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2010 ACTION ALERTS:
August 8, 2010: Preserve and Improved Social Security for ALL Generations!
In the wake of the substantial increase in federal government spending in response to the Great Recession, and deficit spending resulting from Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy and unfunded wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, President Obama has established a special commission to a) review government spending and develop recommendations to balance the federal budget by 2015, and b) review long-term prospects for entitlement financing (Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.)
Political conservatives, both in and outside Congress, are using this Commission to move an agenda they have long sought: to end our current entitlement programs as we know them today, and dramatically scale them back and/or privatize them (either fully or partially.)
A variety of forces are coming together nationally to counter these unfortunate efforts. Various progressive organizations, led by Social Security Works (www.socialsecurity-works.org) and the Alliance for Retired Americans (www.retiredamericans.org), among others, launched the “Strengthen Social Security Campaign” (SSSC). To kick-off this new SSSC across the nation, events are being planned this month to celebrate the 75 Anniversary of the signing of the first Social Security law by President Roosevelt on August 14, 1935.
Here’s what’s happening in New York City:
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July 12, 2010: Help Everyday People Get and Keep Health Care During the Current "Great Recession”
It’s hard to believe, but Congress is in a stalemate over a bill to keep helping everyday people who are suffering greatly during the current “Great Recession.” At risk is continuing unemployment benefits, affordable COBRA health insurance coverage, and Medicaid funding support for states. The Obama administration and Congressional leaders are pushing hard for a bill to keep support for vital health care safety net programs in place.
Here’s what YOU can do:
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April 14, 2010: Restore Government Oversight of Health Insurance Premium Rates in New York
Governor Paterson has proposed to restore "prior approval" of insurance premium rate increases, and public hearings within his budget proposals for this year. Consumer advocates, small businesses and senior groups are enthusiastically supporting these proposals from Governor Paterson. However, as is no surprise to anyone, the insurance industry is dead set against them, and defeating them is their number one priority here in New York this year. They are pulling out all the stops and doing everything they can to stop prior approval from being restored.
Here’s what YOU can do:
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March 30, 2010: Thank New York’s Senators and Congressmembers for Voting for Health Justice!
When Congress took it's final vote on health care reform a little over a week ago, it was a tough vote for many. However, one thing was clear: the status quo was not an option. Health care desperately needed to be reformed, and so the only real question before Congress was who was going to prevail in determining what reforms were going to happen: the army of the status quo special interests, or the public interest as put forward by advocates and activists pressuring government? Despite the necessary political compromises, Congress was able to do the right thing, and set our nation on a new path with a new foundation.
Here’s how to thank New York’s Congressional delegation!
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March 23, 2010: Congratulations, Everyone! We DID IT!!
After almost a century, Congress finally passed major, comprehensive health care reform legislation, setting our nation on a path toward health care justice. It was truly historic to witness President Obama signing the new health care bill into law. America has taken a giant step forward to join the rest of the civilized world in assuring comprehensive quality health care for all. We couldn't have accomplished this goal without all of everyone’s efforts. Eeveryone worked together, not necessarily in lockstep, but in complementarity, each contributing in their own way as best they could.
Read more about this historic vote and learn what’s coming up next.
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March 19, 2010: Help Deliver the NYC Congressional Vote for national health care reform!
After a year of fits and starts, Congress is moving to finish up major national health care reform legislation. President Obama put forth a compromise proposal in late February, and Congressional leaders have used it to craft a final bill. The House is scheduled to vote on it this coming Sunday afternoon or evening. The Senate will then take it up next week, with the goal of voting on it before they adjourn for the upcoming Easter-Passover recess that starts on March 29. After nearly a century of struggle, our nation is finally moving forward to advance health care justice and establishing health care as a human right.
Here’s who to contact to urge support!
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March 1, 2010 -- Get on the Bus to DC ...to stop “Big Insurance”!
On Tues. March 9, thousands of Americans are going to descend on Washington, DC for a major “direct action” protest called "Shut Them Down", taking place outside a conference of the health insurance trade association and lobby known as "America's Health Insurance Plans" (or "AHIP".) They’re meeting to plan how to stop REAL health care reform. We’re going there to stop them.
Here’s how you can “get on the bus”:
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February 19, 2010: March and Rally for Health Care Reform and the Change Agenda
There's definitely a buzz out there! Hundreds of New Yorkers will be taking to the Brooklyn Bridge and lower Broadway to stand up for health care reform and the change agenda -- we hope you and your friends and colleagues will be joining us! Our march will end outside the NYC offices of WellPoint, the nation's largest, and quite notorious, insurance company that's been in the news lately
Here's how you can join in:
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February 1, 2010: Combat the media and conventional wisdom spin on health care
The mainstream media is full of reports and "conventional wisdom" that, in the wake of the recent special Senate election in Massachusetts, comprehensive health care reform efforts in Washington are dead, but THAT IS NOT TRUE. Comprehensive health care reform is still very much alive in Congress. Our job now is to keep pushing Congress to "get the job done."
Here's what YOU can do this week:
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January 25, 2010: Help Keep Health Care Reform Moving Forward in Congress
The next two days, before President Obama's State of the Union speech on this coming Wed. eve, will prove crucial to the future of health care reform efforts in Congress. Proponents of reform are working together on various efforts to send a message to:
- keep moving forward on health care reform, don't stall out
- comprehensive reform is needed because incremental reforms won't do the job alone
- use the "budget reconciliation" process to finish up the bill
Here's who to call TODAY:
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November 30, 2009: Upcoming Annual Gala
Metro New York Health Care for All Campign invites you to attend our Annual Gala being held on Thursday, Decemeber 10, 2009 at 6pm at District Council 1707 AFSCME. One Hudson Sq., 75 Varick St. (at Canal St.), Suite 1404, Manhattan; $50 suggested donation. Our honorees include Sen. Charles Schumer. Ed Ott, Make the Road New York and NYC for Change.
Find out more about our annual Gala:
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November 11, 2009: Thank you to Congress Health Reform
MANY THANKS to all who took action over the past few weeks to support the House of Representatives moving forward with its successful vote on health care reform this past weekend. The significance of this vote cannot be understated: health care justice triumphed against the forces of the status quo. We particularly want to thank all 12 members of our NYC Congressional delegation who voted for the House health care reform bill, H.R 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.
Here's how YOU can thank YOUR member of Congress -- THIS WEEK!
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November 3, 2009: Tell Congress "Don't turn health reform legislation into an anti-abortion bill."
According to Raising Women’s Voices, as the House prepares to vote on historic health reform legislation (possibly this weekend), anti-choice lawmakers are trying to turn health care reform legislation into an anti-abortion bill acorss the board, and are threatening to derail health care reform if they don’t get their way.
Here’s more info
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November 1, 2009: New leadership bills on health care reform to emerge
After months of committee deliberations and weeks of internal negotiations, leaders in each chamber are releasing bills for floor debates and votes. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has released the new House leadership bill (the Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962), and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is expected to release a new Senate leadership bill sometime soon.
What you can do to make them better and more them forward.
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2009 ACTION ALERT ARCHIVES
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