elections

Watching ‘Capitalism: A Love Story’ with Michael Moore

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moore_500

Michael Moore’s
Labor Fans Hit
Pittsburgh’s Streets
For a Film Premiere



By Carl Davidson
Beaver County Blue

When we heard Michael Moore was going to do a surprise premiere of his new film, ‘Capitalism: A Love Story’ at the AFL-CIO convention Sept 14 and we were all invited, it was a no-brainer—how many names could we nail down in time and how many cars could we get for the drive to downtown Pittsburgh the next day?

We knew union delegates to the convention that could go. But Moore, the California Nurse’s Association, and Leo Girard, head of the United Steel Workers, wanted the area’s battleground fighters for HR 676 ‘Medicare for All’ to have a shot at the seats in the Golden Triangles’ Byham Theater. That qualification certainly fit the 4th CD’s Progressive Democrats of America and its ally, Beaver County Peace Links. They had been working of HR 676 for years at the grassroots, showing Moore’s ‘Sicko’ documentary on health care many times.

For a spur-of-the moment happening, the event was wildly successful. Thousands rallied at the David Lawrence Convention Center, then poured into the evening sunset-lit downtown streets with chants and banners, for a militant and spirited march to the cultural district. Michael Moore, appropriately clad in a bright red shirt and red ball cap, helped carry the front row banner, leading the chants. Continue reading Watching ‘Capitalism: A Love Story’ with Michael Moore →

elections, health care

The Kiss of Death – Sen. Arlen Specter Calls for “Expensive” Public Option in Health “Insurance” Bill

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p971504731by Randy Shannon

September 15, 2009

In his message posted below Sen. Arlen Specter states his support for the hotly debated public option. The public option was originally proposed as a large inexpensive Medicare- administered plan to allow access to good healthcare for the 46 million uninsured and the millions of under-insured. As the White House slowly moves to accomodate the powerful corporate health insurance lobby, opportunists like Specter are climbing aboard offering support with qualifiers that further water down the public option.

Now the public option will only cover a few million persons. And if Specter has his way it will have to cost no less than what the private insurance companies charge. This means it will be unaffordable and offer no competition to hold down the cost of private insurance. The current legislation being considered does not control the rising insurance premiums. It does call for restraining the outlays for Medicare, even though Medicare is the most affordable and most efficient administrator of healthcare outlays.

The bill makes it a crime for an individual not to buy junk insurance. It’s no wonder that Wall Street is already celebrating the victory of health insurance reform over healthcare reform by bidding up the stock prices of their favorite insurance companies and hospitals.

In a recent Pittsburgh Post Gazette article, Congressman Jason Altmire is quoted saying that he will probably vote for the health insurance bill after he voted against it in committee. Mr. Altmire is a former lobbyist for the Federation of American (for-profit) Hospitals and UPMC.  This is another sign that the bill will favor the large corporate entities such as UPMC and hurt the working people of the 4th Congressional District. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09256/997454-114.stm

See Specter’s message on next page…

Continue reading The Kiss of Death – Sen. Arlen Specter Calls for “Expensive” Public Option in Health “Insurance” Bill →

health care

Grove City Democrats Show “Sicko”

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by Randy Shannon

The Grove City Democrats club headed by Lou Razzano hosted a showing of Michael Moore’s Sicko at Rudy’s Restaurant on Sept. 10. The film was screened by the W. PA organizer for Democracy for America Lou Hancherick.   Joe Talarico, coordinator of the W PA Progressive Network answered questions after the film.

Following dinner from 5:00 to 6:30 some 55 people viewed the film and responded with enthusiastic applause and cheering. Bob Lark, head of the Mercer County Democratic Committee attended.

Economy, Environment

Shameful PA Budget Deal Takeaway from Working Families Giveaway to Gas Drillers

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Plan would destroy state forests on altar of natural gas industry

Drilling Rig on Marcellus Shale
Drilling Rig on Marcellus Shale

The proposed budget deal announced September 11, 2009 includes a massive giveaway to huge, multi-national energy corporations that want substantial and immediate access to drill, baby, drill in our public forests and parks.

Tell your state legislators that opening up much of the state’s forest lands to gas drilling is NOT the way that Pennsylvania should solve its budget crisis.

Greedy gas companies spent more than one million dollars lobbying state government this year, and it looks like it paid off. The state budget does not include a severance tax on natural gas drilling even though it injures Pennsylvania taxpayers. To add insult to injury, the budget deal also opens up state parks and forests to gas drillers. Because gas prices have fallen, gas leasing prices have also fallen, so now giant multi-national energy corporations will be able to make a sweetheart deal to lock up leases at bargain basement prices.

Continue reading Shameful PA Budget Deal Takeaway from Working Families Giveaway to Gas Drillers →

antiwar, health care, labor

Contending Views at the Beaver County Court House – Progressives Push Back Tea Party

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912rally‘Healthcare Not Warfare’ Vigil
Meets the 912 Tea Bagger Rally

By Carl Davidson and Tina Shannon
Beaver County Blue

Things were different than usual in front of the Beaver County Courthouse at 1:00 pm this Saturday September 12th. For one thing, a well-used car, festooned with the message “Support Health Care Reform!” was parked across the street. A Beaver County Transit bus driver and his family had arrived at 11:30 to park it there.

“We knew you’d be here,” his Dad said. “We showed up early so we’d get a good parking spot. We wanted it to be here for you.”

So when some 200 right wing ‘Teabaggers’ showed up for their anti-Health Care and anti-Obama protest at the Beaver County Court House, they found that their message wasn’t unchallenged. Directly across the street were over sixty people with a large ‘Bring the Troops Home Now!’ banner and dozens of placards declaring ‘Healthcare Not Warfare!’ and ‘Honk for Peace!’

The Teabaggers were newcomers to this venue, stirred up by a steady drumbeat from the Fox News network and its over-the-top racist commentator Glenn Beck. Their anxiety over the economic crisis had been stoked into a divisive politics of fear and resentment by the far right wing of the Republican Party.

The vigil for peace and healthcare, on the other hand, had been at this spot every Saturday for the last six years, since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan got underway. Sponsored by Beaver County Peace Links and the 4th CD Progressive Democrats of America, their ‘Honk for Peace’ signs and other placards linking ending the war to health care and supporting the troops had become a well-known and popular fixture to county residents. Continue reading Contending Views at the Beaver County Court House – Progressives Push Back Tea Party →

Community, elections

PA Republican Senator Vogel Instransigent on State Budget Cuts to Children

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Child CareBeaver County Daycare Providers Meet Republican Senator Elder Vogel: Dismayed by His Lack of Concern for Children

By Tina Shannon

September 10, 2009

Last Thursday night, five daycare providers sat down with Pennsylvania 47th District Senator Elder Vogel and his aide Joe Weider to talk over the state budget. I arrived at the Senator’s office in the hilltop neighborhood of upper Rochester about 6:30 pm, even though the meeting didn’t start until 7:00.

Charlie Hamilton, my friend who had helped set up the meeting with Senator Vogel, was waiting . Charlie is a retired postal worker who has extensive experience dealing with legislators.

Several weeks earlier I had gone on an angry rant about the budget proposed by Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled State Senate. I wanted to have a public meeting denouncing Vogel, who is our newly elected Republican Sate Senator. Charlie counseled restraint. “First you have to give the guy a chance to do the right thing,” he said.

So Charlie graciously set up the meeting.

I contacted several of my colleagues, looking for people who understood the importance of maintaining social services in our county by funding them in the budget. A handful of wonderful women responded. I also brought an articulate impassioned young woman who is one my clients.

Continue reading PA Republican Senator Vogel Instransigent on State Budget Cuts to Children →

elections, health care

The Healthcare Lobby Is Buying Congress – Nancy Pelosi Latest Sellout on Public Option

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Steve Elmendorf - Major Buyer of US Congress
Steve Elmendorf - Major Buyer of US Congress

Hours After Pelosi Backs off on Public Option, Health Lobbyist Announces Fundraiser in Her Honor

By David Sirota, Open Left
Posted on September 11, 2009, Printed on September 12, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/http://www.openleft.com/142589/
 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the first time yesterday suggested she may be backing off her support of the public option. According to CNN, Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid “said they would support any provision that increases competition and accessibility for health insurance – whether or not it is the public option favored by most Democrats.” When “asked if inclusion of a public option was a non-negotiable demand – as her previous statements had indicated  Pelosi ruled out any non-negotiable positions,” according to CNN.

This announcement came just hours before Steve Elmendorf, a registered UnitedHealth lobbyist and the head of UnitedHealth’s lobbying firm Elmendorf Strategies, blasted this email invitation throughout Washington, D.C. I just happened to get my hands on a copy of the invitation from a source – check out this OpenLeft exclusive:

Continue reading The Healthcare Lobby Is Buying Congress – Nancy Pelosi Latest Sellout on Public Option →

health care

President Supports Public Option – White House Staff Tries to Kill Public Option

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by Jane Hamsher

The President did a great job last night making the case to the nation of the need for health care reform.  He made the moral case, and every metric indicates that people were overwhelmingly moved to support his plan. That’s the good news for the White House.

The not so good news:  the White House has been trying to get out from under the burden of supporting the public option for weeks.  The trouble is, every time they try to do it, the President’s poll numbers take a huge hit.  And so last night he came out and indicated that a public plan would be a part of his reform package.

Continue reading President Supports Public Option – White House Staff Tries to Kill Public Option →

health care, labor

Over 70 Labor Organizations Call on AFL-CIO Convention to Endorse HR 676 – National Healthcare Act

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Pittsburgh, PA.   More than seventy labor organizations have submitted resolutions to the AFL-CIO Convention calling for the labor federation to endorse HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI).

Resolutions were submitted by five national and international unions including the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU), the International Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Employees (IATSE), the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC), California School Employees Association (CSEA), and the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE).

Continue reading Over 70 Labor Organizations Call on AFL-CIO Convention to Endorse HR 676 – National Healthcare Act →