It looks like tonight's show will cover several topics, but Dr Flowers and single payer will be in there somewhere.

Meanwhile, you can sign the petition asking the president to listen to this show. He did ask for better ideas on how to pay for health care.

Single Payer Action

Two single payer doctors were arrested this morning outside the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel where President Obama was scheduled to speak to a retreat of House Republicans.

Dr. Margaret Flowers and Dr. Carol Paris were carrying a sign that said: Just Letting You Know: Medicare for All.

Willamette Reds

Upcoming events with Dr. Oliver Fein, PNHP president

We invite you to join us at the at following events with Dr. Oliver Fein, president of Physicians for a National Health Plan, during his visit to Portland, Oregon.

Single-Payer Soiree
Fundraiser for Portland PNHP
The McMenamins Kennedy School
Sunday, January 31, 7-10 p.m.
5736 Northeast 33rd Ave, Portland

Keynote speaker: Oliver Fein, M.D., PNHP president

Entertainment provided by the Mad As Hell Doctors Tour in Review, OHSU medical student Project on the Uninsured, Bob Wickline, Al Bradbury, The Nurses Band and the Post Riders

My local single payer organizer sent along this copy of a letter from Braddock's mayor and council president to the board of UPMC; we intend to hand-deliver it to the chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh (UPMC's parent organization) today. The letter is not a "demand" that UPMC keep Braddock Hospital open, but a courteous request to either reverse the decision, or give the community time to find an alternative remedy. (Apparently, they have feelers out for someone else to run the hospital, but this will be virtually impossible if the hospital is closed and loses its operating license.)

All emphases mine.

We are writing on behalf of the residents of Braddock and the surrounding communities to seek your help in averting what will be a devastating blow to the health and safety of our citizens and the economy of our region.

We are talking, of course, about the impending closing of Braddock Hospital.

Empty Wheel

Of those who voted “no” last November, just two said they did so because the bill was not progressive enough: Dennis Kucinich and Eric Massa (and many people doubt Massa’s explanation on that count).

Do any of those many people have names? I mean that is right up there with Ceci Connolly's some say.

I am past tired of the public option sorority trashing single payer advocates. Put up or shut up. If anyone has evidence casting doubt on Massa's commitment to single payer, let them present facts to support their view. Otherwise no one should pay any attention to this rumormongering.

Here's a video of a protest against the closing of Pittsburgh-area Braddock Hospital. Unfortunately, the schedulers of these protests seem to have an uncanny knowledge of my work schedule which they're using to keep me away.

Book reviews are being abandoned by the MSM. We read books here: let's talk about them! Post your reviews as comments here.

Here's what I'm thinking about this morning: books that turned out differently than I thought they would.

For example, upon recommendation of a friend, I started reading Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers. I got through the first few pages and gave up, at least twice. Finally managed to make it past that, and found that I loved the book. I still find the first few pages somewhat stilted, but now that I know what's coming I find them easier to take, and it's one of the books I own a reread on a fairly regular basis. And Powers has become one of my favorite writers.

Today's review (once I finish it) will be of a book that pleasantly surprised me in a different way.

And then there are books that turn out to be disappointments. I tend to forget those, which sometimes means being disappointed twice, as I check the book out for a second time, forgetting I've already read (or tried to read) it.

Small Business owner writes about testifying in Vermont

While I was waiting for my turn to testify — I was 55th on the list — I heard some of the most disturbing testimony by those in favor of a single-payer system. Horror stories about hospitals and administration errors and insurance companies that refused approval for care. The thought that kept playing in my mind was: Will you quit whining. What a bunch of Harry Hardlucks and Sally Sobstories. They didn't address the real issue at all. How the heck are we supposed to pay for such a system? More taxes? We're already taxed to the hilt.

I thought that me most newsworthy thing that came out of Kip Sullivan's live blog was his analysis of section 1332:

[Many thanks for live blogging this during my semi-advertant absence. Great comments! -- lambert]

From Healthcare-NOW!:

Dear Healthcare-NOW! Supporter:

Join leading policy experts and single-payer advocates on a conference call TONIGHT, January 14th at 8pm EST for analysis from the beltway on the lack of transparency in the current health reform process, the inadequacy of the pending legislation, and continued commitment to building the movement for single-payer national healthcare.

Featured speakers include:

Ronald Hikel, Legislative Director and Deputy Chief of Staff for Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY)
Dr. Len Rodberg, PNHP NY Metro Chapter Board Member and Research Director

Argus Times

MONTPELIER – Hundreds of Vermonters filled the Statehouse Tuesday for a public forum on health care reform, with a vast majority urging lawmakers to adopt a single-payer system.

From Healthcare-NOW!:

1) Two upcoming educational conference calls
2) "Where do we go from here? Gearing up for real healthcare reform" panel presentation and Q&A

Or can they actually believe that the ludicrously overheated yet strangely content-free online petition they're shilling for (SIGN OUR* LETTER) actually means anything?

For those of you confused about the lack of motivation from activists in supporting Obama's and Congress' healthcare reform, healthcare activists take to the streets in California demanding REAL Healthcare Reform.

Single Payer.

Too bad the people in charge in Washington, D.C., aren't truly interested in really motivating people like that to vote for them... The little things that can be the difference between winning and losing elections. You can read more on that rally here:

The future of healthcare reform came to Sacramento yesterday

  Read more…

Progressives Introduce New Single Payer Bill

This week Progressive legislators introduced a new Single Payer bill (H.491). This bill proposes to create a single-payer health care system in Vermont to promote health, to prevent chronic health conditions, and to contain costs. They also released the statement below identifying the criteria that must be included in any proposal they support.

Progressives Outline Principles for Healthcare Reform

By: Representative David Zuckerman (P-Burlington), Representative Susan Davis (P-Washington) and Anthony Pollina.

Amazing what you can do if you don't fall for health care defeatism.

Baucus has betrayed constituents by ignoring single-payer

The tragedy of Baucus' role in the health care debacle playing out in our wholly owned Congress is that an American citizenry that has been deceived, ignored, impoverished, scorned, fleeced, fired, and flimflammed by its government will have to continue to sweat and bleed to get mediocre health care at astronomical cost, due in large measure to the callous indifference to his own constituents' well-being of "Montana's Senator."

This, presumably, is what Baucus calls a "uniquely American solution".

Event: MARYLAND SINGLE PAYER LEADERSHIP TRAINING
"Get the tools you need to be a single payer advocate!"
What: Workshop
Start Time: Saturday, February 20 at 9:00am
End Time: Saturday, February 20 at 3:00pm
Where: Owen Brown Interfaith Center

Ed Rendell promised to sign Pennsylvania single payer legislation if it passed; but apparently he never expected his bluff to be called:
Pennsylvania’s Single Payer Health Care Bill - 4113th Edition

Governor Rendell of Pennsylvania has a Health Bill before the Pennsylvania House of Representatives called Prescription for Pennsylvania.

This bill is losing support with only 8 sponsors as of this writing.

HB 1660 currently has 35 sponsors.

Why is HB 1660 superior to Prescription For Pennsylvania?

HB 1660 guarantees health care protection for all Pennsylvanians thus delivering quality, comprehensive health care.

Rendell’s plan does not.

Group Vows: “The Fight will continue until every person in our nation has access to quality, affordable health care.

Vermont Public Radio

Several hundred people went to the Statehouse today to lobby for a single payer health care system.

Legislative leaders promised they would explore the single payer approach, but they didn't commit to having a vote on the issue this year.

[Several websites where the following info was drawn from listed at end.]

Where We are Now – A Summary

The Senate Bill will go through the “reconciliation process” with the House version that was passed in November.

Both houses will vote on it and the President will try to sign off on it by the time of the State of the Union address in late January.

The President is leaning it is said toward the Senate rather than House bill, especially in terms of the funding. [tax on middle class insurance benefits rather than on wealthy income.]

The Biggest Dispute for Reconciliation -- Funding

single-payer in San Francisco, over at Alegre's.

The other day I was complaining to my primary care doc about my woes wrangling with my insurance parasite, and she jumped right in with single payer. Of course, this was uber-liberal Cambridge MA, but still, very welcome!

Docs Dump Dems

Two single payer doctors – members of the Baucus 8 – have dumped the Democratic Party.

In a letter to The Enterprise newspaper of southern Maryland, Dr. Margaret Flowers and Dr. Carol Paris announced that they had switched their voter registration from Democratic to Independent because “both major political parties have failed our patients and us.”