(President Barack Obama chairs a meeting of the United Nations Security Council at the United Nations headquarters, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
"No one is going to sit down and tell your doctor anything about how to care for you...it's malarkey. Can you imagine? The guys that set up Medicare are settin' up death panels, right? That's a good deal. Come on."
The White House put together a video of the Vice President's remarks, with a special behind-the-scenes look at his visit. Check it out:
"My mother died because she didn't have the health insurance she needed. Please make sure that this does not happen to someone else...""I believe everyone should have health care. Even when they can't afford it.""My seven-year old son passed away because my health care wouldn't pay for certain treatments that he needed and might have been alive today. I do oppose any attempt to weaken [the] health plan."
When 2,500 people gathered in Columbus, Ohio three weeks ago as part of our Health Insurance Reform Now Bus Tour, the bus wasn't the only attraction. A local group put up a display of letters, written by Ohioans and on their way to Congress, that spoke about why we need reform so badly.
Today, The Huffington Post has a selection of stories from those letters up, and they're definitely worth a read. They show exactly why the status quo is untenable, and put a face on the troubles of our health insurance system. Check them out here.
A common lie being perpetrated about health insurance reform is that it will cut your medicare benefits. This simply isn't true. Reform will, however, eliminate unwarranted taxpayer subsidies to private insurers that do nothing to improve your quality of care, and cost all beneficiaries more. And these subsidies will only go up in the future! Mike Hash, from the White House Office of Health Reform, explains the reality in this video:
This morning, nine months after taking office, President Obama made his first address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He spoke to the world leaders gathered there about their skepticism regarding America's engagement with the international community, and reflected on how he has worked to change that in his first months as President of the United States.
I took office at a time when many around the world had come to view America with skepticism and distrust. Part of this was due to misperceptions and misinformation about my country. Part of this was due to opposition to specific policies, and a belief that on certain critical issues, America has acted unilaterally, without regard for the interests of others. This has fed an almost reflexive anti-Americanism, which too often has served as an excuse for our collective inaction.Like all of you, my responsibility is to act in the interest of my nation and my people, and I will never apologize for defending those interests. But it is my deeply held belief that in the year 2009 – more than at any point in human history – the interests of nations and peoples are shared.The religious convictions that we hold in our hearts can forge new bonds among people, or tear us apart. The technology we harness can light the path to peace, or forever darken it. The energy we use can sustain our planet, or destroy it. What happens to the hope of a single child – anywhere – can enrich our world, or impoverish it....This is what we have done. But this is just a beginning. Some of our actions have yielded progress. Some have laid the groundwork for progress in the future. But make no mistake: this cannot be solely America’s endeavor. Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world’s problems alone. We have sought – in word and deed – a new era of engagement with the world. Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.
The President then called on the nations of the world to engage in a new cooperative effort to secure international peace and prosperity. And he outlined four pillars that he believes essential to securing that prosperous future: non-proliferation and disarmament; the promotion of peace and security; the preservation of our planet; and a global economy that advances opportunity for all people.
This body was founded on the belief that the nations of the world could solve their problems together. Franklin Roosevelt, who died before he could see his vision for this institution become a reality, put it this way – and I quote: “The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, or one party, or one Nation…. It cannot be a peace of large nations – or of small nations. It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world.”The cooperative effort of the whole world. Those words ring even more true today, when it is not simply peace – but our very health and prosperity that we hold in common. Yet I also know that this body is made up of sovereign states. And sadly, but not surprisingly, this body has often become a forum for sowing discord instead of forging common ground; a venue for playing politics and exploiting grievances rather than solving problems. After all, it is easy to walk up to this podium and to point fingers and stoke division. Nothing is easier than blaming others for our troubles, and absolving ourselves of responsibility for our choices and our actions. Anyone can do that.Responsibility and leadership in the 21st century demand more. In an era when our destiny is shared, power is no longer a zero sum game. No one nation can or should try to dominate another nation. No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed. No balance of power among nations will hold. The traditional division between nations of the south and north makes no sense in an interconnected world. Nor do alignments of nations rooted in the cleavages of a long gone Cold War.
Finally, he called on those assembled in the chamber to recommit to The United Nations as an institution, and to work together to build a strong future for all world peoples.
Now it falls to us – for this institution will be what we make of it. The United Nations does extraordinary good around the world in feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, and mending places that have been broken. But it also struggles to enforce its will, and to live up to the ideals of its founding.I believe that those imperfections are not a reason to walk away from this institution – they are a calling to redouble our efforts. The United Nations can either be a place where we bicker about outdated grievances, or forge common ground; a place where we focus on what drives us apart, or what brings us together; a place where we indulge tyranny, or a source of moral authority. In short, the United Nations can be an institution that is disconnected from what matters in the lives of our citizens, or it can be indispensable in advancing the interests of the people we serve.We have reached a pivotal moment. The United States stands ready to begin a new chapter of international cooperation – one that recognizes the rights and responsibilities of all nations. With confidence in our cause, and with a commitment to our values, we call on all nations to join us in building the future that our people deserve.
Read the full remarks at WhiteHouse.gov.
Last night in Raleigh, Organizing for America supporters from across North Carolina came together to celebrate the openining of their new state headquarters. With food available for snacking, they hit the phone banks to make hundreds of calls to other supporters in their neighborhood, and collected hundreds of pledges of support for President Obama's health insurance reform plan. Check out these photos from the event:
Yesterday, Vice President Joe Biden addressed a meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners at Maryland's National Harbor. He concentrated on the rapidly rising costs of health care in America, a factor in the debate known all too well to those charged with regulating our state insurance markets.
Vice President Biden also spoke about reform as a "moral issue," noting that no one can truly be secure in their insurance with our current system. Check out highlights from the speech below, or read the full remarks at WhiteHouse.gov.
You understand first-hand this crisis. You've seen the impact on families, and on businesses, of the skyrocketing insurance premiums. You've seen the pressure it places on hard-working Americans and on businesses, who in my view overwhelmingly want to do the right thing by their employees by providing health -- decent health coverage, but are put in a really difficult spot.And you're working hard each and every day to combat these problems and to stop the unjustifiable increases in health care costs and insurance costs, I should say, in just as -- just look at what you've been up against. I know you know it, but it's important the public know it. A report released by the White House today finds that health insurance premiums in states have gone up between 90 and 150 percent in the last decade, far faster than wages and inflation....All around the country -- all around the country we're seeing these gaps widen. And all in all, there was a 5.5 percent rise in premiums for families just this past year. During this Great Recession, when inflation actually fell [point] 7 percent. Inflation fell [point] 7 percent, and premiums increased 5.5 percent.So the soaring premiums are not only hurting families and killing small businesses, they're hurting our competitive position all around the world. But as the report points out, they're hurting -- they're hurting our whole free enterprise system. They're hurting our ability to compete -- the business -- of business competing internationally....To state the obvious, this is simply an unsustainable position. Families, businesses, state budgets, our national economy -- all demand a significant change. And you're stuck in the middle of it all. You're stuck in the middle of it all. You read the letters. You see the tears. The people -- if it's like my state of Delaware and a lot of small states, people actually importune you on the street. They know who you are. They know your job. They come up to you. I'll bet you if I went around the room of insurance commissioners here, and ask you just to give me 10 stories, 10 stories you know first-hand from people literally approaching you -- at your home, your neighborhood, the grocery store, the football game, church -- it would be a literal saga. Well, it's happening all across America....I want to restore stability in our health care system. And there are basic ground rules we need right now. One, no discrimination for preexisting conditions; no exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses, deductible or copays; no cost sharing for preventive care; no dropping of coverage for the seriously ill; no gender discrimination; no annual lifetime caps on coverage -- (applause) -- extended coverage for young adults; guaranteed insurance renewal....And far from running insurance companies out of business, we will be building the best thing about today's -- building on the best things about today's system, with more competition, more choice for customers -- and for the insurance companies, more customers, paying customers.So when our critics say -- the third argument I hear is they say, well, this is not a moral issue. And some of us say there is a moral component to this. Well, tell that to the father who is fighting cancer and is told that his insurance won't cover any more treatment, because he's reached the annual limits. Tell that to a little girl who is in a full body cast, requires speech and physical therapy to recover only to be denied coverage for that therapy because it's deemed "maintenance" rather than "recovery." I could go to you and you could give me 25 other stories about why this is and does have a moral component to it. Or the mother with a diabetic child who is trying to cover the cost of insulin her child needs just to stay alive....So there's got to be a solution. Now, I'm confident that the one we are proposing is just the solution we need. But let's face it. Let's face it, there's a dire need to make this work. According to a stark report issued last week at Harvard University, as many as 45,000 people per year die owing to a lack of health insurance -- 45,000 individuals, according to a Harvard study. How is that possible?...If we do nothing, in 10 years one in every $5 Americans earn will be spent on health care; in 30 years, one out of every $3 will be spent on health care if we do not bend the cost curve. Spending by the federal government on Medicare and Medicaid alone will be 15 percent of GDP by 2040 -- it's now about 5 percent. Right now about 46 percent of health care is government funded through Medicare and Medicaid....You support reform. You've said it in your health care reform principles. You said we need to protect consumers and increase the affordability and access to insurance. You all get it. You know better than almost anyone about the inefficiencies, the cost shifting -- the bad practices that presently corrode our health care system. You know these reforms will only serve to strengthen the vital work that you do each and every day. You're the best equipped to educate consumers. You are the best equipped to field complaints. You're the best equipped to serve as a critical line of defense against the abuse and fraud that had crushed families, crushed businesses, and crushed the dreams of millions of Americans. And you'll remain so.Folks, the problem is real. The need for reform is acute, and the time is now. The poet Virgil once said the greatest wealth is health. The greatest wealth is health. Well, we're here to improve America's health, and in the process not incidentally secure and maintain America's wealth. They are not separable.
When you're young, it's easy to feel on top of the world, as if the health problems that plague Americans only affect the old. That's one of the reasons that people between the ages of 19 and 29 have the lowest rate of health insurance of any age group - a full one third carry no coverage. Because many young adults don't need as much medical care as older age groups, they're often unaware of the benefits that health insurance reform will bring to them.
The President's Plan ensures that young Americans will have coverage when they need it most, and makes that coverage easier to obtain and more affordable. Here's how President Obama's Plan will affect health insurance for young adults:
Extended coverage under your parents' plans. Currently, most young adults are forced from their parents' health plans when their turn 19 or leave education full time (usually around 22). President Obama's Plan will allow young adults to stay on family insurance plans until they're 26, giving them crucial time to transition into stable, full-time employment.
No gender discrimination. Young women have it particularly tough: in most states, insurance companies are allowed to charge as much as 1.5 times more for women than for men. Under the President's Plan, any form of gender discrimination in health insurance would be illegal.
Two-thirds of young adults who don't have health insurance say that it's becuase insurance has become too expensive. Young people often need less care than older Americans, but when they do need care, the bills quickly pile up. With President Obama's Plan, out-of-pocket expenses will be capped, so that young people aren't driven into debt becuase they're sick. And to encourage money-saving care that keeps young adults healthy, all preventive care will be required to be covered at no cost to the recipient.
Finally, becuase young people often have jobs that don't offer benefits or work for companies too small to afford coverage, the President's Plan for reform will create an exchange that lets individuals and small businesses always have access to quality, affordable care, even if they change jobs, get sick, or have a job without benefits.
Amid this week's meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon has designated today as a conference on climate change. This morning, President Obama addressed over 100 assembled representatives of the world's nations, emphasizing that although the challenge ahead of us is great, we hold the solutions to this global crisis.
This conference is an important step forward in developing the strategy that nations will discuss during the United Nations Climate Change Conference this December in Copenhagen. Read highlights from the President's remarks below, or the full text after the jump.
No nation, however large or small, wealthy or poor, can escape the impact of climate change. Rising sea levels threaten every coastline. More powerful storms and floods threaten every continent. More frequent droughts and crop failures breed hunger and conflict in places where hunger and conflict already thrive. On shrinking islands, families are already being forced to flee their homes as climate refugees. The security and stability of each nation and all peoples -- our prosperity, our health, and our safety -- are in jeopardy. And the time we have to reverse this tide is running out.And yet, we can reverse it. John F. Kennedy once observed that "Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man." It is true that for too many years, mankind has been slow to respond or even recognize the magnitude of the climate threat. It is true of my own country, as well. We recognize that. But this is a new day. It is a new era. And I am proud to say that the United States has done more to promote clean energy and reduce carbon pollution in the last eight months than at any other time in our history...We've proposed the very first national policy aimed at both increasing fuel economy and reducing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks -- a standard that will also save consumers money and our nation oil. We're moving forward with our nation's first offshore wind energy projects. We're investing billions to capture carbon pollution so that we can clean up our coal plants. And just this week, we announced that for the first time ever, we'll begin tracking how much greenhouse gas pollution is being emitted throughout the country...But though many of our nations have taken bold action and share in this determination, we did not come here to celebrate progress today. We came because there's so much more progress to be made. We came because there's so much more work to be done.It is work that will not be easy. As we head towards Copenhagen, there should be no illusions that the hardest part of our journey is in front of us. We seek sweeping but necessary change in the midst of a global recession, where every nation's most immediate priority is reviving their economy and putting their people back to work. And so all of us will face doubts and difficulties in our own capitals as we try to reach a lasting solution to the climate challenge...We also cannot allow the old divisions that have characterized the climate debate for so many years to block our progress. Yes, the developed nations that caused much of the damage to our climate over the last century still have a responsibility to lead -- and that includes the United States. And we will continue to do so -- by investing in renewable energy and promoting greater efficiency and slashing our emissions to reach the targets we set for 2020 and our long-term goal for 2050.But those rapidly growing developing nations that will produce nearly all the growth in global carbon emissions in the decades ahead must do their part, as well. Some of these nations have already made great strides with the development and deployment of clean energy. Still, they need to commit to strong measures at home and agree to stand behind those commitments just as the developed nations must stand behind their own. We cannot meet this challenge unless all the largest emitters of greenhouse gas pollution act together. There's no other way...But the journey is long and the journey is hard. And we don't have much time left to make that journey. It's a journey that will require each of us to persevere through setbacks, and fight for every inch of progress, even when it comes in fits and starts. So let us begin. For if we are flexible and pragmatic, if we can resolve to work tirelessly in common effort, then we will achieve our common purpose: a world that is safer, cleaner, and healthier than the one we found; and a future that is worthy of our children.
The Health Insurance Reform Now Bus continued its cross-country journey today in Omaha, Nebraska, where a crowd turned out to hear health care stories and learn how they can get involved. They heard first from Kieran McCarney, who tends bar at a local watering hole and spent most of his childhood without health insurance.
As a volunteer for Organizing for America, Kieran was pleased to deliver signatures in support of the President's plan to his elected officials last week.
Last Wednesday, we delivered the names of over 6,000 Nebraska residents to Senator Nelson...who came out and publicly showed their support for the President's three core principals surrounding health care reform.
Kieran called on those assembled to not rest on their laurels, because "there is much work to be done" in order to secure insurance reform. As he told the crowd, "The cost of inaction is still too high."
He was followed by Camille Johnson Arthur, who spoke about her trials in obtaining insurance for her family and her children. She noticed that as soon as her monthly costs were more than her premiums, she was cut off:
Time and time again, we got bumped. Our policy got bumped. So it left me with a child who needed $300 a month in ADHD medication, and a daughter who was in the process of being diagnosed with asthma even though she was less than a year old. And I had no coverage for prescription meds.
Camille was eventually able to get care for her children, but not for herself or her husband. And to her, that means something's wrong with the system.
If my children can be healthy, but their parents can't, have we really solved the problem? I want my children to be healthy, but I want their parents to be healthy as well...So I ask you to continue to stand together for insurance reform. There are a whole lot more of Camille Johnson Arthurs out there who are waiting and hoping and pleading and begging that reform happens now.
Finally, Omaha heard from State Senator Brenda Council. Even though she's a practicing lawyer, she couldn't afford her COBRA coverage. She told the crowd that "We can't wait any longer for health care reform in this nation."
The bus spent the day in Salt Lake City today, and will be in Las Vegas tomorrow. Nevadans: we hope to see you there!
Earlier today, the President traveled to Pittsburgh, PA for the annual AFL-CIO convention. He addressed the gather union members, thanking them for their support and laying out his priorities. He spoke about the Recovery Act, his priorities for rebuilding a new, greener economy, and how health insurance reform will help all Americans achieve security and stability when it comes to their medical care.
Here are some excerpts from the speech:
For over half a century, the success of America has been built on the success of our middle class. It was the creation of the middle class that lifted this nation up in the wake of a Great Depression. It was the expansion of the middle class that opened the doors of opportunity to millions more. It was a strong middle class that powered American industries and propelled America's economy and made the 20th century the American century....Because of the Recovery Act, we're keeping a promise I made to give all of you -- 95 percent of working Americans -- a tax cut -- a tax cut that will benefit nearly 5 million families in Pennsylvania. We increased and extended unemployment insurance to 12 million Americans -- including hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians. We made sure that they could get health insurance if they were looking for a job, because COBRA was too expensive; reduced the cost of it by 65 percent. So a lot of families out there were able to hang onto their health care even during the downturn.We're putting Americans to work across this country rebuilding crumbling roads and bridges and waterways with the largest investment in our infrastructure since Eisenhower created the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s. (Applause.) All in all, many middle-class families will see their incomes go up by about $3,000 because of the Recovery Act, helping them get back much of what they've lost due to this recession.And, yes, we'll grow our middle class by finally providing quality, affordable health insurance in this country. Health care can't wait. (Applause.) It can't wait. Few have fought -- few have fought for this cause harder, few have championed it longer than you, our brothers and sisters in organized labor. You're making phone calls, knocking on doors, showing up at rallies -- because you know why this is so important. You know this isn't just about the millions of Americans who don't have health insurance, it's about the hundreds of millions more who do; Americans who worry that they'll lose their insurance if they lose their job; who fear their coverage will be denied because of a preexisting condition; who know that one accident or illness could mean financial ruin.In fact, a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation was released today showing that family premiums rose more than 130 percent over the last 10 years -- three times faster than wages. They now average over $13,000 a year, the highest amount on record, which is why when you go in to negotiate, you can't even think about negotiating for a salary -- a wage increase because the whole negotiation is about trying to keep the benefits you already have...The plan I announced will offer more security and more stability to Americans who have insurance. It will offer insurance to Americans who don't. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government.If you already have health insurance through your job -- and because many of you are members of unions, you do -- nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change your coverage or your doctor. Let me repeat: Nothing in this plan will require you to change your coverage or your doctor.What this plan will do is make your insurance work better for you. It'll be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a preexisting condition. (Applause.) It will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick, or water it down when you need it the most. (Applause.) They won't be able to place some arbitrary cap on how much coverage you can receive in a given year or a given lifetime. (Applause.) We'll place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses -- because in the United States of America, nobody should go broke just because they got sick. (Applause...)And because there will be one big group, these uninsured Americans, they have leverage and they can drive down the cost of care and get a better deal than they're getting right now. That's how large companies and government employees get affordable insurance. It's how everybody in Congress -- including those who are always critical of government -- get their insurance. (Applause.) It's time to give every opportunity to Americans that members of Congress give to themselves. (Applause.)I've also said that one of the options in this exchange should be a public option. (Applause.) Now, let me be clear. Let me be clear, because there's been a lot of misinformation out here about this. This would just be an option. Nobody would be forced to choose it. No one with insurance would be affected. But what it would do is offer Americans more choices, and promote real competition, and put pressure on private insurers to make their policies affordable and treat their customers better. (Applause.)
Check out the full speech at WhiteHouse.gov.
When we woke up yesterday, we weren't sure that the New Orleans event was going to happen. The sky had opened up and a torrential downpour filled the city's storm drains and turned our planned site into a swampland. We thought that no one would turn out with that much rain, especially during a Saints game.
New Orleans sure proved us wrong. We moved the event, and even though it wasn't ideal and the rain didn't let up until an hour before the start, hundreds of people turned out to rally for health insurance reform. Let me tell you: New Orleans sure knows how to get fired up.
The crowd heard from members of their own community who have been hurt by the current state of health care in America, including a particularly touching story told by Rosalind Davis. Rosalind spoke to the crowd about she is unable to buy insurance because she has Crohn's disease, which is considered a pre-existing condition. She lived with Crohn's and without health insurance for thirteen years, until she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007.
I had no insurance and couldn't get any insurance, because I had the pre-existing condition of Crohn's disease. I was dealing with what I called the Battle of Three Cs: Crohn's, cancer, and chemo at the same time. With no health insurance!
Rosalind was able to get free care for her cancer, but it wasn't a great experience. "It's a scary thing going through chemo and radiation under free care," she said, "because half the time your doctor doesn't even know your name. You're just a number."
Rosalind finished by urging everyone to talk to their friends, neighbors, and fellow churchgoers. She was followed by OFA National Director Mitch Stewart, who commended the crowd for adding over 12,000 signatures to the nationwide tally of those in support of the President's plan.
Today, the bus was in Dallas. Tomorrow, Omaha. We hope to see you out there.
Driving from Orlando to Tampa yesterday, we expected we'd arrive to find a tiny, rain-soaked crowd. The forecast predicted rain all day long, but just as the bus arrived in Tampa, the sun peeked through the clouds. By the time we arrived at the event site, the only thing falling from the sky was the sun, and an overflow crowd had packed their way into the venue to hear from the assembled speakers.
Terry Watson, an OFA volunteer and cancer survivor, explained to the crowd that there were two options for his cancer treatment: one so risky that a major cancer hospital turned him down, and one that was available in every major industrialized nation -- except the United States. Terry was forced to go to Tokyo, Japan for his treatment, where his total out-of-pocket expense was $10,000, including four days in the hospital. Terry was fortunate to be able to travel for care and be able to afford it, but he called on those gathered to see the humanitarian issue at stake in health insurance reform, and to live up to our nation's founding ideals:
I want to see us live up to our ideals. And if we're going to live up to our ideals, we have to have something to make sure that every American is covered by health care. And if we're going to do that, after we leave here, we need to go out and knock on doors, we need to call our friends and neighbors, we need to get on Facebook, we need to write letters to our congressman, letters to the editor. There is not any time to waste.
Terry was followed by Alison Morano, a small business owner:
I realized a long time ago that health insurance was a luxury that was always going to be a hardship for myself and others who are also self-employed. It's hard enough these days to keep a business going...to find customers, and build a stable company that you can be proud of. Worrying about healthcare costs should not be a factor in achieving the American dream.
After Alison, we heard Kristen Bell's heartbreaking story -- she's 22, a student of American History, and because she was dropped from her parents' plan when she turned 22, she's now uninsured. Her mother would buy her coverage, but it's just too expensive. And on the very day of our rally, another of Kristen's friends lost her coverage.
My best friend's birthday is today, she's 22. She's celebrating her birthday, but at the same time, she knows that today she was dropped from her parents' insurance. And that scares her, just like it scares all of us. We need health insurance. We need it now...because I'm uninsured, and there are many other college students who are uninsured, and we're going out into the world without insurance.
Under President Obama's plan, Kristen and others like her would be covered until their 26th birthday -- plenty of time for them to make their first steps into the world and find insurance on their own.
OFA Executive Director Mitch Stewart then took the podium. Mitch got the crowd so fired up that they began the old campaign rallying cry, "Fired Up - Ready to Go!" without any prompting from him. Finishing with a rousing "Yes we can!," we boarded the bus and watched the crowd disperse just as the thunderclouds rolled in and the first raindrops began to fall.
Today we have an event at 4:00 p.m. in New Orleans, and then the bus will continue on to Dallas, Texas. We hope to see you there.
This morning, over 600 people turned out in hot and rainy weather to meet the Health Insurance Reform Bus and get fired up for reform. Congressman Alan Grayson joined OFA National Director Mitch Stewart and several everyday Floridians to greet the crowd and share his message of why reform is necessary. By the time Congressman Grayson was done, the crowd was chanting "I want health care, and I want it now!"
Patty Duffy, a small business owner, stepped up to the podium and told the story of how her health care costs $8,000 a month, just for herself -- and she's concerned that she'll have to pay more in the future, just because she used her insurance this year.
The cost of my care should not be determined by the size of my business! And in the current system, I'm frustrated that my premiums as a female are double those of my male business partner.
Patty explained that under President Obama's plan, she wouldn't be able to be denied coverage because of a preexisting condition, her coverage would be less expensive because she could join with other small business owners in an exchange, and she wouldn't be able to be discriminated against because of her gender. Finally, she exhorted the crowd to get involved:
Talk to your neighbors, your family, your friends, your employers. Call your representatives, push back against the lies and get the truth out there. Mobilize and let's work together. Change will not come without effort. It's time to get in the game and stop being spectators.
Finally, Mitch Stewart stepped up to the podium to energize the crowd. He called on them to continue the same support for the President that they showed during the election.
The President needs you to do this. Because if you don't, you've seen what will happen. The special interests will pour in million of dollars, the people will start believing what's said on certain cable news channels. But with your help, that will all change. And at the end of the day, as great as we all felt when Barack Obama got elected president, you'll be able to look back and say that you led the charge to make sure that tens and tens of millions of folks who didn't have health insurance got health insurance. You'll also be able to look at the hundreds of millions that have insurance...and say that I was at the front lines to make sure that you have security and stability in your health insurance.
The bus moved on later to Tampa where we had a great event -- watch this space for updates later tonight or tomorrow morning.
On Wednesday, the second leg of the Health Insurance Reform Now bus tour kicked off in Atlanta, Georgia. The bus is taking the day off today in observance of September 11th, but here's a report from the Wednesday night event:
Over 750 eager Organizing for America supporters gathered in Atlanta for the kickoff of the second leg of the Health Insurance Reform Now Bus Tour. Just steps away from the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, home to the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., they listened as speakers shared their personal stories of struggling with a broken health care system.
Candice Walker told the story of how her son had been repeatedly misdiagnosed because her insurance company wouldn't pay for him to see a specialist. She believes that if he had been able to go to a special clinic, which her coverage repeatedly denied, they would have discovered a congenital heart defect before his death at age 17.
Dr. Deneta Sells then took the stage, explaining that she had broken her ankle during a post-medical school trip to Mexico. For a recent graduate, the bills for the needed treatment and testing were huge, even after she negotiated a professional discount and payment plans.
Later, State Senator Nan Orrock, a member of the White House Working Group on Health Reform, fired up the crowd with tales of her struggle in the civil rights movement, saying that there's still discrimination in America: between the insured and the uninsured. She harshly criticized insurers who deny coverage just when it's most needed:
We need health insurance that you can use when you're sick, not just pay premiums when you're well.
When 8:00 P.M. rolled around, the big screen tuned in to the President's address to a joint session of Congress. As he laid out his plan, they cheered for more options and affordability. As he criticized the status quo, they murmured in agreement. As he called out those who seek to divide and debate with falsehoods, they cheered and raised their fists in the air. The atmosphere was electric: this is the true face of the American people, that great silent majority who support reform. But on this night, they were no longer silent.
You join them in making your voice heard. Sign a letter of support for President Obama's plan for health reform, and tell your members of Congress that we need health insurance reform now.
Next up, the bus travels on to Tallahassee for a press conference on the grounds of the State Capitol. Then we'll move on to Orlando. We can't wait to see the next crowd when we get there.
From the Washington Post:
Justice Sonia Sotomayor officially took her seat as the Supreme Court's 111th member Tuesday in a tradition-filled ceremony witnessed by President Obama, Vice President Biden, and scores of lawmakers, judges, family members and friends.Sotomayor took her judicial oath and joined the court on Aug. 8, soon after her Senate confirmation. But Tuesday's investiture ceremony was the first time she joined her eight colleagues in the court's historic chambers, with its marble columns and burgundy draperies.She sat in the early-19th-century black leather chair once used by Chief Justice John Marshall, the court leader who established the court's authority as the final say on constitutional matters. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. administered the judicial oath, and she swore to "do equal right to the poor and to the rich" with her hand on a Bible signed by every justice who has served in the past 100 years.Clerk of the Court William K. Suter read the antique language of the president's commission: "Know ye that reposing special trust and confidence in the Wisdom, Uprightness and Learning of Sonia Sotomayor of New York, I have nominated and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate do appoint her an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States."
From CNN:
...Organizing for America is announcing Tuesday the extension of its "Health Insurance Reform Now: Lets Get It Done" bus tour....The group says the next leg of their tour to promote getting health insurance reform done this year will kick off Wednesday night, with hundreds of watch parties across the county during the president's prime time speech on health care to a joint session of Congress. Following the watch parties, OFA says the bus tour head will head from Atlanta to Florida, Louisiana, Texas and Utah and will end in Las Vegas.Their events look like a flashback to the Obama presidential campaign. Except for one thing — no Obama. Instead of a candidate to sell, there's a message of health insurance reform now is scrawled on the side of their bus.OFA says the first leg of their bus tour, which ran from August 26 through September 3, hit ten cities and attracted 12,000 supporters. This next leg follows a two-week period where OFA held over 2,000 events in support of reform.
From the Palm Beach Post:
President Obama’s grassroots group, Organizing for America, announced today it will bring its “Health Insurance Reform Now” bus tour to Florida.The bus has made 10 stops between Pheonix and Raliegh since Aug. 26 and claims to have made contact with more than 12,000 supporters.The bus is scheduled to stop Wednesday in Atlanta before Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress. Following the event, the bus will stop in Tallahassee, Orlando and Tampa during the next couple weeks.
From the Spring Grove Herald:
"I think health care is a very important issue. If it doesn't get dealt with soon, it could do some harm to the country," said Thomas Trehus of Spring Grove.Trehus volunteered to host a canvass for health care reform last Monday, Aug. 31, sponsored by Organizing for America, which is a project of the Democratic National Committee.Trehus explained that volunteers from the area met in Spring Grove to knock on doors and ask residents to sign a petition if they were concerned about reducing health care costs, being guaranteed health care choices and having assurance of quality, affordable health care for all people..."Our main goal is to get signatures," said Trehus. In addition to signing the petition, residents were offered pamphlets about the issue and were asked to contact their legislators or write letters to the editor about health care reform.After collecting signatures, Trehus explained that the petitions would be given to Minnesota Congressman Tim Walz, and Sen. Al Franken and Sen. Amy Klobuchar to take back to Washington, D.C., to show that residents in Spring Grove are concerned about the issue of health care.Said Trehus, "We hope to be able to show our elected officials that people care about and are generally in favor of reforming how our health care and insurance systems function."
Yesterday, thousands of supporters of health insurance reform gathered on Boston Common to listen to listen to their elected officials and to make their voices heard. Even though the Congressional recess is over, we're not done organizing events around the country to push for the reform Americans need. Tomorrow, the Health Insurance Reform Now Bus Tour will kick off again following the President's address to Congress, and events are still going on in your neighborhood. Check out On The Ground for the most up to date real story about what Americans think about insurance reform, and check out these photos of the Boston rally:
From the Politico:
Organizing for America today announces the next phase of OFA's “Health Insurance Reform Now: Let's Get It Done” bus tour. The first leg of the tour ran from 8/26 thru 9/3, hit 10 cities and attracted over 12,000 supporters.... The next leg kicks off on the night of the President's speech following a watch party in Atlanta, heads to Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Utah and ends in Vegas. This next leg follows a two week period where OFA held over 2,000 events in support of reform. In addition to the bus tour, over a thousand watch parties are being held tomorrow, followed by a strategy session conference call with David Plouffe.
Organizing for America today announces the next phase of OFA's “Health Insurance Reform Now: Let's Get It Done” bus tour. The first leg of the tour ran from 8/26 thru 9/3, hit 10 cities and attracted over 12,000 supporters....
The next leg kicks off on the night of the President's speech following a watch party in Atlanta, heads to Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Utah and ends in Vegas. This next leg follows a two week period where OFA held over 2,000 events in support of reform. In addition to the bus tour, over a thousand watch parties are being held tomorrow, followed by a strategy session conference call with David Plouffe.
From the Lehigh Valley Times:
When Janice Swack rallies here Sunday to promote President Barack Obama's proposed health care reform, she will not be alone.Besides the local showing she is hoping for, the Democrat from Independence Township will be joined by similar rallies around the country, including a march in Washington, D.C., that is expected to draw between 6,000 and 10,000 people, according to organizers.Additional rallies are planned around the Lehigh Valley in the coming weeks."My husband and I have it all," said Swack, 80, crediting government programs with helping her and her World War II veteran husband, Myron, on their way. "I look at other people and they don't even have health care. It's just not fair...""These rallies are going to be held around the United States," said organizer Julie Paulsen, 59, of Sioux City, Iowa. "It's not just going to be in Washington, D.C.; it's going to be in Chicago; it's going to be in Pennsylvania. It's going to be everywhere."Other demonstrations in the Lehigh Valley are planned, if not scheduled, said Marie Rodgers, who is in charge of the health care action team for the Bethlehem chapter of Organizing for America...
From the Dubuque Telegraph Herald:
At one time, when she had "good" health care, Megan Ruiz said the monthly premium for her health insurance was $700.She and her employer paid the monthly tab to cover Ruiz, her husband and their son. The annual deductible for the three of them was $6,000."You wonder what's the point when you're paying that much per month" in premiums, Ruiz said.Ruiz and her 2-year-old son, Brandon, gathered with a crowd of about 60 people Wednesday marching through downtown Dubuque in support of health care reform.The rally brought the policy debate that has dominated the national discussion in recent weeks to the doorstep of the Historic Federal Building...A petition with 16,500 signatures from supporters around the state was presented at the office of Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa.
From the North Carolina News & Observer:
About 65 advocates of health-care legislation rallied Saturday morning for the last time before Congress returns to Washington.Members of the crowd, many of whom hoisted signs that read "Health care reform now!" shared personal stories about expensive insurance premiums and the shortcomings of the current health-care system in front of the Sanford Federal Building on New Bern Avenue."This was a chance for people to be heard and to share why they desperately need reform," said Mike Gould, a volunteer organizer for Organizing for America -- a group that backs President Barack Obama's health-care reform efforts. "We need reform, and we need it now before Congress goes home in December."
When President Obama took office seven months ago, our economy was in a freefall and our financial markets were in a state of panic. Job losses grew larger every month, with an average of 700,000 jobs lost each month in the first quarter. Now, however, economists aren't talking about a second Great Depression - they're talking about the end of this recession.
Job losses in any amount are unacceptable, but the 216,000 jobs lost this month is hte lowest number since Lehman Brother collapsed one year ago, and far less than the astronomical job losses that President Obama inherited. There's still work to be done, but we're moving in the right direction. Yesterday marked 200 days of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and that investment is just starting to come to fruition.
Designed in three parts, the Recovery act started by providing tax cuts to 95% of American families. Another third increased assistance to families and to the states. And the final third, just beginning to hit its stride, is making critical investments that create jobs now and lay the groundwork for our future prosperity. As job losses continue to slow, manufacturing begins to expand, and new home sales finally rise again, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will continue to help expand our nation's prosperity.
To learn more about the Recovery Act, visit Recovery.gov, and make sure to check out Vice President Biden's remarks on the 200th day of the Act.
During the campaign, special interests spent millions of dollars trying to keep President Obama out of office. They didn't succeed, thanks to millions of supporters who showed them that when Americans come together, there's no stopping the change they can create. Now those same special interests are pouring millions more into advertisements and lobbying firms, trying to kill health insurance reform. Check this out from today's San Diego Union-Tribune:
Interest groups are unleashing a torrent of modern and old-fashioned lobbying tactics at members of Congress returning for the autumn battle over health care, from spending sky-high amounts on TV ads to staging rallies in the capital and perhaps outside insurance company offices...The nation's television stations, which last month hosted more than $28 million in ads on the health overhaul, may see even heavier spending in September, according to Evan Tracey, president of the Campaign Media Analysis Group in Arlington, Va. Should the health battle spill into December, this year's total might hit $200 million – roughly the same as was spent in multiyear fights over tobacco regulation and the Medicare prescription drug program, said Tracey, whose company tracks political advertising...With Obama planning to address Congress on the issue Wednesday, interest groups want to help shape opinions as Obama and members of Congress decide what August meant and what the legislation should look like."The next few weeks are critical," said David Certner, legislative policy director for AARP.
It's up to you again to make sure that special interests don't win the day. They've shown that they're prepared to do anything to kill reform, and we have to be ready to fight back - ready to set the record straight, ready to show Congress and the media that the pubic is behind reforming our broken system, and ready to take to the airwaves and defend against the insurance industry's admen. Their deep pocketbooks and army of lobbyists have killed reform in the past, and if you don't step up, they'll do it again.
That's why we need your help. Can you chip in $5 or more to help us fight back and pass real reform?
With the power of supporters like you, we'll be able to fight back against the special interests and pass real reform this year. Thank you.
