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This is health reform

09/23/2010 Nativegrl77

Organizing for America

After a century of struggle and a year of debate, health insurance reform became law six months ago today — and this week, key provisions of the Affordable Care Act take effect.

This is possible only because you — and millions of Organizing for America supporters and volunteers — stood up and said, enough. Even when the fight seemed all but lost, we continued to organize, call Congress, knock on doors, and do everything we could to keep reform alive.

But behind these historic changes are real people and real families. Their stories are important reminders that health reform couldn’t wait — and we can’t give up on moving this country forward. Too much is at stake.

Meet Patrick, Kay, and Kristin:

			Patrick is a single dad in Rockport, Maine. When he lost his job as a boat builder, he lost his health coverage, and paid out of pocket when his 14-year-old daughter required surgery for scoliosis. Pat has since found a new job, and because insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to children on the basis of pre-existing conditions, his daughter Katie is now insured. “If it wasn’t for proper medical insurance, we never would have had the doctors she had. I feel like President Obama did it just for us.” Now, Pat can take Katie to the doctor without worrying about falling deeper into debt. “It’s about time someone, anyone, stood up for the things that mattered.”

			Kay is a small business owner in Evansville, Indiana. Every year she sees premiums soar and searches for more affordable options. “Even with us paying half the premiums, we have employees who cannot afford the health insurance and go without. They feel like they are constantly living on the edge — hoping that neither they nor their children will face an illness or injury that will bankrupt them.” The small business tax credit in the Affordable Care Act will help Kay continue to ensure her employees can get the coverage they need.

			Kristin is a recent grad living in Scottsdale, Arizona. Last year, she was told that the cost of staying on her parents’ plan after graduating would skyrocket to $500 a month. “Staying on my mother’s plan would have been a great option now! But that was in the spring of last year, before any health reform had passed.” Now, young people like Kristin will be able to remain on their parents’ insurance at the same rate until finding work or turning 26 — eliminating what can be a costly gap in coverage.

Today, we also celebrate an end to some of the worst insurance company abuses, like rescinding coverage when someone needs it most. Those previously considered uninsurable because of a pre-existing condition — 400,000 Americans — now have access to insurance through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan. And all new health plans must now provide free preventive care, like mammograms, colonoscopies, immunizations, and pre-natal care.

Millions will see expanded benefits — and more control over the care they receive.

This is real change. And there are stories like these all over America. Check out a few more — including a video of one woman’s surprise call from the President — at the White House‘s site:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform

Thanks for all you do,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

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0 children dead from preventable causes

09/23/2010 Nativegrl77

Take action to reduce the number of preventable child deaths to zero.

Big news: UNICEF just announced that the number of children under the age of five dying each day has significantly dropped over the past year: from 24,000 to 22,000.

We’re asking you to take action today and help make that number ZERO.

We know you believe that 22,000 children dying from preventable causes each day is 22,000 too many. They die from causes most of us will never have to worry about – such as starvation, unsanitary living conditions, no access to clean drinking water, or lack of a five-cent vaccine.

We are making remarkable progress toward a world in which no child dies from preventable causes, and can see a light at the end of the tunnel. But without a strong commitment by the U.S. government, we will never reach zero. Please urge Congress to fully fund our committment to UNICEF this year to help save millions of children’s lives and protect their futures.

From measles campaigns in Pakistan to emergency food in Ethiopia; from hurricane relief in Haiti to anti-malarial bed net distribution in Nigeria – UNICEF’s work is having a huge impact. And with this latest announcement comes more hope – we can see that the drop in child mortality is actually accelerating.

In a very concrete way, the news about a drop in child mortality demonstrates that global investment and strategic partnerships are putting comprehensive child survival strategies in place that get results. Over the last 50 years, UNICEF and its partners have helped reduce the worldwide child mortality rate by more than 50%. This pace of improvement is increasing, and we are getting closer to a day when zero children die from preventable causes.

Please write Congress today and urge continued strong support of UNICEF so that we can continue to reduce the number of preventable child deaths around the world.

Thanks for all that you do,

– The Change.org Team

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Saturday in Washington

09/23/2010 Nativegrl77

Early Voter Action Fund: 24 Hours Left
$122,646 TO GO: Contribute Today >>

Saturday is another critical make-or-break day for our campaigns nationwide.

Local Washington organizers are ready to go door-to-door this Saturday to make sure voters know the truth about Democrats fighting for the middle-class and tea party Republicans attempting to hide their radical ideas — but we can’t do it without your help.

We need 17 supporters from Seattle to help equip local organizers for this Saturday’s massive Voter Outreach Day of Action.

Almost every pundit agrees it’s all going to come down to turnout and who can get their supporters to the polls. That means voter contact NOW when early voting is starting will be critical to our success in November. We are short $122,646 before our deadline in just 24 hours to get the money to our campaigns in time.

Will you contribute before tomorrow’s midnight deadline to help power our National Day of Action? Your gift will be matched 2-to-1 by a group of committed Democrats.

“Boehner for Speaker” Republicans and their corporate-funded front groups just launched a barrage of new ads attacking House Democrats who stood strong against the special interests. With early voting starting this week in battleground states, we can’t sit back and let their lies take hold.

The right-wing shadow groups may have millions in right-wing special interest cash but they can’t hide the fact that their Republican candidates support unpopular ideas like privatizing Social Security and tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.

With your support, we’re going to give voters the facts they need to fight the right-wing spin.

Help us make sure voters have the facts on tea party Republicans’ radical ideas by contributing to our Early Voter Action Fund today. Your gift will be matched 2-to-1 by a group of committed Democrats.

Onward to victory!

Chris Van Hollen
DCCC Chairman

P.S. We are short $122,646 before our deadline in just 24 hours to get the money to our campaigns in time. Will you contribute before tomorrow’s midnight deadline to help power our National Day of Action? Your gift will be matched 2-to-1 by a group of committed Democrats.

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Pledging Allegiance To Failed Policies

09/23/2010 Nativegrl77

Today, House Republicans are unveiling the “Pledge to America” — a pre-election document styled after 1994’s Contract with America — at a hardware store in Sterling, VA. The plan sorts policy items into “five broad categories” — jobs, government reform, federal spending, national security, and health care — and is part of “an effort to respond to the allegation that the GOP is the ‘party of no.'” “It’s important to show what Republicans are for,” said one House Republican involved in the drafting. The document only includes two items regarding social issues — defending “traditional marriage” and preventing taxpayer funding of abortion in line with the current Hyde amendment — and Republican aides have “cautioned against comparing the new proposal with the party’s original Contract With America.” In fact, only incumbent lawmakers were involved in its drafting, and they won’t even be signing it. “The new agenda is not a political platform, aides said, but rather an outline of the party’s targets in the final weeks of the legislative session,” the New York Times reported. If that’s the case, then, the document makes it abundantly clear that House Republicans are ready to double down on the failed policies of the Bush administration, on everything from taxes and federal spending to national security, and want to undo some of the strong progressive policies enacted by the current Congress.

REVIVING BUSH’S DEFICITS AND TAX CUTS: First and foremost, the Pledge calls for retaining the entirety of the Bush tax cuts — rejecting President Obama’s plan to save $830 billion by letting the tax cuts for the richest two percent of Americans expire on schedule — and cutting overall government spending back to the 2008 level next year, thus literally embracing Bush’s tax and spending policies. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has pointed out, cutting the budget back to 2008 levels across-the-board means 21 percent reductions in discretionary programs, including more than $8 billion in cuts to K-12 education. But the cuts don’t come close to eliminating the deficit, particularly considering the GOP plans to pass $4 trillion more in tax cuts, plus an additional small business tax cut. Of course, endorsing an across-the-board cut, instead of laying out specific areas of the budget that can be pared back alongside responsible revenue increases, epitomizes the Republican approach to budgeting. In fact, when directly asked, many House Republicans, including House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (VA), can’t name a single program they’d like to cut. And already, some Republicans are saying that the Pledge isn’t even radical enough when it comes to cutting spending. “It’s not taking us where we ultimately have to go as a country, dealing with entitlements and permanent tax changes,” said Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) who has reportedly “advocated for a plan that dealt specifically with Social Security.” Notably, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) — the Republican budget chief who has released a full plan for privatizing Social Security and Medicare — was not scheduled to appear at the Pledge unveiling, confirming that many in the Republican leadership are hesitant to publicly tie themselves to his proposals.

REPEALING HEALTH CARE REFORM: The Republican pledge also dedicates an entire section to repealing the Affordable Care Act and replacing it with some of the same solutions that the GOP promoted during the health care reform debate, such as medical malpractice reform (which won’t do much to bring down health care costs) and allowing insurance to be sold across state lines (which would lead to a regulatory race to the bottom). However, repealing the ACA will add $143 billion to the deficit over ten years, according to the Congressional Budget Office, as the cost containment measures and revenue increases in the bill also disappear. Interestingly, the Pledge also says that Republican health care reform will prevent health insurance companies from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions, but without including an individual mandate that everyone purchase health insurance. Of course, as Newsweek’s Ben Adler explains, “Such a prohibition is economically infeasible without the individual mandate that health-care reform included,” as people wouldn’t buy health insurance until after they get sick. Forcing insurance companies to cover those with pre-existing conditions also puts House Republicans at odds with conservatives like former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR), who has likened the prohibition to automobile insurers being forced to insure already wrecked cars.

BRING ON THE SHUTDOWN: One of the most notorious episodes of the Congress that was sworn in after the original Contract with America was the government shutdown of 1995. For three weeks, then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) shuttered the government after Congress was unable to approve a budget. And House Republicans are already saying that they’re game for a repeat performance. “If government shuts down, we want you with us,” said Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA). “It’s going to take some pain for us to do the things that we need to do to right the ship.” Rep. Steve King (R-IA) has demanded a “blood oath” from House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) to include a repeal of health care reform in every appropriations bill next year, even if a government shutdown results. “We must not blink,” he said. “If the House says no, it’s no.” Boehner, for his part, has disavowed the notion, saying, “Our goal is not to shut down the government.” “It’s absurd,” added Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH). “That’s not our goal at all.” But Gingrich himself seems to think that another government shutdown would be productive, even though it means, among other things, that Social Security payments and veterans’ benefits are not disbursed. “When we win control of the House and Senate this fall, Stage One of the end of Obamaism will be a new Republican Congress in January that simply refuses to fund any of the radical efforts,” Gingrich said. Such talk has earned the GOP a scolding from President Clinton. “You see what happened last time: It didn’t work out very well for them,” Clinton said.

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toxic Thursday &some News

09/23/2010 Nativegrl77

Today the President is in NYC at the UN and will address the General Assembly.

The Political Party of No… Republicans decided to roll out their Pledge to America as well today. The so-called Pledge to America has nothing substantial; only a lot of promises to repeal replace and eliminate social services we have all come to depend on because we pay into it.

The great News today is that HCR begins for millions of Americans. Though it seems most are skeptical about what exactly will reform do for them the difference will be immediate for those with kids in college who already have insurance. They can now safely cover them while away at college. It makes you feel calm to know that if god forbid something happens to your child they will be covered and they have the ability to get medical help without the high costs. The fact that we only have a few more weeks left until the up coming mid-term elections it is with hope and faith that those people who have been watching listening will Vote for the Democratic Party instead the other side of the aisle. The choice i admit is clear for me; as a woman, mom of a young male person of colour the things that the right have in mind for the Protected Classes seem less than civilized. Anything Republicans say or plan will not be good for families …they take aim at freedom of religion, they are against a woman’s right to choose, don’t believe that gays should have the right to marry adopt or be in the military openly. The list of we don’t approve of by Republicans is long, that is why we the people need to be aware of what we the people will lose.

The rise of the tea party movement…the implications and the people who are responsible for their actions makes me fear for my safety as well as other people of colour, well come to think about it the fear might be for all those considered a Protected Class. If allowed to gain control the Republican Tea Party will strip away the things we all have held dear up until this moment in our lives and the change I voted for in 2008. Again, the November elections have a direct impact on our 2012 elections and those who say they want to sit this 2010 out to protest are stupid at best reckless and unaware of what they will be dragging the rest of us into when we have to decide who will be President in 2012. The choice for me is obvious because the work I voted for in 2008 has yet to get done. I knew that the effort would be hard but no one had any idea that Republicans would go to such an effort to ruin the fair election that 53% voted President Obama into office and expected him to govern but Republicans have put up road blocks not only to the change we need but for the Political Party voted to govern for four years.

So, when you vote in November remember how that vote will impact Congress and the legislation needed for All Americans and the work that still needs to get done with President Obama. The choice is obvious. I cannot believe how anyone could promote or vote for a person to be the President of the free world who clearly feels they could only represent a select few, a specific people. My only conclusion is: that it could be and would be truly an un-American thing to do… We the People should always be aware of that when voting for the President of the USA , because they represent all Americans not a few, some or a select group. The fact is that a person who believes and practices exclusion, discrimination, sexism, racism …. should never be allowed or considered to be the leader of the free world

When I hear or try to understand the people in the Republican Tea Party movement; all I get is anger, fear mongering and hate. I have not heard anyone from the movement be specific about what big government means to them or why they hate it and when they try to explain the only information they seem to throw out at us… that government is too big but no one has yet to say what would they do to change our situation, they only give promises but without true explanations with implications they probably will eliminate any and all social service programs that most folks actually pay into all their lives.

I watched marches with nasty words about the President, signs with nasty pictures of the President, as well as people dressed in costumes that represented a time when both women and minorities were not treated well, i saw mostly white faces angry about the country being taken over by a Black man who quite possibly could be a socialist. These ideas were implied, promoted and provoked by Sarah Palin several times during the 2008 campaign for President. The right and or extreme right are definitely upset they are not in charge, they also feel a personal threat over the fact that our population in the United States is growing in numbers for minorities. The notion that Republicans want to bring in more people into their base definitely is not an invitation to minorities, even with Michael steele as RNC chair it is obvious his party, who gives purity tests is a party of exclusion, only accepts a select few and if you pay attention to the words of Republicans they do not believe in compassion for others. We could really use a little social-ism right about now.

I still do not understand what Republicans stand for, they scare me personally, how can a group of people promote exclusion when it’s obvious we have the elite, the middle and lower class, who are of varying people, they want the government out of their lives but feel they have a right to tell women what they can do with their bodies, no one is perfect but the C’street group should not have members that are serving in Public Office, if for nothing else than for the Separation of Church and State, which, obviously they are not adhering to. Just ask the people of Uganda, maybe in other countries as well. I would call for an investigation into just what are Public Servants doing in Uganda promoting religious exclusion and or something even more sinister.

Most conservative and or tea party members want to get rid of Medicare, Medicare, Social Security, which are all entitlements; my question is: how would most of their parents or grandparents live if not for these programs? I just don’t understand. i believe my first encounter of a movement, which, had no party name that i knew of were the words that came out of the mouth of Sarah Palin at her VP speeches, she mocked then Senator Obama, chastised people for believing in change that would come from a man that pals around with terrorists, which was a outright lie, implied that he was not born in America, that he was a socialist. My first thought was she and others running for Public Service should not be so reckless because she was only talking to a certain group, relaying her message to only a select few and calling on them to vote for her, then i realized that this was her purpose. I was offended, i still am.

Now, the voices of or from tea party members are said to be from a wide range of people. I have to be honest, the tent of democrats is a lot larger and when people say there are extremes on the left as well? What kind of extreme are they talking about? Socialism? for me the last ten or so years of the bush White house has been life on the sidelines, working and not getting wage increases, that was during the Bush years, even then corporations were flexing their muscles, no increases but you can keep your health care…if you don’t have this that or the other. I don’t think tea party folks truly understand what they want, if it’s what Republicans stand for then, at least for me, we are in great trouble.

The Bush administrations gave 2tax cuts to the wealthy and did not pay for it, he committed to 2 wars and these were not paid for. The spending this man did drain the government surplus, which was left to him by a democratic President, not perfect himself, but he did leave a surplus. Bush had 2terms and i still cannot think of anything positive this man did, I’m not in the top 2% so i definitely didn’t enjoy the wealth, the wars did not make sense to me ,9/11 still makes no sense to me, my personal opinion is that this event was used to go into war; there had been some negative interaction with bush1 and saddam; it’s just my own feelings but the embarrassment was not forgotten, an incident with Iraq and bush2 with or without the twin tower incident and 3000 dead would have happened one way or another, again, it’s my opinion, no facts. Today, we have a President who has changed the way the world sees us, he has extended a hand of peace, a willingness to talk. Not my way or no way as our previous one did; this is a good thing but that would be eliminated if republicans and or their fringe element called tea baggers get into office.

A man named Tancredo, who comes from a family of immigrants made comments about our President that were without a doubt offensive, first thought was these words of hate are lethal, words hurt, they are offensive when used in such a way as Tancredo did; but what really scared me was that he received applause from the crowd of what? Other racists?, people who want exclusion? If the following people are teabag supporters, like Thom Tancredo, Sarah palin, scott brown, roger ailes,glenn beck, dick armey it’s obvious we all need to watch out, the American people should be speaking up and out.

Other News …

The President meets/speech at the UN General Assembly

Recall on Similac Baby Formula

5million upgrade awarded to 5 Seattle neighborhoods

State Workers in Seattle Ferry workers-drinking brown water

Requests for unemployment benefits have increased by about 12thousand a week

CSPAN …

Senate Banking Cmte. Hearing on SEC Performance