sabrina 1

sabrina 1's Journal

June 29, 2012

Michael Moore: "More Than a Victory, the Decision Today Was a Mandate for Us to Act"

More Than a Victory, the Decision Today Was a Mandate for Us to Act

Five years ago this week, my health care documentary, Sicko, opened in theaters across the country. I have spent the better part of the decade on this issue, and for me, personally, fully aware of the current law's limitations, I am very happy with today's news – not because of its specifics or nuances, but because it is a road sign, and that sign points in the correct, humane and sane direction. THAT makes this a great day.

No one has spent more time fighting for Health Care for all Americans than Michael Moore. He brought the issue to the public's attention when he decided to make his film 'Sicko' during the Bush Administration, in which he exposed all the lies told by the Right about HC.

For his trouble he was viciously attacked on a regular basis by the far right. Attacks, we now know, thanks to Wendell Potter, that were paid for by the Health Insurance Industry. They did everything they could to try to stop that film from being seen, and/or if it was, to discredit him and the movie before it reached the public.

Because of his dedication to this issue, he is one of the people whose opinions I respect so I wanted to see what he had to say about the USSC's decision yesterday. As always, MM is thrilled to see Republicans lose and I think his assessment of the victory is practical and well thought out:

More Than a Victory, the Decision Today Was a Mandate for Us to Act

The media is already spending much time talking about the mandate being the "centerpiece of the law," but the real news is that if you ever have a pre-existing condition, you cannot now be denied insurance. If you are a young adult without health insurance, you can now stay on your parents' plan until age 26. The insurance company can no longer say there is a lifetime cap to your coverage. The insurance companies are now required to spend 85 cents out of every dollar they take in on actual reimbursement for your health care – not on profit or "administrative costs" (some companies have been taking over a 30% cut; Medicare's total percentage of their budget for administrative costs: 2%).

Here while he acknowledges that the bill has flaws, and I guess he convinced me that this was inevitable when making huge changes like this to any major law, he believes it was a step in the right direction:

So, yes, the bill is highly flawed and somewhat wrong-headed – but what it IS is a huge step in the right direction. And today's court decision cements that. The right wing knows this and they are probably unraveling in some not-so-pretty ways right now. And that's why today is a great day. The Right has been smacked down by one of their own! They know what we all know — that the path of history has been, and will continue to move toward the basic human right that all people are entitled to see a doctor and NOT have to worry about losing their home because they can't afford to pay the medical bills. Those days are over, or will be soon, and that is where civilization is headed. It's not headed back to the days of Oliver Twist. Today's victory is momentum, it's forward motion, and we WILL have true universal health care in this country in the not too distant future.

And as always, Michael is ready to keep going, build on what was achieved, and not stop until we get what every other civilized country has:

So that's the battle ahead of us: Organizing and mobilizing the majority of Americans to push for true universal health care, Medicare for All. At one time, back in Illinois, that was the position held by Barack Obama. He will not make this happen on his own. He will only be able to do it when the mass of American people rise up and demand it. Demand it. Why not start tonight?

Hey Mike, thanks for all you do for your country! I will never forget your sometimes lone voice speaking out against the Bush administration when so many others remained silent!

If you haven't seen his Documentary on the Health Care System in the US, you can watch it here and it is well worth watching. But be prepared to be outraged and to cry and being that he made it, you will laugh too: SICKO

June 7, 2012

Wisconsin Recalls Worked! Walker and the Koch Brothers Have Been Defanged!

Two years ago Walker and his Republican Teabag-controlled State Legislature were completely in charge of Wisconsin's affairs and lost no time in pushing through the Koch Brothers, draconian, anti-working class Agenda. That is what sparked the historical protests which started the Movement that led to the Recall of Walker.

Massive Protests in Wisconsin in March, 2011

With all the money they spent, reports of up to $45,000,000 to $4,000,000 for Democrats, they could not regain the power they had in 2008.

Imagine if the people of Wisconsin had not stood up to the Koch Machine, the damage they might have done before the next election? It really is unthinkable!

But now, should Walker try to resume his destruction of Wisconsin's working class, which he surely would have done had they won the State Senate race, newly elected Wisconsin Democratic Senate Leader, Mark Miller has a message for him.

In an email to Bold Progressives thanking all the activists who helped him win the Senate last night, this is the promise he made:

Tonight was a tough night for us in Wisconsin. After being outspent 8 to 1 by Scott Walker and the billionaire Koch brothers, we lost the gubernatorial recall.

But what the national media is not telling you is: I am the new Democratic Senate Majority Leader after winning an important Senate recall election by just hundreds of votes.

Starting tomorrow, Senate Democrats will be a strong check on Scott Walker's power. If Walker tries to pass extreme policies that bust unions, hurt women, or attack middle-class families, we will have one word for him: No. We will demand laws that benefit the middle class and start repairing our state.

PCCC members have stood with us in Wisconsin every step of the way. You contributed substantially to our Senate victories tonight and last year.

The donations you made to the Wisconsin Democratic Party and Wisconsin Senate Democrats directly helped get out the vote that fueled tonight's Senate victory.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to say thank you. Despite tonight's disappointment in the governor's race, your efforts helped us achieve victory and restore balance in our state.

I look forward to working as partners with bold progressive activists in the days, months, and years ahead.

Solidarity,

Mark Miller, incoming Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader

The Wisconsin Democrats who stood up to Koch Brothers Puppet Scott Walker, leaving the state and risking being arrested rather than allow him to destroy workers rights more than he had already, deserve the utmost respect.

Those are my kind of Democrats

They started a Labor Movement and they succeeded in slowing down the the attacks on workers by the Anti-Labor, Pro-Wall Street Republican Party. And history will remember them. The teachers, the nurses, the construction workers and all the other unions who joined forces to fight against the Republican War on Workers.

I read today that, although they were disappointed about Walker, the people of Wisconsin will be back as strong as ever and ready to fight as fiercely as they did over the past year for the rights of workers everywhere. We can't wait.

Here are a few photos that bring back memories of the movement that stopped the Koch Brothers in their tracks and forced them to spend tens of millions to fight against the people.

No movement wins everything they set out to win in the beginning, but the people of Wisconsin did a magnificent job considering what they are up against.

They did NOT lose, they WON.

Cheers for the people of Wisconsin and on to the next battle in November

Profile Information

Member since: Sun Mar 30, 2008, 05:51 AM
Number of posts: 62,325