Garin Drops Bid to Challenge Ryan

Here is a link to today's Kenosha News story.

http://www.kenoshanews.com/news/garin_drops_bid_to_challenge_ryan_12585869.html

Garin Decides to Sit This One Out

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Paulette Garin
Paulette Garin for Congress Committee
paulettegarin@yahoo.com

Garin Decides to Sit This One Out

Kenosha, Wisconsin, July 11, 2010 - Paulette Garin, 2008 Democratic Congressional Candidate, who had been contemplating a 2010 run in Wisconsin’s 1st District, announced today that she is “sitting this one out.”

“First and foremost, I thank the wonderful people who have supported and encouraged me.”

Garin was informed that 1st CD Executive Board of the Democratic Party, in what she considers an 11th hour move to save face, has apparently chosen to rally around and support Board Member, John Heckenlivey, as their candidate for Congress. Through emails and phone calls, Garin learned that the Board, contrary to the long standing policy of not siding or acting on behalf of one candidate over another met Saturday, July 10, and chose to organize a last minute drive to assist Heckenlively in collecting over 1,000 signatures by the Tuesday filing deadline.

“The irony about all of this is that after over a year of conducting a search for a moneyed candidate they anoint John at the last minute who intends to run the very kind of grassroots campaign I asked them to consider all along.”

“While I am disappointed that the party took so long to embrace the idea of a grassroots campaign, the good news is they finally appear motivated to take measurable action. Still, it is impossible for me to perceive most of the leadership in a serious manner. Therefore, I am sitting this one out so that the focus of the next few months is on defeating Paul Ryan and not the dysfunctionality of the Democratic Party.”

“I wish John the best of luck.”

# # #

Related Links:

Janesville Gazette –
“Ryan May Run Un-opposed”
http://gazettextra.com/weblogs/latest-news/2010/jul/07/ryan-may-run-unopposed/

“Democrats Split Over How to Defeat Ryan”
http://gazettextra.com/news/2010/jul/07/democrats-split-over-how-defeat-ryan/

Kenosha News –
“No Opponent Yet For Ryan”
http://www.kenoshanews.com/news/no_opponent_yet_for_ryan_12303647.html

Kenosha News | A Life Remembered: Garin overcame vision struggles, became union leader

A great article about the life of my father, Walter R. Garin written by Kenosha News reporter, Diane Giles.

Thanks, Diane, Dad would have loved this!

Kenosha News | A Life Remembered: Garin overcame vision struggles, became union leader

GM still ringing political bells -- GazetteXtra

GM still ringing political bells -- GazetteXtra

Here is an excerpt regarding Paul Ryan's recent "no" vote in regards to extending unemployment benefits:

Ryan’s statement raised questions with some, however, who asked why he voted last month against a bill to extend unemployment compensation if he is so concerned for the laid-off workers in his district.

Democrat Paulette Garin of Kenosha, who is still considering a run against Ryan, called Ryan’s vote “reprehensible.”

Ryan said his vote signaled his displeasure with a measure that increases the national debt...

Garin asked where Ryan’s fiscal conservatism was when much larger sums were borrowed to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

---------------

Louis Kaye from Rocknetroots offered this commentary on the Janesville Gazette article. Click HERE.

April 25, Meeting with Moore & Kucinch on Wars

What an honor and privilege it was to attend this Town Hall meeting with Dennis Kucinich and Gwen Moore in Milwaukee as well as hear the inspired words of Milwaukee's John Gilman who has written "Foot Soldier for Peace."





HERE is local tv coverage.

Food, Inc. - Have you seen it?

For more info go to their WEBSITE

For financial reform, start with the Sanders Standard - Newsroom: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont)

For financial reform, start with the Sanders Standard - Newsroom: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont)

A great John Nichols article supporting Bernie Sanders and his positions on financial reform legislation.

Learning From (Others’) Experience - Newsroom: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont)

Learning From (Others’) Experience - Newsroom: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont)

What Senator Bernie Sanders learned about the Single Payer Healthcare system in Taiwan!

Watch "Obama's Deal" on Frontline and read the two links from Healthcare NOW

"Barack Obama promised change. Then he took on one of Washington's toughest issues: health care. During his first year in office, he found himself making one deal after another with Capitol Hill's powerful insiders--lobbyists and influential members of Congress. He angered his political base, watched his popularity sink, and nearly failed to pass the bill."

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/obamasdeal/

"While some of the holes in the barrel have been plugged, many of the same problems that we currently face in the nation’s health care crisis will persist and grow: huge numbers of uninsured people, denials of needed care, deaths due to lack of care, bankruptcies by those who have insurance due to inadequate coverage, ...and the waste of a
third of our health care dollars on things other than health care to prop up the private health insurance industry and the world’s most expensive health care system."

http://www.healthcare-now.org/onward-to-medicare-for-all/

“Healthcare-NOW!, a national organization supporting expanded and improved Medicare for all, points out that this bill tweaks the same failing non-system of health care in the United States and further entrenches the for-profit private health insurance, drug, and hospital industries diverting to them the resources need...ed to achieve high
quality, universal, comprehensive health care. It is troubling to watch this bill touted as an equal in political
significance and social implications to Social Security or Medicare."

http://www.healthcare-now.org/medicare-for-all-advocates-say-bill-fails-to-meet-needs-of-people/

The Paulette Garin Interview

By Lee Rayburn
Published: Thursday, March 4th, 2010

Former congressional candidate Paulette Garin talks about running again against Paul Ryan, her continued support of Single-Payer health care reform, raising taxes and reducing the federal deficit.

[Click to listen]

SUPPORT OF SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL

The following platform resolution was passed unanimously this evening by the membership of the Kenosha County Democratic Party. It will now move forward to the congressional district level and hopefully to the state party convention in June.

Please feel free to adopt this resolution language for your own county party.

WHEREAS, federal health care reform legislation continues to evolve and its outcome remains uncertain; and

WHEREAS DPW (Democratic Party of Wisconsin) platform has historically supported universal access to affordable healthcare, preferably through a single-payer system,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOVLED, DPW calls for inclusion in national healthcare reform legislative provisions allowing states to adopt their own path and reforms including a single-payer system; and

FURTHER, BE IT RESOLVED, DPW will continue to advocate for single-payer healthcare at the federal and state level; and all reforms that move toward comprehensive, guaranteed, affordable healthcare accessible to all U.S. citizens.

17.2% insurance rate increase? Thank Paul Ryan

-by John Nichols

Here’s a news note from the real world of health care in Wisconsin — not the fantasy world occupied by the sold-out politicians in Washington:

“Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wisconsin has filed a notice with the Wisconsin Office of the Insurance Commissioner that the company intends to increase its composite premiums in Wisconsin by 17.2 percent, effective April 1, 2010. The company projects a 17.2 percent composite rate increase for its Blue Access, Blue Economy, Blue Value, and Blue Preferred Plus products in Wisconsin,” BizTimes.com reported.

Politicians like Paul Ryan, the Janesville congressman who accepts millions in special-interest money and then defends those interests in Congress, have opposed every effort to crack down on the excesses and abuses of health insurance corporations.

How sold out is Paul Ryan?

Since coming to Congress, Ryan has collected $528,751 from insurance industry donors. No industry provides Ryan with more campaign money, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And his take is going up. Over the past year, he has taken in more than $74,720 in contributions from insurance industry-related political action committees and executives.

As it turns out, Ryan’s a good investment.

Last week, he was one of just 19 members of the House who voted against a proposal to strip antitrust exemptions for insurance companies. According to the American Medical Association, most local markets in the U.S. are dominated by a single insurer. What that means is that there is no real competition, a circumstance that allows big insurers to impose radical rate hikes.

The vast majority of House Republicans got it.

A total of 153 GOP representatives voted with 253 Democrats to create real competition.

On the losing end of that 406-19 vote, Ryan was a lonely defender of insurance industry monopolies and duopolies, which can raise prices at will because they face little real competition.

For all his talk about being for free markets, the Janesville Republican joined a tiny minority of House members (along with James “Congressman of No” Sensenbrenner, R-Menomonee Falls) who opposed freeing up the market to foster competition and reduce insurance prices.

Why? Because Ryan is not interested in free markets, and he is certainly not interested in competition that might reduce expenses for Wisconsinites. That might harm the bottom lines of his paymasters.

So don’t blame Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wisconsin for the rate hike. Blame the people who make it possible for companies like Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to do whatever they please.

In other words, it you are having trouble paying the profiteers who are making health care unaffordable for Wisconsinites, remember that Ryan has done everything in his power to protect and encourage the insurance companies -- and nothing, absolutely nothing, to serve the people of Wisconsin.

Come to think of it, maybe the congressman should just be honest about who he represents.

It is no longer Paul Ryan, R-Janesville.

It is Paul Ryan, R-Insurance Industry.

John Nichols is associate editor of The Capital Times. jnichols@madison.com

This article originally appeared in the Capital Times. Click HERE

Rachel Maddow Reacts to Ryan's Budget Proposal

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Progressive Democrats of America Brown Bag Vigils

For more information about PDA's Brown Bag Vigils, click HERE.

U.S. Supreme Court's Assault on Our Democracy

Please watch this great video of the recent rally in Madison, WI in regards to the Supreme Court Decision on Campaign Finance and Corporations.

Found this on Bill Moyer's Journal Blog Comments

This post from "John" February 6, 2010, 1:22 p.m.

What is “Single Payer”?

“Single Payer” is simply a method of paying for healthcare and nothing more.

“Single Payer” is not related to political/social philosophy. It is an accounting method.

36 developed countries use this “Single Payer” accounting method to fund their national healthcare system.

“Single Payer” has nothing to do with “how the healthcare system works”.

Of the 36 developed countries that use the “Single Payer” method for funding, no two have identical healthcare systems. Those healthcare systems range from the pure Socialist system of the French to the pure Capitalist/For Profit (insurance companies/medical resources) of the Swiss.

The “Single Payer” method for funding has resulted in no uninsured, no medical bankruptcies, no citizen dieing for lack of medical care, increased longevity, declining infant mortality, the cost of medicine 70% less than in the U.S, the average cost per citizen 50% of what we pay here…the list goes on.

“Single Payer” is simply a method of paying for healthcare and nothing more.

What is “Single Payer”? Yes, another precious opportunity lost.

You can find this comment by clicking HERE.

Thanks, "John!"

Does anyone have a better solution for healthcare reform?

During last night's State of the Union Address, President Obama said, "If anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know."

I absolutely know of a better approach - Single Payer, Expanded and Improved Medicare for All - Everybody In, Nobody Out. It is the most humane, cost effective and accessible solution we have.

The Supreme Court, Federal Elections and U.S. (you and me)

-by Paulette Garin

The Supreme Court’s decision to recognize a corporation’s free speech rights under the 1st Amendment is yet another step in our decline of becoming a corporatist propaganda state.

Did our founding fathers intend for a corporation to be given the same rights as a human being? Corporations have too much influence in our electoral process and over our elected officials with their well-funded political action committees and expensive lobbyists.

The Court’s decision applies to unions too, but the amount of dollars and influence the declining ranks of organized labor will be able to exert pales in comparison to the corporations.

Money is not speech. Any hope for a level playing field disappears with this ruling. Our elected officials will be even more influenced by corporate dollars and less beholding to the electorate. This Supreme Court opinion all but drowns out the grassroots.

Advertising for political campaigns and issues will be paid for by shareholder funds. Will they be willing to forego profits for political action? No, which means we as consumers will bear the cost by being charged more for products we buy.

In stark contrast, public financing of campaigns with tax payer dollars would provide a level playing field and allow the voices of human beings to be heard rather than corporations. Think about it, average Americans (you and me) are going to bear the cost of campaign finance no matter what. Public financing of campaigns will protect our interests far more than those of any corporation.

This editorial appears in the following blogs and publications:

Rock Netroots - Click HERE

Racine Journal Times - Click HERE

Progressive Democrats of America Blog - Click HERE

The Capital Times - Click HERE

The editorial also appeared in the Southeastern Wisconsin Labor Paper.

A related article that I was quoted in appeared in the Janesville Gazette - "Corporate vs. Grassroots." Click HERE

Please take the time to watch Keith Olberman's take on the Supreme Court decision.

Yes, we still need HealthCARE reform

- by Paulette Garin

As part of a recent medical exam, my doctor ordered blood work to evaluate my overall medical condition as well as follow up on a previously diagnosed vitamin D deficiency.

Prior to consenting to the blood draw, I requested a written estimate for this lab work. I have a $2,000 deductible, which meant that the $397.80 quote would ultimately be my responsibility.

When the bill arrived from the lab, it totaled to $553.50. Here is what I learned from the phone calls I made today.

Call 1 – The Lab. My question: “Could you please explain the $155.70 difference between the amount quoted and the actual bill?” Response: “Call your doctor’s office.”

Call 2 – The Doctor’s Office. Same question as above. Response: “Every insurance company has a contract with the lab as to how they bill and for what amount – a ‘contracted rate.’” The quote that I was given was apparently based upon a self-pay rate or what amount the Dr. office would bill to the insurance company, if they in fact billed the insurance company directly for the lab work. New Question: “How come my lab work was billed by the lab to the insurance company and not by the Dr.’s office?” Response: “It depends upon which insurance company you have.”

Reviewed “Explanation of Benefits” from insurance company with Dr. office billing person. Discovered that none of the total amount charged for the lab work was covered under my plan or received any sort of discount. Advised to call insurance company.

Call 3 – Insurance Company. There is no discount on “non-covered” expenses. Your lab work was coded as part of an annual routine exam and is therefore not covered.

Insurance company representative went on to explain that the lab in question does participate in an “inter-plan re-pricing network.” Had my lab work been coded differently a discount of $448.82 would have been applied and the total bill would have only been $104.68.

Advised to call lab and ask for discount, because some providers will negotiate.

Call 4 – The Lab and Insurance Company conference call. The representative from the lab said, “Your insurance company has to give you the discount our company does not negotiate” and suggested we call the insurance company together.

The original insurance company representative held her ground and said that they cannot allow discounts on “non-covered” expenses. She then excused herself from the conference call.

Pausing to catch my breath, I said to the lab representative, “I pay almost $8,000 annually for a single health insurance policy and this is the best anyone can do?’

Sensing my frustration, the lab representative displayed a bit of humanity. She placed me on hold for several minutes. She called the Dr.’s office and requested that they re-bill the insurance company for the lab work with different coding. No guarantee that they would agree. As it was now almost 5 p.m. on Friday, she advised that I probably won’t have an answer until Monday or Tuesday.

Graciously, she put a 60 day hold on the account to keep it out of collection in the meantime.

Stay tuned.

Healthcare Reform, The Massachusetts Defeat and PDA

Friends,

First, I would encourage all of you to join PDA – Progressive Democrats of America.

Last night we had a dynamic nationwide phone conference with Rep. Eric Massa (NY-29) and Donna Smith (from Michael Moore’s “Sicko”). You can listen to the entire call by clicking HERE.

Rep. Massa so clearly articulated that this whole health care bill has been a slippery slope at best – first single payer was never even allowed a place at the table, then we were told a public option would replace the single payer initiative, then we were told to forget that and maybe we will allow folks over 55 to buy in to Medicare.

At the end of the day, we have a bill that appears to be written by the hands of the healthcare industry lobbyists, that will provide the insurance industry 30 million new customers, and still fail to control costs, quality and provide access for everyone to MEDICAL CARE. I have more questions than answers as to what this bill will actually do and/or provide for anyone.

Donna Smith recommended that perhaps the MA defeat is the wake up call and that we as Democrats acknowledge we wasted a great deal of political capital in the past year. The MA defeat is a referendum on the Democrats failure to have a spine.

Is this the prelude to what lies ahead in November? I hope not.

p.s. Please take the time to read John Nichols analysis of the MA defeat and the Obama administration.

Click HERE.

Olbermann - Senate Bill Unsupportable

This was Keith's editorial December 15th. His observations are right on point, still.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Showdown in Chicago - Part 2

HERE is the link to the Bill Moyer's story which aired December 12 regarding the rally in Chicago against the American Bankers' Association.

I wrote about my attendance and participation at this event in an earlier blog posting. Click HERE.

Single Payer Bowling

On Saturday, December 12, I had the opportunity to attend "Single Payer Bowling" at the Diversey River Bowling Alley on Chicago's north side.

It was truly my pleasure to finally meet in person Donna Smith, the national co-chair of the Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign.
The event was attended by members of PDA Illinois, the Chicago Single Payer Action Network and a variety of progressive folk who share the common interest of Medicare for All - Everybody In - Nobody Out.
Donna's husband, Larry and Lorin from PDA Illinois.

The Democratic View – December 2009

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s platform contains three resolutions in regard to Healthcare Reform all supporting Single Payer.

Single Payer is the gold standard of healthcare reform. It is 100% guaranteed coverage for all Americans regardless of job transfer or pre-existing condition. It fulfills President Obama’s 3 principles of cost effectiveness, access, and choice unlike any other proposal.

Single Payer is the only plan that guarantees “Everybody In, Nobody Out.”

Single Payer will control the costs of healthcare for millions of Americans, as well as state and local governments. By removing private and for-profit health insurance companies from participating in American healthcare, there is no need for Federal taxpayer subsidies to insurance companies. No one is going to be fined, treated as a tax evader, or risk jail time for failing to buy health insurance under a Single Payer system. A Single Payer system would actually SAVE $400 Billion annually.

Single Payer is the ONLY plan where losing your job does not mean losing your healthcare. Single Payer guarantees your choice of doctor and hospital, unlike those whose choice remains with their insurance company.

Single Payer eliminates the shameful disparities in U.S. healthcare. The proposed expansion of Medicaid will not lessen disparities and is unsustainable as states will be forced to absorb the costs. Just because a patient has Medicaid, does not guarantee a healthcare provider will accept them and the low Medicaid reimbursement rate.

Single Payer is NOT “socialized medicine.” Single Payer IS publicly funded, but privately driven by YOU and your doctor. Single Payer is quite simply “Expanded and Improved Medicare for All.” Have you heard of anyone wanting to give up their Medicare?

Single Payer eliminates the bureaucratic middlemen of the insurance industry that take 31% of every healthcare dollar. No insurance company CEO will decide who has medical coverage under a Single Payer plan.

Healthcare reform in the form of Single Payer is the REAL Economic Stimulus package. The number one factor affecting an American company’s ability to be competitive in the global economy is employee health insurance costs.

If we do not get Single Payer healthcare passed at the federal level, momentum will continue to build nationwide to pass Single Payer legislation within individual states. Please encourage members of Wisconsin’s State Legislature to support Single Payer.

On July 22, 2009, President Obama gave a press conference where he said, “"I want to cover everybody… Unless you have a single-payer system… you're probably not going to reach every single individual."

What can we do right now? Call and/or write Senators Feingold and Kohl ask them to support Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) and his Single Payer Amendments. In addition, contact Wisconsin’s entire congressional delegation asking them to support Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s Amendment which would allow individual states to pursue Single Payer legislation.

Unlike any of the other proposals currently circulating through Congress,
Single Payer is the most humane, cost effective and comprehensive solution we have - the gold standard.

- Paulette Garin

This editorial appeared as a guest editorial in the following publications.

Kenosha News - Click HERE

Racine Post - Click HERE

Janesville Gazette - Click HERE

The Kenosha County Democratic Party Website - Click HERE

Show Your Support for Single Payer Health Care
Call our Wisconsin congressional delegation and our President.
Ask them to support Single Payer Healthcare.


President Barack Obama 202-456-1111

Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) 202-224-5653

Senator Russell D. Feingold (D- WI) 202-224-5323

Representative Paul Ryan (R - 01) 202-225-3031

Representative Tammy Baldwin (D - 02) 202-225-2906

Representative Ron Kind (D - 03) 202-225-5506

Reprsentative Gwen Moore (D - 04) 202-225-4572

Representative F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R - 05) 202-225-5101

Representative Thomas E. Petri (R - 06) 202-225-2476

Representative David R. Obey (D - 07) 202-225-3365

Representative Steve Kagen (D - 08) 202-225-5665

Garin comments on proposed troop escalation in Afghanistan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 2, 2009

Contact Paulette Garin

paulettegarin@yahoo.com

President Obama’s authorization to send another 30,000-plus troops to Afghanistan is clearly a move in the wrong direction. Our involvement in Afghanistan has been morally suspect and legally questionable from its inception. Who are we fighting? Al-Qaeda? The Taliban? What are we fighting for? The War on Terror? Protect President Karzai and a government of doubtful credibility?

We have placed our troops and our treasure in an un-winnable conflict at a cost of almost $1Million dollars per soldier per year. Too many lives have been lost on all sides struggling to endure this conflict. Our continued involvement is economically unsustainable. We cannot allow Afghanistan to become the next Vietnam. There is no military solution in Afghanistan. Our military has served us well--but to no avail--please bring them home to their families.

President Barack Obama said in his inaugural address, "your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy." Therefore, our efforts in Afghanistan should be focused on a political solution and increased humanitarian aid.

Paulette Garin, Wisconsin State Coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), a Federal Political Action Committee that champions a campaign of “Healthcare NOT Warfare.” Garin also serves as the Wisconsin Contact for the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care – The National Single Payer Alliance and Healthcare NOW. Garin was a 2008 Democratic Candidate for Congress (WI-01) and contemplates a 2010 run.

This editorial has appeared in

The Capital Times. Click HERE

Rocknetroots Blog. Click HERE

WisPolitics.com Click HERE

Racine Journal Times. Click HERE.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Click HERE.

The Kenosha News. Click HERE.

While I was limited in my press release/letter to the editor, please read the following from Tom Hayden as published in The Nation outlining a potential political solution in the Afghan conflict.

Click HERE.

Also, Bill Moyers' interview with Oliver Stone is exceptional and to the point.

Click HERE.

Healthcare Vigil in Milwaukee - November 13, 2009

It was a privilege to represent both PDA-Progressive Democrats of America and Healthcare NOW at the Milwaukee vigil and present the legislative update from the perspective of the The National Single Payer Alliance - The Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care.

Progressive Democrats of America – Southeast Wisconsin Chapter

is pleased to be a sponsor of this event

Paulette Garin, PDAWisconsinState Coordinator

is a featured guest speaker

Vigil for Health Care to be held Friday

An assortment of area community and faith organizations will unite to demand an end to unneeded suffering and deaths due to a flawed health system

Friday, November 13, 2009

5:30 p.m.

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church

3022 W. Wisconsin Avenue

Milwaukee, WI

Participants will stand in unity with those who have suffered as a result of our flawed health system, before entering the church for a program beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The program will include:

• Perspectives from the faith community and health care providers to the poor, homeless and uninsured

Reverend Joseph Ellwanger, organizer for WISDOM

William Mullooly, lead social worker at St. Ben’s Health Clinic

Dionne Young, APNP, nurse practitioner at St. Ben’s Health Clinic

• Update on reform legislation

Brian Rothgery, Deputy Program Director for Citizen Action

Paulette Garin, Wisconsin State Coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America

• Perspectives of sponsoring organizations

Sponsors and co-sponsors for the vigil include the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County, MICAH, WISDOM, Citizen Action, Health Care for America Now, Organizing for America , Progressive Democrats of America, Peace Action Wisconsin, Casa Maria, Healthcare Now, and The Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Healthcare – The National Single Payer Alliance.

The vigil’s speakers, sponsors and participants have varying opinions of the specific policy decisions before our nation’s legislators. The focus of this vigil is not public option versus single payer, or even Republican versus Democrat. The vigil is a unifying opportunity for those who demand responsible federal health reform over the status quo.

Progressive Democrats of America – Southeast Wisconsin Chapter (PDA-SEW) encompasses Wisconsin’s 1st, 4th and 5th Congressional Districts.

Health Care Reform 2009: No Bill is Better Than a Bad Bill

Posted by John Geyman MD on Thursday, Nov 5, 2009

If you were to believe the hype that accompanied its release, you might think that it would be as important as Medicare and Social Security. The New York Times concluded that “This bill will take a long stride toward universal coverage while remaining fiscally responsible.” Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman added: “The political environment is as favorable for reform as it’s likely to get. The legislation on the table isn’t perfect, but it’s as good as anyone could reasonably have expected.”

But this bill is not good enough to pass. It will not make a big enough difference in addressing the three main problems requiring reform–containing the spiraling costs of health care, providing universal access to affordable health care, and improving its quality. If we look at the provisions of this 1,990-page bill concerning just the first two of these three goals, we see that it will fail to deliver real reform.

After all of the political compromises along the way that have led to the introduction of the new bill (HR 3962), on the positive side we can say that it will introduce some limited reforms to the health insurance market, expand health insurance to some of the uninsured (primarily by expansion of Medicaid and by often-inadequate government subsidies to individuals and small employers for the purchase of private insurance); and help to address some other problems, such as the growing shortage of primary care providers.

But the negative side far outweighs the positive:

• Although supporters of the new House bill claim that it would expand coverage for as many as 30 million uninsured, we are actually likely to see an increase in the number of uninsured in coming years for these kinds of reasons—as costs keep going up, many Americans will be forced to drop their present coverage because of inability to afford rapidly rising costs of premiums, deductibles and co-payments; there is no guarantee that the uninsured will be able to afford new private coverage (even with subsidies, which won’t kick in for another four years); and expansion of Medicaid will not take place until 2013 (many states are already pushing back with concerns that the their recession-strained budgets will not allow them to pay their share in adding to their Medicaid programs, potentially leaving millions of the poorest Americans uninsured.

• There are no effective cost containment mechanisms built into the bill, either for the costs of health insurance or for health care itself. As it whines about weakening of the individual mandate that will likely limit some of its big increase in the insurance market, the health insurance industry is already warning that sharp premium increases will result. The most the bill will do is to require disclosure and review of premium increases, without any regulatory teeth. Although the bill would set up a Health Benefits Advisory Committee to recommend a minimal essential benefits package (with four tiers), insurance industry lobbyists will argue for the most minimal levels of coverage, and we can anticipate an exponential growth in underinsurance. Moreover, there are no price controls to be applied anywhere in the system, except perhaps in authorizing the government to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers. But that provision will almost certainly not clear the Senate, where we can expect even less concern for affordability and prices.

• Although the public option has been the target of intense controversy, it will play a negligible role in health care reform. The CBO has concluded that it would cover no more than 6 million Americans, just two percent of the population, in 2013, and will cost more than private programs, mostly due to adverse selection in attracting sicker individuals and its inability to set reimbursement rates for physicians and hospitals as is done by Medicare. Moreover, middle-income families may be required to spend 15 to 18 percent of their income on insurance premiums and co-payments.

• HR 3962 will not result in making health care more affordable, despite allocating some $605 billion over ten years for subsidies to low- and middle-income Americans to buy insurance on Exchanges. We can count on continued increases in the cost of health insurance as far as the eye can see, together with less actuarial value of coverage.

• Buried in the fine print of this monster bill are many provisions that will benefit corporate stakeholders in the medical industrial complex on the backs of patients and their families. These examples make the point:

• Although medical loss ratios (MLR) (the proportion of premium revenue actually spent on medical care) are specified at a minimum of 85 percent, this loophole has been added–”while making sure that such a change doesn’t further destabilize the current individual health insurance market.” By way of comparison, the Senate Commerce Committee has found that the average MLR for the largest insurers in the individual market is only 74 percent, with 26 percent of premium revenue going to marketing, administrative overhead and profits.

• Although the bill would create a much-needed Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research, it would have no say over reimbursement and coverage policies. As the bill says, it “contains protections to ensure that research findings are not construed to mandate coverage, reimbursement or other policies to any public or private payer.”

In sum, this $1.055 trillion plan over ten years will not fix the major problems of cost and affordable access to health care in our deteriorating system, will add new layers of bureaucracy and complexity to the present system, is not fiscally responsible, and is not sustainable.

What to do now? Rather than accept an unworkable bill that is politically expedient, we would be better off to make a major course change. That vote could take place as early as tomorrow.

If that fails, shelving this bill would be the best option. Until a few days ago, I would have added that lawmakers should be pressed to retain the amendment proposed by Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) to allow states to experiment with single-payer plans, as a number of states would like to do (e.g. California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, New Mexico, New York and Pennsylvania). Although that amendment had already been passed by a rare bipartisan vote of 27-19 in the House Education and Labor Committee, it has been stripped from the bill.

The best first option would be to call for a floor vote, as originally promised by the House Speaker Pelosi, for the amendment proposed by Anthony Weiner (D-NY) to substitute HR 676, a single-payer proposal, for HR 3962. If that fails, shelving this bill would be the best option, but if that is not possible, lawmakers should be pressed to retain the amendment proposed by Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) to allow states to experiment with single-payer plans, as a number of states would like to do (eg. California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, New Mexico, New York and Pennsylvania).

That amendment has already been passed by a rare bipartisan vote of 27-19 in the House Education and Labor Committee. Whether a health care bill survives the end game in both chambers of Congress in this session is still up in the air. If a bill is finally enacted into law, however, it will be ineffective in remedying the big problems of cost and access to health care. We should be gearing up for an intense effort in 2010 to push for real health care reform–Medicare for All.

Dr. John Geyman is professor emeritus of family medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, a past president of Physicians for a National Health Program and author of “Do Not Resuscitate: Why the Health Insurance Industry Is Dying, and How We Must Replace It.” Buy John Geyman’s Books at: http://www.commoncouragepress.com

Originally posted on the Physicians for a National Health Plan (PNHP)blog.

Click HERE for the original site.

Kucinich: What Do We Stand For: Insurance Companies Or The People?

Showdown in Chicago - October 27, 2009 by Paulette Garin

Culminating three days of protesting outside the American Banker’s Association convention in Chicago, 5,000 members of organized labor joined by faith based organizations, activist groups, and disgusted consumers marched down Michigan Avenue Tuesday, October 27, 2009 to a final rally held in front of the Chicago Sheraton Hotel.

The demonstrators were demanding reforms to the financial industry which has “driven the country into the worst recession in 60 years.

Wall Street banks took almost $1 trillion in taxpayer-funded bailouts and are now using it to give big payouts to CEOs and lobby against reforms that would protect consumers.

Speakers at the rally highlighted the staggering foreclosure rate in the country (1 every 13 seconds), the extent of the bailout (the equivalent of $15,000 for every man, woman and child in America), and the failure to extend credit to small businesses and keep people working.” (http://www.chicagolabor.org/content/view/391/207/)

The crowd was estimated to be about 5,000 strong. Representing Southeastern Wisconsin was Paulette Garin (UFCW Retired), Wisconsin State Coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America and 2008 Democratic Congressional Candidate (WI-01). Accompanying Paulette was Mike Underhill, UAW Local 72 Legislative Committee Chair and Southeastern WI CAP Board Member as well as David Corey, Local 72 Retiree and Alternate Chair to the WI 1^st Congressional District Democratic Party Executive Board.

Interviewed on the street by Bill Moyer’s team from PBS, Paulette Garin had the following to say, “All you need to do is follow the money. Money is the problem. Our Congressman here in Wisconsin’s 1^st Congressional District, Paul Ryan, was one of the architect’s of the TARP Bail Out. He remains in office, because of the large PAC donations he receives from corporate America which includes the financial industry. All the money used to bail out the banks could have more than paid for REAL Healthcare Reform in this country.”

Paulette Garin

Mike Underhill circulated through the crowd asking members of the Sheet Metal Workers, Machinists, United Steel Workers, Painters, IBEW, UAW, UFCW, Carpenters, garment workers, and SEIU to sign petition cards asking President Obama to help keep the Chrysler Kenosha Engine Plant open. Mike said, “Everyone I asked, including Richard Trumka (newly elected President of the AFL-CIO) signed a petition card. We were all there together wanting to protect American jobs and put an end to the outrageous bonuses these CEO’s receive.”

Mike Underhill

David Corey said, “After attending the ‘Show Down in Chicago’ with Paulette Garin, Mike Underhill and others, it has become crystal clear to this protester that Investment Bankers are at the heart of our economic collapse. They have gambled with our dollars, paid themselves huge salaries, stock options and bonuses and in the end we have had to bail them out from their irresponsible behavior. One of the architects of the bail out money for Wall Street was Paul Ryan! The trillion dollar tax payer Wall Street bail out came with no strings attached and the investment bankers continued to pay themselves outrageous salaries and hold lavish parties with their cronies. If you are not outraged you are not paying attention.”

Paulette Garin and David Corey

The Showdown in Chicago was estimated to be the largest demonstration against Wall Street since the economy crashed a year ago. Speakers included AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka and Rev. Jesse Jackson who supported the demonstrators’ demands that the banks, which received trillions of dollars in federal bailout funds, use that money to keep working families in their homes. Speakers encouraged the crowd to contact their members of congress demanding meaningful regulation of Wall Street and the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

Photo Credits: Paulette Garin, Mike Underhill, David Corey, Sara Wallenfang (WI State AFL-CIO)

Huffington Post Coverage - Click HERE

Chicago Federation of Labor Blog - Click HERE

Financial Reform Advocates - Click HERE

NBC Nightly News - Click HERE

ABC 7 in Chicago - Click HERE

CBS 2 in Chicago - Click HERE

Showdown in Chicago Website - Click HERE

Mad As Hell Doctors Theme Song by Robert Wickline

Now is the time for Single Payer

Remember Single Payer???

Robert Greenwald:

"Remember single payer? Senator Sanders does; and he still believes it's the way to truly reform healthcare and has hopes for a state by state option. But now Congress is in a pickle. Can they bring us a suitable public option that is both affordable, eligible for those that need it, and doesn't plunge the United States deeper into debt?"


Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont:

"One of the reasons that I am a strong proponent of a single-payer, Medicare-for-all proposal is that it is much less complicated than what we are going to end up with in Congress. A single-payer approach saves hundreds of billions of dollars a year because you don’t end up with thousands of different health insurance programs appealing to all different kinds of people and costing a fortune to administer. I am going to continue the fight for single-payer. I am cautiously optimistic that we may end up with legislation that will allow states to go forward with single-payer if they want to."

The Single Payer Caucus and Obamacare

The Weiner Charade

By RUSSELL MOKHIBER

What would Democrats do if they were serious about single payer?

The 88 members of the House who support it – The Single Payer Caucus – would get together and say – we’re not going to vote for Obamacare.

(By the way — that’s 88, down from 89 — because Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-Florida) wants to be the next Senator from Florida, and has withdrawn his support for HR 676 – the single payer bill in the House.)

Since Obama can’t pass Obamacare without the 88 members of the Single Payer Caucus –

Their opposition would put an end to the current debate.

And start another one.

And single payer would take center stage.

Even on Fox News.

The pharmaceutical and health insurance corporations would be thrown out of the room.

And we’d have a people’s debate about single payer – up or down.

No corporate meddling.

But the Democrats who say they are for a single payer health care reform are not serious about single payer.

Even the best of them – from Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota) to Donna Edwards (D-Maryland)– are not serious about single payer reform.

All they want to do is to give Obama a legislative victory.

No matter how awful the legislation.

No matter it’s impact on the American people.

So, instead, they support the Weiner Charade.

Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) is pushing to get a vote on single payer in House.

He says Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has promised him a floor debate and vote on his single payer amendment.

But the insiders know this is a charade.

It’s a way to make single payer forces feel good – hey, we got a vote on the floor of the House.

Without getting anything accomplished.

So where does that leave single payer activists?

What to do?

Urge your member of Congress to vote against Obamacare.

And start from scratch.

Onward to single payer.

Russell Mokhiber is editor of Single Payer Action.

Thank You, John Nichols!!!

"The president does not have a plan. He has some talking points that he has outlined, in vague and frequently shifting ways that have left most Americans confused -- and many Americans angry."


"No one, not even members of the administration, seems to know precisely what the president's plan is."


"...the Democratic group that has most aggressively advocated for real reform, Progressive Democrats of America."

John's complete article Here's What to Tell Obama, Congress About Real Reform can be found HERE.

Single Payer refused equal time

October 7, 2009 Story

Not unlike my experience back in August when effort was made to prohibit distribution of Single Payer literature at a Healthcare Rally.

Click HERE to hear my radio interview.



Related to the above is this August 3, 2009 story

Michael Moore exposes Paul Ryan’s bank bailout bluster

by John Nichols of the Capital Times

Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan is one of the stars of Michael Moore's new movie, "Capitalism: A Love Story."

But you can bet that the conservative from Janesville is hoping that none of his constituents sees his performance.

In a section of the critically acclaimed examination of how Wall Street insiders diverted hundreds of billions of tax dollars into their accounts, Moore illustrates how the bailout happened. Democratic and Republican members of Congress who do the bidding of the bankers scared their colleagues and the American people into approving a massive bailout of the speculators whose misdeeds created the financial meltdown that shocked the nation in September 2008.

Ryan, the Republican congressman from southeast Wisconsin's hard-pressed 1st District, is shown playing the fear card by telling the House that it had to steer almost $800 million to Wall Street's sleaziest players.

"If we fail to do the right thing, heaven help us - if we fail to pass this I fear the worst is yet to come," claimed Ryan.

The statement from the Wisconsin Republican who has positioned himself as a budget specialist in the House played a significant role in securing support for a bailout bill that had not been adequately analyzed and that included few protections against fraud.

Had Ryan used his reputation and his role on key committees to aggressively oppose the bailout, he might have blocked the rush to judgment that economists now say could end up costing American taxpayers trillions of dollars - and a big chunk of their country's future.

Instead, the GOP establishment's favored point man on fiscal issues claimed - without benefit of facts, figures or any grounding in economic reality - that a failure to give the bankers everything they were asking for could bring on a depression.

"This is a Herbert Hoover moment," Ryan told the House, as he reached a fear-mongering crescendo. "(Hoover) made mistakes during the Great Depression - let's not make those mistakes."

It was a virtuoso performance. Moore was right to highlight it.

The filmmaker has given Wisconsin taxpayers a dramatic illustration of how it came to pass that we are bailing out bankers and billionaires at the same time that auto plants are closing in cities such as Janesville and Kenosha - both of which are in the 1st District. More importantly, Moore has reminded the voters of southeastern Wisconsin how key members of Congress such as Paul Ryan determined to take care of the speculators on Wall Street rather than working families on Main Street.

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HERE is what I had to say about the Bailout and our Congressman back in February.

-pg