Support Surging Among Democratic Delegates For "Guaranteed Health Care For All" Plank

[Demeter]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Support-Surging-Among-Demo-by-Press-Release-080808-135.html


More than 400 delegates to the Democratic National Convention have already signed a statement calling for "guaranteed health care for all" to be included in the national party's 2008 platform, a spokesperson for the effort announced Friday.

Progressive Democrats of America launched the statement nationwide in late July. Hundreds more delegates are expected to become signers before the national convention opens in Denver on Aug. 25.

Donna Smith, a spokeswoman for PDA, is scheduled to attend Saturday's national Platform Committee meeting in Pittsburgh as part of a larger coalition working for guaranteed health care for all. Smith, who is featured in the Michael Moore documentary "SiCKO," is co-chair of the Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign.

The first signer of the Guaranteed Health Care for All statement, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), is also expected in Pittsburgh for the platform meeting Saturday. He is also a co-chair of the Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign.

In sharp contrast to the national Democratic Party's draft platform released on Thursday, which places the insurance industry at the center of the nation's health care future, the proposed Guaranteed Health Care for All plank makes no mention of private insurers while sketching out a health care future for the country. Instead, the proposed plank lists five key principles:

* "Guarantee accessible health care for all."

* "Create a single standard of high quality, comprehensive, and preventive health care for all."

* "Allow freedom of choice of physician, hospital, and other health care providers."

* "Eliminate financial barriers that prevent families and individuals from obtaining the medically necessary care they need."

* "Allow physicians, nurses and other licenced health care providers to make health care decisions based on what is best for the health of the patient."

For further information, contact:

Donna Smith, [phone]

Tim Carpenter, National Director, Progressive Democrats of America, [phone]

Norman Solomon, Obama delegate and co-drafter of "Guaranteed Health Care for All" plank, [phone]

Progressive Democrats of America is a grassroots PAC that works both inside the Democratic Party and outside in movements for peace and justice. Our goal: Extend the victory of Nov. 2006 into a permanent, progressive majority. PDA's advisory board includes seven members of Congress and activist leaders such as Tom Hayden, Medea Benjamin, Thom Hartman, Jim Hightower and Rev. Lennox Yearwood. More info: http://pdamerica.org <http://pdamerica.org>







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[psychmommy]

1. k & r

too many people choosing between health care and shelter, meds or food. shouldn't be a choice.

[dreamnightwind]

2. where's single payer?

I have no problem with people surging support for this.

Myself, though, I'd only surge for a single payer solution. IMHO the health care insurance agencies are the problem, not part of the solution.

Does this plan mandate that citizens pay their money to the health care denial corporations? Or is there some sneaky, end-around part of the plan that allows us to eventually wriggle out from under these corporations to a public plan based on the medicare model? One that's zero-sum, no corporate profits, only salaries for the providers and administrators? That's where we need to go with health care in this country.

[depakid]

3. I think that's implied....

there isn't any way to fulfil these pleadges without cutting insurers out of the basic benefits equation.

[nightrain]

4. sadly, I doubt that Obama will REALLY get behind single payer.

So many are too scared of healthcare corporations to say "I support single payer". We'll see how this plays out... We need MASSIVE support of Americans before single payer is acceptable.

[Demeter]

5. Sometimes, No Amount of Influence Can Stop the Tide

and we've got several tsunamis bearing down on us....those corporations may disappear (I know, the thought just tears me up) in the Greater Bush Depression.

[eridani]

6. Nope. That will be up to us

As Franklin always told Eleanor "If you want that to happen, tell your friends to get themselves organized and MAKE me do it."