There are several letters to the editor concerning health care, but I like the first one the best:
Here’s a universal care proposal

Re: “Texans without coverage top U.S. – Nearly 1 in 4 lack policies; some say statistics misleading,” Wednesday news story.

Why doesn’t Texas implement universal health care or state Medicare for all of its residents?

Birthday Party for Medicare 30JUL2008

You are invited to join me, Barabra DeVane, at Congressman Boyd’s office at 11AM on Wednesday, July 30 for a birthday party complete with cake and noisemakers (that would be our Healthcare coalition calling for Boyd to sign on to HR 676).

We will celebrate the 43rd birthday of Medicare and ask Congressman Boyd for his support in extending Medicare to All through Universal Single Payer Healthcare—HR 676.

Boyd is very conservative, so they have their work cut out for them.

Health Care Now is announcing a series of parties across the country to celebrate 43 years of Medicare and to organize for HR 676! If you live in or near Detroit you can meet John Conyers! Say hellow for Corrente Wire. Parties in Texas, Florida, Ohio, New York, Illionois, and many other states. Download the list.

Medicare’s 43rd Birthday is July 30th - Medicare is known as one of the most successful social programs in the United States. Its universal coverage for those 65 and older creates the ability to redistribute benefits to those who are neediest, it pools risk in order to share the burdens of health care among the healthy and the sick, and through Medicare, the government protects the rights of all beneficiaries to essential health care without putting profit interests first. Medicare beneficiaries are overwhelmingly satisfied with their coverage, and now it is time to give improve and expand this wonderful program to everyone in the country! Support HR 676, Expanded and Improved Medicare for All!
We need you to help us celebrate! Here is what you can do:

Join a group near you! Medicare Birthday Parties are happening all over the country to celebrate the importance of Medicare and to fight the privatization of one of our most beloved social programs. Download the list—located in the right column—of already planned parties to see if there’s one near you.  Read more 

State & Local Organizations Working for Health Care for All
CA
Health Access California - www.health-access.org
Health Care for All California - www.healthcareforall.org
California Universal Health Care Organizing Project - www.singlepayernow.net

CO
Colorado Consumer Health Initiative - www.cohealthinitiative.org  Read more 

Single-Payer Health Coverage, HCAN And Health Care Reform:

What strikes me about the three quotations I start with above is how they really encapsulate the single-payer problem in the upcoming universal health care debate. Single-payer advocates are often dedicated and strong-willed grassroots activists for their cause - but they are as of now marginalized in the policy discussion, with a public that doesn’t really understand its options. Single-payer advocates have already lost the crucial framing of the current universal health care political debate because as noted the compromises for ’some sort of universal health care’ are what’s on the table - not adherence to single-payer, or we walk away. The time to win the debate was before, or at worst, during the Democratic primary. Part of why single-payer advocates have lost for now, I suspect, is because they lack the resources of “K-Street professionals” and are, as a group, not as experienced or skilled at “building mailing lists and fundraising and get[ting]-out-the vote for November.” Look at Massachusetts’ recent reform, or what happened much earlier in 2002 in Oregon, where single-payer forces lost massively…

Let’s look at the assumptions here.  Read more 

I think this is about a local union, but I can’t be sure.

Scott

Board meeting all day friday, but that never feels like work. We’re discussing healthcare reform again, more specifically the glaring fact that our local has not taken a formal position on it. We had a short presentation on HR 676 in march and i proposed we officially make a motion of support, but got shot down..Lots of people saying they didn’t have enough information. Well believe me…they’ll not be able to say that THIS time. I’ve got about a ream of paper ready to distribute this time, and am not even about to let it go without a hell of an argument…Fun times, man.  Read more 

Health Care for All Colorado

Greater Boulder Area Chapter, of HCAC

Denver, Colorado HCAC Chapter

Northern Colorado HCAC Chapter - Fort Collins

Southern Colorado HCAC Chapter

Western Slope Of Colorado HCAC Chapter

Target: Insurance companies and their lobbyists. Pretty funny.

Health Care for All

I am really happy to see that the health care movement in the United States seems to be growing. It makes sense that the movement is growing, since our health care situation is getting worse and worse. Here are some stats from a recent Healthy Washington Coalition caucus I attended:

The Washington Health Care Caucuses:

Speak Up for Quality, Affordable Health Care  Read more 

Yes We HCAN!  Read more 

Forum set Thursday on reforming health care

A free public forum on reforming health care in California will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. in Mountain View’s City Hall, 500 Castro St.

Local health care experts and advocates for a new “single-payer” system for the state will discuss accessibility problems of today’s health care and a “Medicare-type” plan designed to make health care more accessible.  Read more 

Letter: Universal health coverage within reach

We feel that one of the prominent issues to be discussed among many in the presidential elections should be our health-care system. The only real solution is a universal, single-payer system.

HR 676 is a perfect answer to the mess our present system is in with regard to the uninsured and underinsured. It is backed by many counties, the National Conference of Mayors (very recently), nursing organizations, business coalitions and doctors’ groups. Three Florida congressmen have endorsed it.  Read more 

FISA: A Time To Sit In At Obama’s Campaign Offices?

Many activists involved with the struggle to preserve our 4th Amendment rights and oppose the latest revisions to FISA were deeply disappointed by the substance of Obama’s response, which contained a whole series of misleading arguments, as Glenn Greenwald documented here.

While some were ecstatic that Obama listened at all, others had a higher standard, and found the disingenuous arguments to be insulting to their intelligence, particularly given how fundamental the issues are, and how clearly Senator Obama had previously stated his intention to filibuster if telco immunity was part of the deal.  Read more 

The Wichita Eagle has a letter to the editor about the alleged evils of single payer. If we are to win this fight, we need to write our own letters to the editor. You can tie your letter to a local candidate who supports single payer, or find some other hook.

Letters to the editor are one of the most popular sections of any newspaper. They are closely studied by both politicians and their press secretaries.

Letters to the Editor are a baromator of reader interest, so even if your letter is not printed, there is a good chance of influencing future news coverage.

S.E.C. Backs Health Care Balloting

WASHINGTON — The Securities and Exchange Commission, shifting its position, has told companies they must allow shareholders to vote on a proposal for universal health insurance coverage.

Shareholders, including religious groups and labor unions, have offered the proposal in an effort to draw the nation’s largest corporations deeper into a debate over the future of health care, fast emerging as one of the most important issue in domestic policy.  Read more