages of support for her at our Facebook page (we'll read all messages to her over the phone when she calls from jail). 

The Mobilization continues in Philadelphia tomorrow, and in more cities across the country next week. Click here for updated lists of all the upcoming actions and info about how you can plug in and participate. The insurance companies, the politicians in their pockets, and even some of the corporate media apparently want our movement to go away. But it's just getting started and spreading across America. Let's show them we're not going anywhere and we won't stop until health care is a right for everyone in America. 

Thanks for everything you do. 

- Katie, Kevin, Kai, Julia, Lacy, and the Mobilization team 

Press Coverage from 10/28:
San Francisco Chronicle:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/chronrx/detail?&entry_id=50532

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/sunrise/sfl-insurance-sit-in-bn102809,1,4196723.story

NJ.com (Star-Ledger / Trenton Times / Jersey Journal blog)
http://blog.nj.com/njv_bob_braun/2009/10/7_prosters_arrested_after_bloc.html

projo.com
(Providence Journal blog):
http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/10/protesters-occupy-lobby-at-uni.html

Glendale News-Press:
http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/2009/10/28/news/gnp-sitin102909.art.txt

National Public Radio, Topics
http://topics.npr.org/photo/0fbsfkh3Qq8CV

Democracy Now:
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/10/28/headlines

Free Speech Radio News:
http://www.fsrn.org/audio/activists-push-keep-public-option-health-care-reform/5664

Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/28/nine-arrested-at-wellpoin_n_337326.html

Institute for Public Accuracy:
http://www.accuracy.org/newsrelease.php?articleId=2105

Atlas Press Photo:
http://www.atlaspressphoto.com/_ATLASPRESS_/ga_multi_list.asp?ga_id=confirm&adSearch=&ga_category=0&ga_category2=0&cType=1&ga_country=&within=0&fDate=1900-01-01&tDate=2009-10-29&orient=0&color=0&photographer=&imageNo=&ds=off&orderDir=desc&ssSearchType=2&searchtype=2&searchText=Health+Care+protests+lead+to+arrests+in+downtown+NYC

La Jornada (Mexico)
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2009/10/28/index.php?section=economia&article=044n1eco


OpEdNews (featured story about doctors, by Kevin Gosztola):
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Doctors-Risking-Arrest-for-by-Kevin-Gosztola-091028-46.html

OpEdNews (about Philadelphia rally):
http://www.opednews.com/populum/diarypage.php?did=14748

Bay Area Indymedia (quality article, good for reference):
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/10/28/18627006.php
Press Coverage from 10/29:
Southern Maryland Online
http://somd.com/news/headlines/2009/10714.shtml
Wave3.com
http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=11410405
WFPL News

http://www.wfpl.org/2009/10/29/demonstrators-sit-in-at-humana/


Check it out---Lots of work still needs to be done and we need your support!! Join us today, for tomorrow may be too late to save someone you love!!

Benedict LIEberman

Message to the distinguished(sic) Senator from an outraged voter:
Senator LIEberman, if you still harbor delusions of political grandeur for yourself for EITHER 2010 or 2012, BE ADVISED that a vote to filibuster HEALTH CARE REFORM with an IRONCLAD PUBLIC OPTION is a vote cast at YOUR OWN POLITICAL PERIL, which pales in comparison to the UNINSURED SOULS WHO WILL DIE THIS YEAR!!!! Is your first name BENEDICT, or is it EBENEEZER, SENATOR?

Say It Ain't So, Joe....

Well I can't say that I'm surprised, but at this stage of the Health Care reform debacle Senator Joe Lieberman has shown his true colors by publicly stating he will vote with the "party of no" to filibuster this legislation....This Lieberman who deserted his party earlier this year with no apparent consequences from the leadership for his cowardly actions....This Lieberman who sits on the Homeland Security committee and allowed murder and torture and abuses of basic human rights to happen right under his nose under the guise of "keeping us safer"....This Lieberman who will allow another 44K uninsured DIE this year without standing up to the status quo and his corporate pimps in the Insurance Industry.....Say it ain't so, Joe

Mobilize for Health Care Alert!

October 28th through November 4th is scheduled for numerous events across the nation. If you are interested in participating in one of Mobilize For HealthCare's "Patients not Profit Sit-Ins" in your area, check out their site at:
http://mobilizeforhealthcare.org

If you live in CA, there will be an event in San Francisco on Oct. 28th at 7:30am...Contact Dan Hodges at:
http://mobilizeforhealthcare-bayarea.ning.com

Hope to see you there!

Hallelujah! Finished at Last!

Well, it only took 3 weeks of planning, procuring or creating props, lots of DEBATE over each segment's layout and placement (power management was BIG ISSUE, as RESOURCES were LIMITED), and there seemed to be OBSTACLES to OVERCOME at each phase: But, AT LAST, our Halloween Haunted "HEALTH CARE" REFORM-themed yard display is finished....HALLELUJAH!!
We have posted the pictures for your enjoyment, but we have also thrown in some serious content and links along the way. MAKE NO MISTAKE: THERE IS NO GREATER ISSUE THAN MEANINGFUL AND EFFECTIVE HEALTH CARE REFORM WITH AN IRONCLAD PUBLIC OPTION!! MEDICARE+5 sounds catchy, but instead of worrying about how to brand it, let's make sure that it happens by getting involved and TELL WASHINGTON WHAT YOU WANT FROM THEM....They DO still work for US, especially in an election cycle!!

Finishing Touches - The Pics 4

Finishing Touches - The Pics 3

Finishing Touches - The Pics 2

Finishing Touches - The Pics

Finishing Touches - The Pics

But Seriously Now People...

But Seriously Now People... In the past few days I have been posting some rather satirical pictures showcasing a "grass roots" effort of two people to have their voices heard about a CRUCIALLY important issue in an entertaining way---through a Halloween yard display. But this is not the only way I have chosen to make my voice heard. I have begun to reach out to my elected representatives, I have utilized social networking sites and email to add my support to those who are working tirelessly to bring about MEANINGFUL and EFFECTIVE Health Care Reform with an IRONCLAD PUBLIC OPTION!! I am proud to say I support these champions of the Constitution (...Promote the General Welfare) and the American people!!

Here are some links you should DEFINITELY check out, and if like what you see, JOIN US in lifting your voice so WASHINGTON can HEAR US LOUD AND CLEAR!!

Countdown to Health Care - NY Rep. Anthony Weiner's project has excellent content, links, etc.
http://www.countdowntohealthcare.com

National Association of Free Clinics - As I noted in an earlier blog post, this organization is one of the "unsung heroes" in the battle against a broken health care delivery system...Please become a friend today...The life of someone you love might depend on it one day! Visit their site at: http://www.freeclinics.us

Names of the Dead - FL Rep. Alan Grayson has done a BEAUTIFUL thing in developing this site. If you have ever lost anyone you've known or loved because of lack of access to insurance or affordable medical care, HONOR THEIR NAME and TELL THEIR STORY here:
http://www.namesofthedead.com

MichaelMoore.com - Love him or hate him, he has an EXCELLENT 15 point plan for ordinary citizens to BECOME INVOLVED in their political process to EFFECT CHANGE, one voter at a time. Lots of content, centralized links to Congress, effective grass roots organization help, etc. Check it out at:
http://www.michaelmoore.com

C-SPAN - C-SPAN's Health Care Hub remains THE definitive source for Interviews, Archival Footage, and links to EVERYTHING you always wanted to know about Health Care Reform, but couldn't ask over the noise of the Tea-Baggers and Town Hall Meetings! Visit their site at:
http://www.c-span.org

I will be adding to this list as I find more links to share!

Catching Up with Harry and Louise...

As luck would have it, we ran into Harry and Louise & kids at our "Haunted Health Care Clinic"...

Sometimes there aren't enough Tombstones...The pics

Sometimes there just aren't enough Tombstones...

...Especially for the over 44,000 uninsured or underinsured souls who are likely to die because of lack of access to affordable and effective medical care.

    "...And if they be likely to die, then let them do it and decrease the surplus population!" Ebeneezer Scrooge

This, of course is a statement one would only think to see in a Dicken's novel, BUT IT IS A REALITY that this callous disregard for HUMANITY happens IN THIS COUNTRY EVERY SINGLE DAY!!
We have dedicated tombstones depicting some of the issues of Health Care Reform we hope can AT LAST be given a decent burial, and others that we deeply mourn their passing. But to paraphrase a line borrowed from Forrest Gump...Sometimes there just aren't enough tombstones...

---

Windows 7: It helps you do more. Explore Windows 7.

Opponents of Health Care Reform...

Opponents of Health Care Reform, LOOK upon THY FATE, and while your GREEDY carcasses ROT IN HELL for ETERNITY:
DESPAIR and ABANDON ALL HOPE of REDEMPTION, and most of all, BEG NOT FOR MERCY for YE SHALL BE DENIED!!!

Halloween Health Care Reform

See what happens to POLITICIANS who DON'T LISTEN to their CONSTITUENTS over their CORPORATE CONTRIBUTORS?? This guy voted AGAINST the PUBLIC OPTION!!!

National Association of Free Clinics

PLEASE become a Friend of the National Association of FreeClinics today so they may continue their noble work to provide medical care to those most in need. Visit their site at:
http://www.freeclinics.us

Halloween "Health Care Clinic"

In keeping with the current political climate, we chose a Halloween display with a Health Care Reform related theme...watch for more pics as we put the finishing touches in place...Enjoy!

Names of the Dead Project

Have you lost someone you love because of lack  of access to affordable Health Care? Honor their memory and their story on Rep. Alan Greyson's website:  http://www.namesofthedead.com/