1,000 New Healthcare-NOW Truth Hearings Coming Up

You Can Help  -- Get involved in organizing Healthcare-NOW Truth Hearings across the nation  (Guideline for how to do it)  This is not harder than ending the occupation in Iraq.

NEW HEARINGS ARE TAKING SHAPE

THE LARGEST MUSICIANS UNION IN THE NATION, LOCAL 802, NY, June 27th;

Root, a national organization working to end gun violence in our communities, working with Healthcare-NOW to organize Healthcare TRUTH HEARINGS nationwide;

the Progressive Democrats of America have committed to organize 30 hearings in communities where they have chapters -- the first ones will be hearings in support of HR 676 in Arizona, California, Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts, Chicago, and South Carolina ;

The Latinos for National Health Insurance are planning 20-30 Healthcare TRUTH HEARINGS in underserved Latino communities;

the New York branch of Healthcare-NOW is planning two hearings, one in the Queens with immigrants from many countries and one in the Bronx with Latino residents;

the Muslim Women's Institute for Research and Development is planning a hearing with Muslim Latino youth;

there is also a plan developing for a national Latino hearing in Chicago;

Louisville organizing a  campus single payer teach-in during the week of April 4.

Judson Memorial Church is planning a hearing in Greenwich Village;

the women's committee of the Professional Staff Congress Union of City University of New York is planning a hearing during Women's History Month;

the Gray Panthers of San Francisco called to schedule a hearing and urged that Gray Panther chapters all over the country hold hearings;

as a result the New York City Gray Panthers and a Gray Panthers chapter in Long Island signed on to do one;

a big national hearing is being planned in New Orleans focused on the forced privatization of healthcare, education and housing, led by New Orleans survivors;

another big national hearing is being planned in Atlanta at the U.S. Social Forum at the end of June;

League of Women Voters chapters are holding hearings nationwide.

In addition, hearings in communities, possibly three in Nebraska,

two in North Carolina,

Cleveland and Chagrin, Ohio

Toledo Jobs with Justice;

Pittsburgh, Philadelphia; Portland, Maine;

the District of Columbia focusing on the plight of children and healthcare;

a Nebraska Indian reservation;

Jobs with Justice,Toledo;

 South Carolina plans to have a hearing on the connection between HIV/AIDs and the failure of the healthcare system and to spread to similar hearings nationwide;

a hearing in Southwest Michigan, a meeting in Detroit, and ...(Can we add your city here?)   Let us know:  info@healthcare-now.org

These are some of the hearings we have heard about so far.  This is an astonishing outpouring of commitment to hold hearings to listen to the people's healthcare stories and to push forward with education in every nook and cranny of this country.    If you can plan a hearing in your community, please be in touch with us at Healthcare-NOW 1-800-453-1305.  If you can help fund this work, please click Donate Now right over heeeeere..

Excuses from Some Congress Members?  We expect there will be excuses from some Congress members and from Beltway analysts about how hard it is to put together a national healthcare system that would satisfy the voters and provide a 21st Century healthcare system in our country, but we know that a plan has  already been introduced into Congress, H.R. 676.  In fact, many thoughtful and committed Members of Congress have already endorsed it.  Additional Congress members are coming forward to sign on since the election mandate of November, 2006.

The Money Argument -- The new Congress is trying to get control of the massive deficit spending instituted by the Bush Administration.  We will hear the argument being made that they cannot consider a national universal healthcare bill because they think it would cost more money.  Our bill, H.R. 676, will not cost more money. Read the bill. Tell Congress to read the bill and to endorse it now.  The only way a national healthcare system would cost more money is if the insurance and drug companies are left in control.  This is the litmus test for every new "universal" healthcare plan announced.  If they still have insurance companies in them, then they cost too much and they can't work. 

We need to say it loud and say it clear (as James Brown would have said).  We don't need insurance companies.  We need a single payer.

People Will Have More Money in their Pockets -- 95% of the people in this country will be paying less than they are now in premiums, deductibles, co-pays,out of pocket, and denied expenses.  The richest 5% of the population, the "deserving rich," will be paying a small percentage more in taxes for the good of the nation. 

What if the President Vetoes Our Bill? Some will say, "What if the President vetoes the bill?"  So what?  If the President vetoes it, his party will have to pay the consequences.  Whoever passes it or signs it will be helped in the next election by the family values people (all of us); Democrats, Independents and many Republicans desperately need healthcare coverage. It is time for Congress to act decisively for healthcare for everybody now.

HERE's What You Can Do.  Plan a hearing - or several hearings in your immediate vicinity.  The first hearings can be small – just people telling the truth about the abuses of the current healthcare system, the insurance companies and pharmeutical drug profits. They can check on the status of their Congress member on the issue,  invite your Members to come home to hear the people, and callfor action by these Congress members. Pass out postcards and petitions so people can TAKE ACTION.   The next hearings should grow in size until the Congress can no longer deny us quality affordable national healthcare coverage.  We understand that the lobbyists for the insurance and drug corporations will try to stop any progress. 

We have to overcome their opposition, so we should definitely pass campaign finance reform too while we are at it. 

Build Your Power Base - Plan the Actions You Will Take after the hearing including more hearings, visits to Congress until there are enough dedicated members to pass the legislation we need, single payer, H.R. 676.  Actions in your community, at the Congressional district office in your neighborhood, educational activities, study groups, speaker training, endorsements and endorsements by organizations, cities, governors, labor and faith groups, chronic disease groups, and individuals; sharing of information through the internet, and every other creative action you can devise.   Healthcare-NOW will provide some written resources, films and speakers and help organize speaker training and media. 

We Have to Disrupt the Negative Mantra that "We just can't do this.  It is too hard." It is not harder than ending the Iraq war or providing a decent minimum wage or providing the means for our kids to go to college.  It is a matter of political will.  We can do this."  As Congressman John Conyers said in the national strategy meeting of Healthcare-NOW,  "This is the Time. We've done it before and we can do it again."  He speaks from the wisdom of many winning victories in the Congress for many of the human needs of our country. We've lost a lot of battles in the past 25 years, but now is the time to win - and to keep on winning.

Congress should not come up to 2008 having fallen short of its promises to solve the healthcare crisis --Promises made in 2006 to the voters.

If you are up for organizing a hearing in your neighborhood, be in touch with Healthcare-NOW.  We are waiting to hear from YOU. 1-800-453-1305.  We need YOU.  If you can't help organize, please hit the "Donate Now" button and provide some financial support for this effort.  We operate on a shoestring.  We are a grassroots movement.If you CAN organize a hearing, still we need your financial support. Your commitment will help.

How/ Why Organize a Healthcare-NOW TruthHearing ?

1. More than 100 new local coalitions of people who understand the issues and the options for a quality comprehensive and affordable healthcare system and are advocating for what we really need. The follow-up campaign called for the election of a “HEALTHY CONGRESS in 2006” and passage of a national healthcare program in 2009. Now that we've elected a "healthier" Congress, it is time to organize with even more vigor and passion – Everybody In; Nobody Out! (Guideline for how to do it)
2. The All Union committee for Single Payer Healthcare –HR 676 has a single mission -- to get as many union endorsements for H.R. 676 as possible. They add several endorsers every week –209 unions and union organizations were signed on by November, 2006 including many internationals at their summer conventions. This effort is being organized by Kay Tillow of Louisville, KY.
3. Latinos for National Health Insurance. This new national organization has been organized by Dr. Jaime Torres of New York City and is planning a national program of 20-30 hearings in the Latino community with Healthcare-NOW.
4. The Rapid Response network of people writing letters to editors on a daily basis. This email listserv was initiated and is run by Joy Kallio, New York City and involves both Healthcare-NOW and PNHP letter writers. If you would like to be a part of this rapid response group, please contact Healthcare-NOW.  info@healthcare-now.org
5. Campus Chapters: This is an organizing group of young people who have created a power point, a speakers’ bureau and a guide to organizing Healthcare-NOW chapters on campus. This young activist team of interns and organizers works with other volunteers in the national office of Healthcare-NOW. See guideline on "Black Commentator" at http://www.blackcommentator.com/
6. The number of Members of Congress who have endorsed HR 676 tripled during our 2005-2006 Hearings.   During 2007-8, we hope to triple that number and get to a majority of the Members of the House of Representatives.