Guaranteed Healthcare

By Donna Smith

We Americans like to bomb moms.  Whether it’s in a far away country where we send our children to kill other mothers and their children or whether it’s here at home where we drop economic and cultural and sexist bombs on moms, we definitely like to bomb moms.

Then we like to show the First Lady tearfully honoring her own mother from a position of power and privilege in beautiful party dresses in a china and lace-draped dining room in the White House– like a well choreographed ballet of national proof one day every year that we love our mothers.   Doesn’t really matter which First Lady we chat about here.  Each of them plays their dutiful role in the annual Mother’s Day dance of pride. 

Undaunted: Movement for Improved Medicare for All Grows in Illinois and Across the Nation

By Donna Smith

Just blocks from President Obama's Hyde Park home south of the Loop in Chicago, more than 70 activists gathered on Saturday, March 27, 2010, to plan strategy for advancing an improved and expanded Medicare for all system as the law of the land.  Activists across the nation are undaunted by the passage of the current health reform bill as they know that mandating the purchase of private insurance is not the same as providing access to healthcare.

Joining the activists from throughout Illinois was Illinois State Representative Mary Flowers, chief sponsor of Illinois' single-payer health reform bill HB311, seen in the photo on the left.

By sharing their successes in advancing the Medicare for all, single-payer position, the activists spent eight hours together, broke into issue panels and came away with the formation of four task forces to explore the most effective and strategic ways to move the movement in Illinois both in terms of state legislative energy and as part of a larger national movement. 

By Donna Smith

So, it’s a new day in America, the Dem’s leadership proclaims-- I’m to believe that just like the passage of Social Security in 1935 and Medicare in 1965, this healthcare bill will bring long-term and profound changes to the broken healthcare system in ways that will make me more able to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Wow.  Tall order.

But if I reject that view of the bill and bounce over to the crude and unintelligible ranting coming from the political right, this bill spells the end of American life as we know it.  No more mom and apple pie with this bill, the Repubs assert.  This is a communist plot and orchestrated by non-white, non-Christian America haters.  Equally wow.

I think the truth about this bill’s passage can be more easily measured by looking at some of the patient stories featured in Michael Moore’s documentary, SiCKO, about the healthcare system and seeing how those patients would do under the new law of the land (the Dem’s view) as opposed to how they did and are doing under the current system (the Repub’s preference).

Marilyn Clement,  June 30, 1935 – August 3, 2009

By Donna Smith

August 3, 2009 – Marilyn Clement, national coordinator for Healthcare-NOW, died this morning.  We mourn her loss.  She was an organizer for the ages, a friend, a mentor, and as of today, an angel.

Behind she leaves legions of single-payer healthcare activists who may not even know her name or her background or her struggle but who carry with them her passion for a just world where every human life is valued and protected and honored no matter his or her station in life, gender, color of skin, or name recognition potential.  In a world gone mad for celebrity and status, Marilyn was a woman of peace and compassion for all.

I first met Marilyn when SiCKO premiered in New York City.  Then just weeks later when I introduced the film to audiences at the Atlanta Social Forum, it was Marilyn who took me across town to a hotel room where Laura Flanders had set up a radio studio to broadcast all the action at the event.  Marilyn brought me to be on the radio show with her – and with Atlanta’s Dr. Henry Kahn.   Diane Shamis of Progressive Democrats of America will recall that interview too.

By Donna Smith, community organizer and legislative advocate 

You'd think after eight long and ugly years listening to pompous and wealthy officials slam their versions of social hatred down our gullets, we'd have sent those folks packing for good on January 20, 2009. You'd think as we debate healthcare reform for this nation, we'd have left the arrogance and the flaunting of greed back in the pre-Wall Street bailout days of summer 2008. And you'd think in the People's House, the United States House of Representatives, we'd at least have stood up and said that every single American is deserving of and yes, entitled to, healthcare and protected from going broke in the process of getting care when ill.

You'd think.

by Donna Smith

It's coming. You and me and every middle class, working person in this nation is about to start handing over more and more of their hard earned cash to the private insurance industry, courtesy of our own elected members of Congress and our very popular President. Fire up those Treasury Department presses. We're going to be printing and providing money for insurance companies like no bail-out we've seen yet this economic crisis cycle.

By Donna Smith

Wow.  America’s Health insurance Plan’s  (AHIP) czar -- and the woman our Congress and president have anointed as the nation’s architect of health reform -- has offered a gift to all of America’s moms and women.  The health insurance industry will stop charging you more – they’ll stop discriminating against you – so long as all of you are legally forced to buy their product.

It sounds to me a little like the old saw, “When did you stop beating your wife?” But then when I really thought about it, it made me sicker and sadder and more acutely aware of exactly what this nation’s leaders think of all of the mothers and daughters in the land this Mother’s Day 2009.

CNA/NNOC has been hot on the trail of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) executives for a long time.  Since we marched in San Francisco on June 19th, 2008, with thousands, to the front of the Capital Hilton in our hazmat suits in Washington, DC, in late September 2008, to the cold winds of Chicago and that Magnificent Mile march to the AHIP meeting there in November 2008, we have taken the message forward:  We want healthcare not for-profit health insurance for everyone in this nation.

And watch this video to see newly elected Congressman Eric Massa of New York, tell the story once again, today - March 10th, 2009, in front of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Georgetown, where AHIP heard us yet again.

By Donna Smith

CHICAGO -- Who says working for healthcare reform isn't fun?  Certainly not those of us in Chicago who met before Christmas to laugh and share some holiday cheer -- and to bowl for single payer.  In one of my favorite photos from this entire year (above) are tireless single payer advocates Vanessa Beck, patient and member of Chi-SPAN (Chicago Single Payer Action Network), and Dr. Anne Sheetz of PNHP (Physicians for a National Health Program).  Both women are strong and loving -- maybe not great bowlers -- but great people working to make this world a whole lot more just.

The bowling party had been in the works since before the November general election.  All year long, the folks working on single payer -- publicly funded, privately delivered healthcare -- worked on various campaigns and in various ways to move the agenda of single payer forward.  While every individual had his or her reason for being so involved, the collective spirit of the group was clearly one of shared mission and commitment to seeing single payer legislation become the law -- not just in the Land of Lincoln (and now of Barack Obama) but also in the nation.

So we grew fond of one another in the struggle -- you do meet the most wonderful people in the single payer movement.  And we bowled.  Some of us bowled poorly while some bowled a bit better.  We laughed and clapped and just enjoyed one another's company as we each knew that all too soon we'd be back to the task and back at work. 

See another photo or two by clicking on the read more function.

President-elect Obama's transition team says they want to hear from us on healthcare.  So, the time has come to rise up and speak up as never before.  Let's contribute the single payer -- publicly funded, privately delivered -- healthcare message loud and clear. 

Go to the change.gov site to sign up and host a health care community discussion.

http://change.gov/page/s/hcdiscussion

If we're going to have a seat at the discussion table, we're going to have to invite our friends, neighbors and family, set the table and serve up the best option for this nation's healthcare mess --