I wanted to congratulate you for this terrific read!! I certainly enjoyed every little bit of it. I have bookmarked your site to check out the new stuff you post. Thanks again!

I attended the “Sneak Preview” of a few dozen 30-second video segments of celebrities speaking in support of single-payer in California. I was very glad to see how fresh, heart-felt, informative, and compelling virtually all of them were. One recommendation: please add a little identifying information about each speaker, not just their names, many of which were unfamiliar to me and others.

SINGLE PAYER HEALTH PLAN AWARENESS WEEK

AUGUST 16-AUGUST 23



There is currently a movement underway to declare Sunday, August 16, 2009 through Sunday, August 23, 2009 "Single Payer Health Plan Awareness Week" in the U.S.



August 16th has been designated "Single Payer Education Day" where events (forums, lectures, group discussions, panels, films, etc.) focused around gaining full understanding of what an effective Single Payer Health Plan entails will be conducted at the locally organized level. Plans in operation in other countries should be reviewed for how they are financed, how they function effectively, what services they do and do not provide, and what challenges they present. Emphasis on the difference between a Single Payer/Universal Coverage plan and the present "Public Option" Plan should be included.



August 23rd has been selected as "Single Payer Support Day" where people will gather in local, citywide, statewide, countywide, and nationally organized events to show support for adoption of a Single Payer Plan. The week in between should be used to communicate with our representatives in Washington and at their local offices (via email, snail mail, phone calls, IM, etc.) to tell them we DON'T WANT COMPROMISE, WE WANT CHANGE.



This is a grassroots effort. Our future, both medically and financially, depends on you speaking up. So get busy, get the word out on the dates, set up your events, and let our voices be heard that the Medical Economic Complex is not in charge. We the people of the United States are in charge and we need to let our representatives know that WE WANT REAL HEALTH CARE REFORM AND WE WANT IT NOW.

SINGLE PAYER HEALTH PLAN AWARENESS WEEK
AUGUST 16-AUGUST 23

There is currently a movement underway to declare Sunday, August 16, 2009 through Sunday, August 23, 2009 "Single Payer Health Plan Awareness Week" in the U.S.

August 16th has been designated "Single Payer Education Day" where events (forums, lectures, group discussions, panels, films, etc.) focused around gaining full understanding of what an effective Single Payer Health Plan entails will be conducted at the locally organized level. Plans in operation in other countries should be reviewed for how they are financed, how they function effectively, what services they do and do not provide, and what challenges they present. Emphasis on the difference between a Single Payer/Universal Coverage plan and the present "Public Option" Plan should be included.

August 23rd has been selected as "Single Payer Support Day" where people will gather in local, citywide, statewide, countywide, and nationally organized events to show support for adoption of a Single Payer Plan. The week in between should be used to communicate with our representatives in Washington and at their local offices (via email, snail mail, phone calls, IM, etc.) to tell them we DON'T WANT COMPROMISE, WE WANT CHANGE.

This is a grassroots effort. Our future, both medically and financially, depends on you speaking up. So get busy, get the word out on the dates, set up your events, and let our voices be heard that the Medical Economic Complex is not in charge. We the people of the United States are in charge and we need to let our representatives know that WE WANT REAL HEALTH CARE REFORM AND WE WANT IT NOW.

Special Interests(Senators, House of Representatives, Individuals, and Corporations) who profit from the status quo are using ads, that smears and attacks but no facts!!
They specialized in the exaggerated, outrageous tale that was almost always unsubstantiated, usually false, yet so sensational that it merited repeated recounting.

But they never tell the truth:

A> UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE /SENATE 2009 TENTATIVE WORK SCHEDULE:
Yearly work Days 365
Actual Work days 149

Number of Days not on the Job 216


Most USA Employees work up to 265 days and with holidays and vacation the number of days not on the job will average up to 30+ days!!! That would be the most generous and or less.
Why are Senators absent from the job that often? No wonder nothing ever gets done! and when laws are passed they tend to be against the USA population and only beneficial for selective fews (like the WELFARE QUEENS)! The yearly pay of a Senator and House of Representative is $174,00 . Of course Leaders are paid more $193.400 and $2243,500.

Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.
Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only after completing 20 years of service.Members of Congress have to serve 5 years to even receive a pension. The amount of a congress person's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her salary. Those retiring under CSRS were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972 and those members retiring under both CSRS and FERS average annual pension is $35,952 in 2006.





B> Let's first look at what the House of Representatives and Senate have available for health
They get their insurance through the Federal Employees Health benefits Program, the largest employee-sponsored health insurance program in the country. The program offers federal workers dozens of health plans to chose from, instead of two or three that individuals or limited to and corporations and businesses typically offer their workers.

On the average, the federal government pays 72 percent of the total premium. This premium is no costs to them(a bonus at taxpayer expense) and not taxed. The House of Representatives and Senate plan is more generous than coverage most people have in their private sector. It's the creme de la creme.


Lawmakers also receive perks such as: (1) for an annual fee of $503, they can receive health services from the Office of the Attending Physician, a fully staffed $2.5 million medical office located in the Capital; (2) Lawmakers can also get medical treatment at military hospitals.

McClellan says that it would cost nearly $2 trillion to get Americans up to congressional-level care. That's not going to happened!!!



C>Let me cite what has happened to this country tax system since 1981!
Prior to 1981, this country has a progressive tax system- income was taxed. After 1981, the 1981 tax cut championed by Jack Kemp and Bill Roth (Republicans) featured a 25% percent reduction in individual tax brackets(phased in over 3 year), and indexed for inflation. This brought the top bracket down to 50 percent. The 1981 Act also featured a dramatic departure in the treatment of business outlays for plant equipment and instituting instead the Accelerated Cost recovery System. And a 10 percent investment Tax credit. We changed the tax system to neoclassical economic perspective. By reducing marginal tax rates it was believed the natural forces of economic growth would be less restrained. Simultaneously with the enactment of the tax cuts in 1981 the Federal Reserve altered monetary policy to bring inflation under control. The Federal reserve actions brought inflation down faster and further than was anticipated at the time, and the recovery fell into a deep recession in 1982.
Another consequences of the tax cuts., the recession, , and one-time increase in inflation-adjusted federal spending produced historically high budget deficits. Then in 1986 Tax Reform, which brought the top statutory rate down from 50 percent to 28 percent while the corporate tax was reduced from 50 to 35percent. The number of tax brackets was reduced and the personal exemption and standard deduction amounts was increased and indexed for inflation, thereby relieving million of taxpayers of any Federal income tax burden. However, the Act created new personal and corporate Alternative Minimum Taxes, which proved to be complicated, unnecessary, and economically harmful. Some of the over-reaching provisions of the Act also led to downturn in the real estate markets which played a role in the collapse of the Savings and Loan industry.

With the 1986 tax act, the top individual tax rate reduced from 91 to 28 percent and also represented a temporary reversal in the evolution of the tax system. Between n1986 and 1990 the Federal tax burden rose as share of GDP from 17.5 to 18 percent. Despite this increase, persistent budget deficits due to increase levels of government spending created near constant pressure to increase taxes. President Clinton insisted on and the Congress enacted a second major tax increase in 1993 in which the top rate was raised to 36 percent and a 10 percent surcharge was added, leaving the top effective rate at 39.6 percent.

By 2001, the total tax take had produced a projected unified budget surplus of $281 billion, with a cumulative 10 year projected surplus of $5.6 trillion. Much of this surplus reflected a rising tax burden as a share of GDP due to the interaction of rising real incomes and a progressive tax rate structure. Consequently, under President George W. Bush leadership the Congress halted the projected future increases in the tax burden by passing the Economic Growth and Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act of 2001. Though the rate reductions are to be phased in over many years, ultimately the top tax rate will fall from 39.6 percent to 33 percent.

Sufficient funds are available from yearly income generated, we just have to modify the tax system to make it more fair for everyone! Go back to the Progressive system we had, which ensured that all shared in the future of this country and not the system we have had for the last 25+ years which puts the burden on the 99% percent of income earners and allows the top 1% income earners(*Welfare Queens-House Of Representatives, Senate-top 1% percent ) not to pay their fair share which has allowed the largest transfer of wealth since the tax system was first introduced!

Since the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, recessions and worse are a constant threat every six years, each of the recessions have made life miserable and painful for those affected(which is not for the TOP 1% of income WELFARE Queen recipients-Senate and House of Representatives), in the Country and the States as they got through a painful reductions in services.






*The term "welfare queen" is most often associated with Ronald Reagan who brought the idea to a national audience. During his 1976 presidential campaign, Reagan would tell the story of a woman from Chicago's South Side who was arrested for welfare fraud: "She has eighty names, thirty addresses, twelve Social Security With regard to how do we pay for health care reform, cuts are not necessary as there are plenty of income which is not taxed. cards and is collecting veteran's benefits on four non-existing deceased husbands. And she is collecting Social Security on her cards. She's got Medicaid, getting food stamps, and she is collecting welfare under each of her names."

Reagan’s use of the term was related to a growing unease among New Right politicians about the perceived expansion of the welfare apparatus. Touching on the cornerstones of American political philosophy (i.e., individualism and egalitarianism), the New Right sought to form a top-down coalition with big business and white working-class voters to undo the popular Great Society programs of the 1960s.<From Wikipedia.

Linda -
The American Diatetics Association should be a supporter--perhaps you could encourage them to endorse SB 810 and join the California OneCare Campaign. SB 810 does emphasize preventive care and has provisions for public health education, too.

Please join you local HCA Chapter.

Features of SB 810
California Universal Healthcare Act
http://www.healthcareforall.org/SB810%20feature...

Please read the bill SB 810 (Leno).

I don't see the American Dietetics Association listed as a supporter. Will dietitians be a part of preventive care?

Well Elizabeth, you are correct, hearing loss is not mentioned even though it is one of many, many healthcare conditions that are not mentioned. This legislation offers financing for comprhensive healthcare and it offers a governance structure for providers, employers, agencies, and state residents to ensure services are identified and provided for those who have real healthcare needs.

Your idea of health care for all apparently doesn't include people with hearing loss; your video has no captions for those who do not hear well!