Tag: Health
Yesterday, Representative Tim Holden sided with the Republicans and the Tea Party by voting against the best interests of his constituents. He voted “NO”, twice, for health care reform.
The historic health care reform bill that just passed the House will immediately provide the following benefits to Pennsylvanians in the 17th Congressional District:
. Improve coverage for 444,000 residents with health insurance.
. Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 168,000 families and 13,000 small businesses to help them afford coverage.
. Improve Medicare for 120,000 beneficiaries, including closing the doughnut hole.
. Extend coverage to 18,500 uninsured residents.
. Guarantee that 7,300 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.
. Protect 900 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.
. Allow 47,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans.
. Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 7 community health centers.
. Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $59 million annually.
Read more about the benefits of health care reform here…
Support a REAL Democrat by voting for Sheila Dow Ford at the Democratic Primary in May. Here’s a link to Sheila’s statement regarding yesterday’s historic vote.
Categories
The Plastic Garbage Patch
Are we slowly eliminating the human race with plastic?
Oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer, Ph.D., an expert on marine debris, agrees. “If you could fast-forward 10,000 years and do an archaeological dig…you’d find a little line of plastic,” he told The Seattle Times last April. “What happened to those people? Well, they ate their own plastic and disrupted their genetic structure and weren’t able to reproduce. They didn’t last very long because they killed themselves.”
Plastic Oceans: This article explains how we are destroying the oceans with nasty plastic and is on the “must read” list.
Not only are submitting our food chain to plastic, we consume toxic plastic when we microwave in plastic containers and/or eat from plastic containers.
When shopping, take along cloth shopping bags and when asked by the clerk, “Paper or plastic?” just say “No” and give them the cloth bags to use instead.
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Public Option
Jack Smith, Working Class, posted this as a comment. It’s an important statement and way too long to be hidden as a response to another post so I am taking the liberty to post it in this thread.
A state based public insurance option is NOT!! a Public Option. Nor is it a Strong, National, Medicare like Public Option.
A majority of voters would rather have a Democrats only bill with a Public Option. Rather than a bipartisan bill without a Public Option.
ATTENTION!! Congress Has The Votes Needed To Pass A Public Option – TODAY http://bit.ly/TCq7O
Why A Strong Public Option Is Essential – By jacksmith – Working Class
Robert Reich explains the pubic option: http://bit.ly/dDYSJ http://robertreich.blogspot.com/
Hollywood Supports The Public Option 🙂 http://bit.ly/3XLwPi
It’s not just because more than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 77% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option on day one (86% of democrats, 75% of independents, and 72% republicans). Basically everyone.
It’s not just because according to a new AARP POLL: 86 percent of seniors want universal healthcare security for All, including 93% of Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 78% of Republicans. With 79% of seniors supporting creating a new strong Government-run public option plan, available immediately. Including 89% of Democrats, 80% of Independents, and 61% of Republicans, STUNNING!!
It’s not just because it will lower cost. Because a strong public option will dramatically lower cost for everyone. And dramatically improved the quality of care everyone receives in America and around the World. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.
It’s not just because it will save trillions of dollars and prevent the needless deaths of millions more of YOU, caused by a rush to profit by the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!
It’s not just because every expert in every field, including economist, and Nobel laureates all agree that free market based healthcare systems don’t work. Never have and never will. The US has the only truly free market based healthcare system in the World. And as you all know now, IT IS A DISASTER!
It’s not just because providing or denying medically necessary care for profit motivations is wrong. Because it is WRONG! It’s professionally, ethically, and morally REPUGNANT!, Animalistic, VILE and EVIL.
THE REASON THE PUBLIC OPTION IS ESSENTIAL:
The public option is ESSENTIAL because over 200 million of you are trapped in the forest of the wolves. Which is the forest of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! With no way out except through needless inhumane suffering, and DEATH. While the wolves tear at your flesh, and rip you limb from lib. Then feast on your lifeless bodies like a dead carcase for transplant parts.
At the most vulnerable times of your lives (when you were sick and hurting), millions of you have had to fight and loose cruel, but heroic battles. Fighting against the big guns of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! in the forest of the wolves. All because you have no place else to go. You have no other CHOICE!
But the PUBLIC OPTION will give you someplace safe to go. And it will give us someplace safe to take you. The public option will be your refugium (your refuge). Where the wolves cannot get at you when your down, hurting, and vulnerable. Where everyone who needs it can find rest, security, comfort and the care they need. Protected by the BIG GUNS of We The People Of The United States. THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE AND COUNTRY ON EARTH.
This is why it is so critical that we do not lead another 50 million vulnerable, uninsured Americans into the forest of the wolves, without the protections of a Strong Government-run MEDICARE like public option. We The People Of The United States MUST NOT LET THAT HAPPEN to any more of our fellow Americans. If healthcare reform does not contain a strong MEDICARE like public option on day one. YOU MUST! KILL IT. Or you will do far more harm than good. And millions more will die needlessly. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.
To those who would continue to obstruct good and true healthcare reform for the American people, and who seek to trap millions more vulnerable Americans in the forest of the wolves. We will continue to fight you. We are prepared to wage all out war against you, and will eagerly DESTROY! you. Time…is…UP! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! No Co-op’s! No Triggers! NO INDIVIDUAL MANDATES! without a Strong MEDICARE like public option on day one.
Healthcare reform can be the GREATEST! Accomplishment of our time and century. A time when future generations may say of us, that we were all, AMERICAS GREATEST GENERATIONS.
BUT WE MUST ACT!
I therefore call on all my fellow Americans and the peoples of the World. To join us in this fight so that we may finish becoming the better America that we aspire to be for everyone.
SPREAD THE WORD!
I have been privileged to be witness as many of you fought, and struggled to take your first breath, and your last breath on this earth. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Life is precious.
Whatever the cost. WE! MUST SUCCEED.
God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings
jacksmith – Working Class
Things You Can Do To Help NOW! http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2009/09/tired_of_watching_people_die_n.html
No Triggers! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-rosenbaum/a-trigger-for-the-public_b_277910.html
Triggers http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/weve-seen-these-triggers_b_283583.html
Krugman on heathcare (http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/)
Senator Bernie Sanders on healthcare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM8t_cLZgk&feature=player_embedded)
John Garamendi on the Public Option and the Grassroots: http://bit.ly/TJMty
Howard Dean on the Public Option http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SKfW2dUnow&feature=player_embedded
We’re Number 37! in quality of health care http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgOl3cETb4&feature=player_embedded
Twitter search (#welovethenhs #NHS #hc09 #hcr #healthcar #obama #p2 #topprog #) Check it out.
To access the links, visit the original comment posted here…
This is how it is going to be…. this is the right thing for Americans and small businesses.
President Obama in Grand Junction Colorado.
Senator Specter has been traveling the state of Pennsylvania these past few weeks. He has taken the time to meet with his constituents. This past weekend, he attended the Berks County Democratic Committee Meeting and spoke with precinct leaders from Berks County. Yesterday, he met with a group of health reform advocates from Pennsylvania. He now supports a public option.
Speaking moments ago to a large and animated crowd of union organizers and health reform advocates in a brewing house just North of the Capitol, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) said he supports a public insurance option.
“Schumer has it right about having a public component,” Specter said.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has taken a lead role on negotiations over the public option in the Senate Finance Committee, and earlier this year proposed a compromise: the committee’s health care bill should include a public plan, he said, but one that competes on a level playing field with other insurers. Such an entity wouldn’t be able to use its sheer size to set prices the way Medicare does–but it could nonetheless incur savings in a host of other ways, and in so doing drive down the cost of health insurance in the private market.
Perhaps more importantly, though, the Schumer proposal is in line with the principles of the major reform campaign Health Care for America Now–and, as such, just about every major health care and labor organization in the country.
Sounds like Senator Specter may be listening to the voters of Pennsylvania.
“Health care is a right,” Specter said. “Your presence here has a big effect. You will get health care this year.”
I’ll still be watching his voting record.
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Swine Flu And Children
This is how you get the Swine Flu… don’t try this.
My advice to you… don’t kiss a pig.
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Swine Flu – Protect Yourself – UPDATED
The Swine Flu is spread through droplets dispensed in the air when a contagious person sneezes. This latest variation of the virus is a combination of human, bird and pig viruses and is spread easily between humans.
Here are some things that you can do to protect yourself from infection (h/t Huffington Post):
1. Sanitize — i.e. Wash Your Hands Frequently. It may sound obvious, but hand-washing with soap and water for around 20 seconds is the single best thing you can do (if you’re going to go out into the world and interact with other human beings). The CDC estimates that 80 percent of all infections are spread by hands. If you can’t wash your hands regularly, try hand-sanitizers with 60 percent alcohol content.
2. Avoid — i.e. Engage in Social Distancing.” That’s the fancy term for staying away from other people if you’re sick or if you’re concerned that they may be infected. It may not be especially practical when you have to go to, say, work, but experts believe it’s worth repeating: Isolation and avoidance reduce your chances of getting infected or infecting others.
(Researchers in the UK – mentioned above and sponsored by a common cold remedy – found that 99 per cent of commuters suffer at least one cold per winter. By contrast, 58 per cent of peole who work from home and 88 per cent of those who walk to work caught a cold last winter).
3. Be Alert — i.e. Recognize the Symptoms and Get Help. Swine flu symptoms are similar to regular flu: Fever, body aches, sore throat, cough, runny nose, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. If you don’t feel well, seek medical attention. So far, it’s important to note, this swine flu is treatable (and absolutely survivable). It’s resistant to two of four antiviral drugs approved for combating the flu: Symmetrel and Flumadine. But two newer antivirals – Tamiflu and Relenza – appear to work.
UPDATE: More on the Swine Flu here (where did it come from? Factory Farms). Another point… the short sighted, no new ideas Republicans removed most of the money from the Stimulus package that was designated for the CDC and managing pandemics. However, the Republicans wanted tax breaks for the rich in the Stimulus package.
Categories
Don’t Let Them Do It
Big agriculture and factory farms are at it again. They never give up.
There is a bill in Congress, HR875, that is a threat to organic gardening. It could even put your small family plot at risk.
The original text of the bill can be viewed here….
Geezer Power, at Suzie-Q has more information and links along with a video.
Farmer Abuse:
(Did Monsanto “drop seed” on purpose? Does Monsanto own the judges?)
This is what the Monsanto Police do to the farmers in this nation and is brought to you by the Republicans and Bush. If Monsanto is allowed to continue with this food terrorism, we will return to feudalism.
(This video was filmed during the Bush Administration. Let’s make change happen during the Obama Administration.)
Whoever owns the food supply, rules the world.
Contact your Congressperson and tell them to vote “NO” on HR875.
Organizing for Change 