From Dennis Kucinich

[FourScore]

Exciting Healthcare Update
by DennisKucinich
Sat Jul 18, 2009 at 12:47:54 PM PDT

Dear Friends,

With your support, your phone calls, your emails, we won a major legislative victory today for a state single payer health care option in the House of Representatives in Washington, DC. The House Education and Labor Committee approved the Kucinich Amendment by a vote of 27-19, with 14 Democrats and 13 Republicans voting yes.

The amendment propels the growing single payer health care movement at the state level. There are at least ten states which have active single payer efforts in their legislatures. They are California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington. The amendment mandates a single payer state will receive the right to waive the application of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which has in the past been used to nullify efforts to expand state or local government health care.

Under the Kucinich Amendment a state's application for a waiver from ERISA is granted automatically if the state has signed into law a single payer plan. With the amendment, for the first time, the state single payer health care option is shielded from an ERISA-based legal attack. Now that the underlying bill has been passed, as amended, by the full committee, we must make sure that Congress knows that we want the provision kept in the bill at final passage!

The state single payer option was one of five major amendments which I obtained support to get included in HR3200. One amendment brings into standard coverage for the first time complementary and alternative medicine, (integrative medicine). Another amendment drives down the cost of prescription drugs by ending pharmaceutical industry's sharp practices manipulating physician prescribing habits. An amendment stops the insurance industry from increasing premiums at the time when people are not permitted to change health plans; and finally an amendment imposing a requirement on insurance companies that they disclose the cost of advertising, marketing and executive compensation expenses (which generally divert money from patient care).

Please make sure you post this message on your social networking site, ask all your friends to get involved and encourage everyone you know to sign up at www.Kucinich.us so we can build full momentum behind this movement for real health care.

Let's do this!
Dennis

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/18/754976/-Exciting-Healthcare-Update

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R! Dennis is just the best, speaks out and never gives up...

:patriot:

[Boddingham]

2. Haven't you been reading DU lately?

Kucinich is a wacko, and state governments are the devil. They said so. Honest.

[sabrina 1]

4. Yeah, but the numbers of

Kucinich detractors are diminishing. Funny how he used to be a very popular Democrat until he went against the Bush administration's policies, and then out of nowhere, so-called Democrats, even on major Democratic blogs started a smear campaign against him. That was to be expected as he was one of the few with the courage to speak out. What never made sense were the 'democrats' who joined the rightwing warmongering liars who went after him and in the end, became his main detractors.

There has always been something suspicious to me about that.

[timtom]

9. Here's what I saw:

During the 2004 election debates, DK was up there with all the other top Democratic candidates. He was sitting next to others while one after another candidate spoke. When I tuned in, the camera had someone in front of Dennis all the time. A couple of times he peeked around the person in front of him, only to have the camera move to hide him again. This happened several times, in fact. It was about that time that the demonization of DK began.

[sabrina 1]

15. Yes, I remember that ~ I also remember

complaints from his supporters when the MSM decided not to follow his campaign anymore. So, he was marginalized and 'democrats' began appearing on liberal blogs, spouting rightwing talking points directed at him. After a while, rightwingers basically ignored him, leaving the smearing to his own party.

On the main issues he was the one who most represented the 'left', yet the left abandoned him choosing instead to support candidates whose questionable positions on issues of importance to them, they have to constantly bend over backwards to explain away. No, it doesn't make sense.

The media blackout of his candidacy worked as many people I know who are not online, never heard of him, but when they do, Democrats I mean, they always ask 'where has this guy been hiding, he is saying everything I want my candidates to say'.

[timtom]

16. I do so agree with you.

I will vote for him whenever I can, whenever he runs.

[sabrina 1]

18. Me too n/t

[maglatinavi]

3. kucinich

Kudos to you! It is about time that the interest of "we the people" is placed first and not of the greedy corporations ...and greedy corporate honchos... thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

[eridani]

5. Dennis rocks!

:yourock:

[Greyhound]

6. May we all live to realize our mistakes.

He just keeps working for us no matter how badly we treat him.
:kick: & R

[slay]

8. One of the few truly inspirational politicians

Dennis never fails to impress me.

[Norrin Radd]

7. kr

[bvar22]

10. DK was the only presidential candidate....

...offering REAL change.

[LWolf]

13. That's the truth.

Truth doesn't seem to matter much in politics.

He has my support every time he needs it.

[Desertrose]

17. Ditto to both of you!

Dennis just keeps on working for single payer healthCARE. Gotta love him.

He speaks the truth no matter how it affects him. That takes guts.

Go Dennis and thank you.


:hi:LWolf

[LWolf]

20. I owe you an email.

Look for it by this afternoon. ;)

:hi: :hug:

[Vidar]

11. K&R

[Annces]

12. Yey for Dennis n/t

[Wednesdays]

14. K&R

:kick:

[flyarm]

19. Good on your Dennis..just sent out to all my groups!! thanks Dennis..

I am beggining to think you are the only honest broker left in our government!

rec and kick!