Nearly 1,000 Say ‘Thank You’ to Lawmakers Who Backed Health Care

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/05/06/nearly-1000-say-thank-you-to-lawmakers-who-backed-health-care/

by Mike Hall, May 6, 2010



AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (bottom) and nearly 1,000 union members thanked lawmakers for passing health care and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (top) thanked activists for all their work in building support for the legislation.



Health care reform became the law of the land because enough congressional Democrats “had courage and stood with working families,” United Steelworkers (USW) President Leo W. Gerard told nearly 1,000 union activists at a Capitol Hill rally this afternoon. These lawmakers ”stood for what’s morally right and against the Big Insurance industry and their nearly $1 billion campaign” to kill the bill.

The USW organized the rally with the support for the AFL-CIO, Utility Workers (UWUA) and the SEIU to say “Thank you” to the lawmakers who voted for health care reform, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) turned the tables a bit when she told the crowd,

The thanks go to you for all your help that made this victory possible.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said that during the course of months-long battle to bring health insurance coverage to nearly 32 million uninsured Americans and end insurance company abuses, “there were no easy votes.”

The insurance industry spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to kill us, and to slander and defame the members of Congress who had the courage to do the right thing.

But our Democratic heroes had the courage to tell insurance companies, “No more.” No more refusing to cover our children. No more denying coverage for pre-existing conditions. No more cutting people off when they get sick. No more second-guessing our doctors, and no more telling people you can go ahead and die.

FULL story at link.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. *

[ClarkUSA]

2. It's nice to see that the AFL-CIO know what a good thing HCR is. Some DUers should get a clue.

Bookmarked for future reference against the usual HCR naysayers here.

[varelse]

3. Yup, some DU'ers need a clue

Here is one: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8294925&mesg_id=8294925

[Omaha Steve]

7. Most AT&T workers have a contract that guarantees health insurance

Yes I see a great reply posted there.

It would be management and non union workers that would loose coverage. And nothing in HCR would have changed what AT&T is thinking of doing. Deere is UAW. Same thing.

[dflprincess]

5. I haven't heard anyone naysaying HCR

but a lot of us are disgusted with the Insurance Company Profit & Campaign Donation Protection Act that was passed.

Health insurance I got - what I need is access to health care.

[Foo Fighter]

6. Spot on.

I'm one of the very few lucky ones that has great health care at minimal cost. Everyone else in this country deserves to have the same coverage I have at the same cost. Unfortunately the bill you cited (aptly named, BTW) will do absolutely nothing to achieve that. It will, however, ensure that health insurance companies remain hugely profitable which was the goal of HCR all along.

[Historic NY]

4. I like AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka very much, great speaker Obama should use him ...

on some issues because he can ocnnect with people.