State Sen. Mark Leno speaks to single payer supporters this morning before SB 810 is heard at the Senate Health Committee hearing:
Sylvia@californiaonecare.org
Posts Tagged ‘Mark Leno’
Sen. Mark Leno Addresses SB 810 Supporters in Sacramento
May 4th, 2011California State Senators Urged to Back SB 810
May 2nd, 2011Pressure is building on two Democratic state Senators on the Senate Health Committee to get them to change their minds on the single payer healthcare bill, SB 810. The bill is scheduled for a hearing before the committee this Wednesday after being postponed from last week. Committee chairperson Sen. Ed Hernandez (Los Angeles) is publicly saying he has not decided how he will vote on the bill, while Sen. Michael Rubio (Fresno) has said he will vote “no.” If Hernandez also votes no, SB 810 will have died in the state Senate for the first time after having successfully passed the chamber the last three years. Last year, SB 810, sponsored by San Francisco-area state Sen. Mike Leno, passed the state Senate, but died in the Assembly.
The liberal grassroots advocacy group, Democracy for America, has sent out an alert to its membership calling on them to flood Hernandez and Rubio’s offices with phone calls:
On Tuesday the Vermont Senate passed a bill that puts the Green Mountain State on the path to a single-payer health care system, and next week California’s Senate Health Committee has the same opportunity on May 4th. However, two Democratic senators could keep it from passing.
We’ve come too far for this bill to fail now. Can you call them and ask them to vote yes?
The Chair of the Health Committee, Senator Ed Hernandez, who voted for the single-payer bill as an Assemblymember is undecided. Call him now and tell him that a ‘yes’ vote is a vote for California’s future. Even if you don’t live in his district the stakes are too high and he needs to hear from you. You can reach his Sacramento office at: (916) 651-4024
After your call, click here to let us know if he’s decided how he will vote.
Newly elected Senator Michael Rubio represents the same district as former State Senate Majority Leader, Dean Florez, who co-sponsored the bill the last time it was introduced, but Senator Rubio says he will oppose this legislation. Can you call Senator Rubio right now and tell him that his constituents want a single-payer system? His Sacramento office number is: (916) 651-4016
Then let us know what his office says about how he will vote.
The California Democratic Party includes a single-payer plan in its platform. We are counting on these Democrats to vote with their party. California is counting on these Senators to vote the right way — it’s a moral imperative to provide Californians with the care they need.
Thanks for everything you do.
- Kaili
Kaili Lambe, Political Campaign Manager
Democracy for America
Hernandez’s office wouldn’t say what would make him vote “yes.” According to Rubio’s office, the Senator thinks the federal Affordable Care Act is enough to solve California’s healthcare crisis. The truth is, unlike SB 810, the federal reform law won’t cover all Californians, and it won’t do enough to control costs. The ACA leaves in place the unsustainable profit-driven healthcare system, and will continue to burden taxpayers.
Rubio represents the same district as former state Senate Majority Leader, Dean Florez, who had been a co-sponsor of the bill when it was introduced. Hernandez’s wavering and Rubio’s brush off smell a lot like the work of insurance industry meddling.
Meanwhile, SB 810 got a much needed shout out at last weekend’s California Democratic Party State Convention in Sacramento. Sunday’s general session, which I attended, featured a parade of speeches by various state party officials. Then, California Democratic Council President Henry Vandermeir got to the podium and addressed the delegates with news that a longtime party activist had recently died because he didn’t have health insurance. (The CDC is a statewide association of Democratic clubs and party county committees.) Vandermeir next proceeded to chastise Hernandez and Rubio for potentially killing SB810, and urged the delegates – several hundred strong in the auditorium – to call the lawmakers and tell them to vote in favor of SB 810.
Single payer came up in several speeches during the two-day general session – most notably from keynote speaker, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. But the fate of SB 810 was not mentioned until Vandermeir brought it up that Sunday afternoon. I didn’t see his heartfelt endorsement coming, so what a pleasant and most welcome surprise.
Sylvia@californiaonecare.org
SB 810 To Be Heard in Senate Health Committee April 27 – Contact Your Senator!
April 6th, 2011On April 27, the Senate Health Committee of the California State Legislature is scheduled to hear the single payer bill, SB 810. Sen. Mark Leno, SB 810′s sponsor, re-introduced the bill in February. SB 810 successfully passed both the State Senate and the Assembly during Arnold Schwarzenegger’s tenure as governor, but on the third try last year, the bill got stalled in the Assembly.
We need the fourth time to be a charm. Gov. Jerry Brown and our state representatives need to hear from all of us that every Californian deserves equal access to quality, affordable medical care. They need to know that we are sick and tired of insurance companies taking more and more of our hard-earned money just to satisfy their insatiable greed. They must know that no one should be allowed to profit from people who are sick. We must tell them that the federal health reform law is not good enough. We must flood the offices of Gov. Brown and our lawmakers with a clear message: Pass SB 810 NOW!!
Gov. Jerry Brown
Governor Jerry Brown
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 445-2841
Fax: (916) 558-3160
If you don’t know who your Senator is, go to http://www.senate.ca.gov/%7Enewsen/senators/districtmaps.HTP and click on the link, “Your Senator,” on the left hand side of the page.
The state Senate has a number of new members, listed below, who need to hear from their constituents about supporting SB 810. If any of these is your Senator, please contact him or her.
Democrats
Noreen Evans (District 2 – Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, Napa, Solano)
State Capitol, Room 4034, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4002; Fax: (916) 323-6958 Email: senator.evans@senate.ca.gov 710 E Street, Suite 150, Eureka, CA 95501 Telephone: (707) 445-6508 50 D Street, Suite 150, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 Telephone: (707) 576-2771 1040 Main Street, Suite 205, Napa, CA 94559 Telephone: (707) 224-1990 444 Georgia Street, Vallejo, CA 94590 Telephone: (707) 648-5913
Kevin De Leon (District 22 – Los Angeles)
State Capitol, Room 5108, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4022;Fax (916)327-8817 Email: senator.deleón@senate.ca.gov 617 S. Olive Street, Suite 710, Los Angeles, CA 90014 Telephone: (213) 612-9566
Ed Hernandez (District 24 – Los Angeles)
State Capitol, Room 4085, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4024; Fax: (916) 445-0485 Email: senator.hernandez@senate.ca.gov 149 South Mednik Avenue, Suite 202, Los Angeles, CA 90022 Telephone: (323) 881-0100 14403 E. Pacific Avenue, #327, Baldwin Park, CA 91706 Telephone: (626) 337-2760
Ted Lieu (District 28 – Los Angeles)
State Capitol, Room 5114, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4028 2512 Artesia Blvd, Suite 200, Redondo Beach, CA 90278 Telephone: (310) 318-6994
Michael Rubio (District 16 – Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern)
State Capitol, Room 2066, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4016; Fax: (916) 327-5989 Email: senator.rubio@senate.ca.gov
2550 Mariposa Hall, Suite 2016, Fresno, CA 93721 Telephone: (559) 264-3070 1800 30th Street, Suite 350, Bakersfield, CA 93301 Telephone: (661) 395-2620
Juan Vargas (District 40 – Riverside, Imperial, San Diego)
State Capitol, Room 3092, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4040; Fax: (916) 327-3522 Email: senator.vargas@senate.ca.gov
637 3rd Avenue, Suite A-1, Chula Vista, CA 91910 Telephone: (619) 409-7690 53-990 Enterprise Way, Suite 14, Coachella, CA 92236 Telephone (760) 398-6442
1224 State Street, Suite C, El Centro, CA 92243 Telephone (760) 335-3442
Republicans
Joel Anderson (District 36 – San Diego, Riverside)
State Capitol, Room 2054, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4036 Email: senator.anderson@senate.ca.gov 27555 Ynez Road, Suite 204, Temecula, CA 92591 Telephone: (951) 676-1020 1870 Cordell Court, Suite 107, El Cajon, CA 92020 Telephone: (619) 596-3136
Tom Berryhill (District 14 – Fresno, Madera, Mariposa)
State Capitol, Room 3076, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4014
Email: senator.berryhill@senate.ca.gov 4974 E. Clinton Way, Suite 100, Fresno, CA 93727 Telephone: (559) 253-7122 1308 W. Main Street, Suite C, Ripon, CA 95366 Telephone: (209) 599-8540
Anthony Cannella (District 12 – Stanislaus, Merced)
State Capitol, Room 3048, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4012
Email: senator.canella@senate.ca.gov 1231 8th Street, Suite 175, Modesto, CA 95354 Telephone: (209) 577-6592 1640 N Street, Suite 210, Merced, CA 95340 Telephone: (209) 726-5495 369 Main Street, #208, Salinas, CA 93901 Telephone: (831) 769-8040
Jean Fuller (District 18 – Inyo, Tulare, Kern, San Bernardino)
State Capitol, Room 3063, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4018
Email: senator.fuller@senate.ca.gov 5001 California Avenue, Ste 105, Bakersfield, CA 93309 Telephone: (661) 323-0443
Doug LaMalfa (District 4 – Del Norte, Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta, Tehama, Butte, Glenn, Colusa, Yuba, Sutter, Nevada, Placer)
State Capitol, Room 3070, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4004; Fax: (916) 445-7750 Email: senator.lamalfa@senate.ca.gov
200 Providence Mine Road, Suite 108, Nevada City, CA 95959 Telephone: (530) 470-1846 2967 Davison Court, Suite A-1, Colusa, CA 95932 Telephone: (530) 458-4161
411 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Chico, CA 95928 Telephone: (530) 895-6088 2400 Washington Avenue, Suite 301, Redding, CA 96001 Telephone: (530) 225-3142
Sharon Runner (District 17 – Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura)
State Capitol, Room 4090, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4017; Fax: (916) 445-4662 Email: senator.runner@sen.ca.gov
848 West Lancaster Blvd, Ste 101, Lancaster, CA 93534 Telephone: (661) 729-6232 23920 Valencia Blvd, Ste 250, Santa Clarita, CA 91355 Telephone: (661) 286-1471
14343 Civic Dr, First Floor, Victorville, CA 92392 Telephone: (760) 843-8414
In addition to contacting Gov. Brown and your Senator, please contact Senate Health Committee Chair Ed Hernandez asking that the Committee support SB 810. If any of the other members of the Committee is your representative, contact him or her. Below are the members of the Senate Health Committee and their contact information:
Ed Hernandez, Chair, Democrat (District 24 – Los Angeles)
State Capitol, Room 4085, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4024; Fax: (916) 445-0485 Email: senator.hernandez@senate.ca.gov 149 South Mednik Avenue, Suite 202, Los Angeles, CA 90022 Telephone: (323) 881-0100 14403 E. Pacific Avenue, #327, Baldwin Park, CA 91706 Telephone: (626) 337-2760
Tony Strickland, Vice Chair, Republican (District 19 – Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura)
State Capitol, Room 4062, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4019; Fax: (916) 324-7544 Email: senator.strickland@sen.ca.gov
2655 First Street, Suite 130, Simi Valley, CA 93065 Telephone: (805) 306-8886 610 Anacapa, Suite B4, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Telephone: (805) 965-0862
Elaine Alquist, Democrat (District 13 – Santa Clara)
State Capitol, Room 5080, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4013; Fax (916) 324-0283 Email: senator.alquist@sen.ca.gov 7800 Arroyo Circle, Suite A, Gilroy, CA 95020 Telephone: (408) 847-6101 100 Paseo de San Antonio, Ste 209, San Jose, CA 95113 Telephone: (408) 286-8318
Joel Anderson, Republican (District 36 – San Diego, Riverside)
State Capitol, Room 2054, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4036 Email: senator.anderson@senate.ca.gov 27555 Ynez Road, Suite 204, Temecula, CA 92591 Telephone: (951) 676-1020 1870 Cordell Court, Suite 107, El Cajon, CA 92020 Telephone: (619) 596-3136
Sam Blakeslee, Republican (District 15 – Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara)
State Capitol, Room 4070, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4015; Fax: (916) 445-8081 Email: senator.Blakeslee@senate.ca.gov
1104 Palm Street, San Luis Opispo, CA 93401 Telephone: (805) 549-3784 100 Paseo de San Antonio, Suite 206, San Jose, CA 95113 Telephone: (408) 277-9461 590 Calle Principal Monterey, CA 93940 Telephone: (831) 657-6315
Kevin De Leon, Democrat (District 22 – Los Angeles)
State Capitol, Room 5108, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4022;Fax (916)327-8817 Email: senator.deleón@senate.ca.gov 617 S. Olive Street, Suite 710, Los Angeles, CA 90014 Telephone: (213) 612-9566
Mark DeSaulnier, Democrat (District 7 – Contra Costa)
State Capitol, Room 5035, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4007; Fax: (916) 445-2527 Email: senator.desaulnier@sen.ca.gov 420 West 3rd St, Antioch, CA 94509 Telephone: (925) 754-1461 420 W. 3rd Street, Antioch, CA 94509 Telephone: (925) 754-1461
Michael Rubio, Democrat (District 16 – Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern)
State Capitol, Room 2066, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4016; Fax: (916) 327-5989 Email: senator.rubio@senate.ca.gov
2550 Mariposa Hall, Suite 2016, Fresno, CA 93721 Telephone: (559) 264-3070 1800 30th Street, Suite 350, Bakersfield, CA 93301 Telephone: (661) 395-2620
Lois Wolk, Democrat (District 5 – Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Yolo)
State Capitol, Room 5114, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-4005; Fax: (916) 323-2304 Email: senator.wolk@sen.ca.gov
1020 N St, Ste 506, Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 651-1511 31 East Channel St, Room 440, Stockton, CA 95202 Telephone: (209) 948-7930 555 Mason Street, Ste 230, Vacaville, CA 95688 Telephone: (707) 454-3808
Sylvia@californiaonecare.org
Why Do American Business Interests Continue to Resist Single Payer?
March 28th, 2011The following editorial was published in the Bennington Banner, a newspaper in Vermont, a state where single payer is gaining steam. The editorial is in response to the news that the 43-year-old Bennington Iron Works was closing because of heavy competition from firms in Canada, which has a single payer healthcare system.
One comment heard estimated that those firms were selling steel products at a hefty percentage less than BIW could manage. If that is true, we can think of one major cost of doing business that those Canadian firms are not paying — employee health insurance. Of course, the reason is that unlike the United States, most industrialized nations have a health care system that is mostly or wholly funded by the government.
For all their grousing about taxes and environmental and other regulations, pro-business conservatives rarely complain about the huge cost of our health care system — the world’s most expensive — and the fact it is still dominated by private, for-profit insurance firms. And when a single-payer, Medicare-style system is proposed, they rail against that — contending it would be more costly.
But what is the cost of doing business for U.S. firms competing in ruthless global markets, in which foreign companies either have few or no obligations toward employee insurance and/or their workers are paid far less than the average American? Single-payer systems are designed and operated by governments, made up of human beings, and therefore they are not perfect. But in better controlling health care and drug costs, reducing paperwork and keeping profit margins of any private entities within the sanity range, they are far superior.
And they provide a boost to economic development here by dramatically lowering the cost of doing business.
Vermont’s governor, two U.S. senators and members of the state legislature firmly support single payer. Yet, the state, like any other effort to transform the status quo, will still face ferocious opposition from business interests. This, despite the fact that many companies, particularly smaller ones, are dealing with skyrocketing health insurance costs. This editorial contends that our profit-driven healthcare system is undermining the competitiveness of American businesses, with the casualties being companies like Bennington Iron Works and the employees that will be laid off.
There are a lot of good reasons why businesses should support single payer. So why do American corporations fight against shifting the responsibility – and burden – of providing health care from employers to the government, when this will save them money? In short, ideology. According to the Left Business Observer, some business executives don’t want to be seen publicly supporting single payer out of fear of upsetting the conservative orthodoxy that values the private, free market over the government. And, they don’t want to abandon their comrades in the insurance industry. But there’s a more insidious factor at play:
Employers like it when workers feel insecure. Fear of losing health coverage makes workers less willing to strike or resist pay cuts or speedup.
Making workers insecure gives employers even more control over their employees and therefore, the rest of the populace. When unhappy workers can’t leave their jobs out of fear of losing their health insurance, that closes off job opportunities that otherwise might have opened up for the millions of unemployed. And when unhappy workers who are entrepreneurial can’t leave their jobs to start new businesses, that prevents new jobs from being generated.
So it is for this reason why business interests rarely complain about the high cost of our for-profit healthcare system. They really like the fact that they can control people’s lives. And competition from universal healthcare countries like Canada isn’t so much an issue for them as American workers who just might have better and more innovative product ideas. Best to keep those workers on a short leash. And it’s not just workers corporations want to keep in line. Profit-driven health care hurts small mom-and-pops more than large companies. Taking the burden of providing employee health coverage off small businesses would allow them to invest in and grow their companies. That’s a real competitive threat to Big Business.
Canada’s single payer system doesn’t present a huge competitive disadvantage for many large American corporations. These corporations are still raking in billions in profits. When health insurance costs go up, these corporations simply shove more of the financial responsibility onto their employees by taking the costs out of wages. It’s small businesses that are having difficulty competing against large corporations and firms in countries with national health insurance. So it’s small businesses and ordinary citizens who are paying the terrible price for this unfair healthcare system.
To sum up, profit-driven health care is not only unfair and expensive, it makes our society less egalitarian and less democratic. It means less freedom for workers. A single payer system, like the one for California outlined in State Sen. Mark Leno’s bill SB 810, would make our workplaces more democratic. It will result in healthier and happier employees, and better productivity for companies. It will help small companies compete with large corporations. The good news is that there are companies who recognize that single payer is good for business and are willing to speak out in favor of it. More companies should follow their lead.
Sylvia@californiaonecare.org
