Dave Johnson blogging the G20 protests:

It appeared that the police might have outnumbered the demonstrators. I have iPhone video which I can try to post that shows just how many police there were, just where I was. One the one hand there were people looking for trouble, who broke lots of windows and threw bricks at the police last night. On the other hand it is highly intimidating and creates an atmosphere where people are afraid to join peaceful protests.

What are the chances that the people throwing bricks were agent provocateurs.

Here it is, Friday morning, the G20 got underway last night a couple of miles from where I sit, and I ain't seen nothing yet except what's on my computer, unless you count the helicopter that hovered over my neighborhood for an unconscionable length of time day before yesterday.

So I went in search of news this morning, partly to prepare myself for this afternoon's march, partly to have something to share with all of you.

First thing that hits me from McClatchy is a cute little paragraph that reminded me of my disgust the other day at hearing the phrase "G20 wives":

SINGLE-PAYER RALLY–Pittsburgh–Targeting the two biggest health insurers in Southwestern PA.

When: Friday, May 29th

Where: 11:30 am - 12:15 pm - Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield headquarters, Fifth and Liberty Aves, downtown

12:15 pm - 12:30pm –Procession with signs to UPMC headquarters, Grant Street, downtown for rally there 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm

Contact: Sandy Fox
Sponsor: Western PA Coalition for Single-Payer Healthcare

Protesters in Cranberry pressure Altmire to support single-payer health care

"We don't need insurance companies to provide medical care," said Sandy Fox, president of the Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Single-Payer Health Care. "We need health care providers to provide medical care."

Critics use the term "socialized medicine" to describe a single-payer system, but Mary Pat Donegan, Western Pennsylvania's coordinator of Health Care 4 All PA, said that would not be the case.

Edit -

Praise to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for a pretty powerful policy piece.

Why aren't business leaders pushing for universal, single-payer health-insurance coverage?

Memo to cost-conscious businessmen: You should be backing efforts to have a universal health-care system as a way to level the economic playing field with competitors abroad and at home.

Your intrepid reporter spent the morning in downtown Pittsburgh working the Labor Day parade on behalf of HR 676, along with other members of the Western PA Coalition for Single Payer Healthcare. The local letter carriers had kindly allowed us to march with them; as they were at the tail end of the parade, we had plenty of time to leaflet before hand, and we handed out the last of what we had as we marched. It was kind of fun playing carnival barker, calling out "Single payer, single payer, universal health care, everybody in, nobody out!" and shoving leaflets at people.

In the unlikely event that you don't have enough to do, here are some single-payer healthcare events for your amusement:

Labor Day parades turn out to be a big venue for promoting single payer healthcare. You may want to check out your local event. Here in Pittsburgh we'll be handing out leaflets, as well as marching with the letter carriers. If any of you Pittsburghers want to come, look for us at "Freedom Corner" (Center and Crawford) or at the City-County Building before the parade. Most of us will be wearing red or orange shirts.

On June 19 join the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals at 12 noon for a protest outside the Philadelphia office of Cigna, the Pittsburgh office of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the Wilkes Barre offices of   Read more…

Why is MBIA controlling the city of Pittsburgh? More importantly how close is MBIA coming to controlling your city or state? Caught this on Karmabanque. MBIA is collateralizing its bonds with crack houses and holding the city of Pittsburgh at bay.   Read more…