Event Alert from Dan Hodges

From: actforsinglepayer+owner@googlegroups.com [mailto:actforsinglepayer+owner@googlegroups.com]


Dear List Members for ActforSinglePayer/Mobilization for Health Care for All:

Mark your calendar: * Saturday, Jan. 30 * there will be a Big Meeting to gather the whole Bay Area Direct Action for Single Payer tribe to make plans for future actions.

Despite
* the great track record of actions in our brief but glorious history (sit-in at Blue Shield, occupation of Pelosi's office, die-in last Saturday at the Ferry Building)
* the expressed interest of many people from many different organizations and scenes in taking strong action for health care we can believe in, and
* the need for a strong voice for single payer to continue in the coming year,
attendance at our evening meetings has been dwindling.

Meanwhile, whatever mess happens at the federal level, single-payer activists and progressive California legislators will be putting on a big push to pass single-payer in California (a third time) in 2010.

So the spirited group of die-hards that has been coming to meetings is going to plan a lively, interesting, motivating, and inclusive meeting to bring us all together again and get ready for more action. You won't want to miss it! In addition to the 80 or so people on this list, more than 100 (I think maybe more like 200, sorry I don't remember more specifically) Bay Area people signed up to take direct action on single payer through the web site of the national Mobilization for Health Care Now. There are a lot of us -- so let's organize! Tell your friends, comrades, allies, etc. Details to follow in future emails.

In other news:

* January 11 (a Monday) the traditional annual medical and nursing students' Sacramento rally for single payer will be joined this year by lots of other organizations  (Health Care for All California, Single Payer Now, CNA, CTA, CSEA, California Alliance of Retired Americans, League of Women Voters, Council of Churches, Wellstone Democratic Club, and more) to make a huge presence for single payer at the Capitol. Many of us have to work, but if you can possibly attend, it will be a great experience and your presence will make it greater. There will be buses leaving from the Bay Area -- details to follow on that too.

Dan Hodges
Chair, Health Care for All-California