Now That the Theater Has Ended, Real Talk about Real Health Care Reform

Featuring Dr. Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese, Esq.

When: Monday, April 12, 5:30 PM (Pacific) / 8:30 PM (Eastern)

Three ways to participate:
1. CONFERENCE CALL: First, RSVP by email with “Health Care Reform” in the subject line, so we can reserve a spot for you on the call and send you instructions for cueing up for “on air” questions in the chatroom. At the time of call, dial 1-(218) 339-4300, follow prompts and enter access code 1037729 followed by #.
and/or
2. WEB RADIO: Go to Voice of Vashon and see “click here to listen” at the top right corner. To ask questions while you listen, you will need to RSVP for a password and log in at the live chat.
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3. E-MAIL: Click RSVP to email your questions ahead of time.

The noisy and media-studded passage of the Democrats’ health bill has the entire country in debate. Some say that this law will preserve the increasingly fragile reputation of President Obama and the Democratic Party’s power base just in time for the next election cycle. Others, including prominent Republicans and their state-based allies, believe that the new health care law is unconstitutional.

A few progressives find this law to be a good starting point for truly universal health coverage for all U.S. residents.

But increasingly, people are wondering if this law will pave the way for permanent control of Americans’ health by private, for-profit insurance companies, big pharmaceutical industries, and their moneyed allies.

Will Americans’ collective health and financial security be further eroded and eventually destroyed by this new law, by even greater corporate interference in our life-altering health decisions?

See recent articles and organizational statements that provide a useful analysis of the Democrats’ health care bill:

* Article by Kevin Zeese, 3/30/10
* Healthcare-NOW! statement
* PNHP (Physicians for a National Health Program) statement
* PNHP summary chart of reconciliation bill (PDF file)
* Firedoglake’s Myths and Truths chart of main bill

Although the Democrats’ health bill is proving to be a challenge, past projects and strengths can help progressive alliances move forward. Now that the theater in Washington D.C. has ended, it’s time for real talk about real health care reform.

For this Conversation, we are honored to speak with two of the country’s prominent single payer leaders, Dr. Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese. Margaret Flowers is a Maryland pediatrician and Congressional Fellow for Physicians for a National Health Program. Kevin Zeese is executive director of Prosperity Agenda. Both of them are members of the original “Baucus 8,” later known as the “Baucus 13,” who were arrested for standing up to the Senate Finance Committee — chaired by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana) — for keeping single-payer “off the table.” This happened in May 2009, at the very beginning of Congressional action on health care, and caused even the mainstream media to take notice.

Join our Conversation, and learn how to continue in creating the necessary social movement for Improved Medicare for All.