Wednesday, May 13, 2009

A Populist Health Care Rebellion

A Populist Health Care Rebellion by Kevin Zeese via CounterPunch.org

As the hearing began, and Sen. Baucus was speaking a group of about 30 nurses, dressed in their red hospital uniforms, stood up and turned their backs on Baucus. They had pinned to their backs: “Nurses Say: Stop AHIP. Pass Single Payer.” (AHIP is America’s Health Insurance Plans – the health insurance industry lobby.)

The nurses left the room to applause.

Then doctors, nurses and advocates stood up and one by one and spoke directly to Senator Baucus.

DeAnn McEwen, a registered nurse from California said: “Today is Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Florence Nightingale said if there were none to hope for any better, there would never be any better. This country needs a single payer health care system.”

Then, another RN from California stood up: “People at the table have failed Americans for 30 years. We want single payer at the table. We want guaranteed health care so we can give the care we need, when we need to give it.”

She was followed by Dr. Judy Dasovich of Springfield, Missouri, who said “We request that single payer advocates be allowed at the table. Health care should be for patients not for profits.”

Dr. Steven Fenichel of Ocean City, NJ followed adding: “It’s a sense of outrage that brings me to your Senate chambers today. These people were entrusted by the American people to serve the American people’s interests. And they are just serving the interests of the insurance companies and drug companies – the people be damned.”

Jerry Call, a member of Physicians for a National Health Program from South Thomaston, Maine was the final advocate from the audience, speaking for the majority of Americans shut out from the discussion, and saying: “Sixty percent of Americans and sixty percent of physicians want single payer. Why aren’t sixty percent of the people up front not single payer representatives?”

All five were arrested and taken away for booking. They were charged with Disruption of Congress, the same offense I will go to court for on May 26th.


Yes my friends, under this wonderful progressive leadership that we get from the Democrats, trying to speak to Congress about national health insurance is a crime. Try it, and you end up led out of the room in handcuffs.

Of course, people should try to address a congressional hearing in the traditional way. That is by going and testifying before the committee. But, in this case, that avenue has been denied. Our lovely Democrats have issued an imperial degree that single payer health care can not even be discussed. So, they hold hearing after hearing where the representatives of the health insurance companies get a seat at the table, while the supporters of national health insurance are barred from testifying.

"Disruption of Congress". Apparently that's the charge for daring to get in the way of a bunch of Senators who all take money from the health insurance industry as they try to find ways to give more money out of your pocket to the people who bought them.

5 comments:

KDelphi said...

I saw it on c-span. Then, today , I recieved an email from Elizabeth Prescott, of "Families USA" (which does not support single payer, or, even, necessarily a public option!). I had submitted my 'health care story" to them about 18 mos ago, before I knew who they were. She said that she couldnt reach me on the phone (I have to take it off of the hook from about 3:00 AM--11:00AM, because I get calls from overseas pharmaceutical cos trying to sell me RX's, as Medicaid wont pay for them--I'm not kidding!@), and, asked if I would like my story to be included.

I should not have told her how I felt about Families USA. I shouldve kept my mouth shut until she paid my airfare and hotel and spoken up at a Hearing...stupid...

Jennifer Bedingfield said...

Hi Samson,

Pleased to meet you. I found your site by accident. Actually, CD isn't so bad anymore. Most folks there are sick and tired of Obama and some including myself make no bones about our votes for Nader. CD is even putting an article by Nader every Saturday. A lot of us miss you and the rest.

KDelphi, isn't "Families USA" a conservative focus group ? Then again, even my conservative parents who live in rural southwestern MO not too far from Springfield support single payer healthcare.

KDelphi said...

BTW--I just checked the site--I am banned from posting again...lol.

They really have alot of nerve...guess I'll take the time , one of these days, to go around it again...or maybe not...what did I say???? lol no one knows...

Anonymous said...

I got banned from Common Dreams just now. I'm Peter Pike by the way. I was trying to help bring in a healthy discussion on single payer health care but Common Dreams just had the nerve to censor and then ban me outright. The funny thing is I wasn't the one writing all the hateful comments but the ones who do seem to be ok. There seems to be more civil unrest on that site. Gee Jennifer, you seem to be so lucky. There are very few civil minded people on that site anyway and they seem to be happy with emotional people such as Jennifer Bedingfield. I'm surprised Thomas More wasn't banned yet. Maybe the economy will go so bad that NO ONE will bother visiting that rotten site let alone post there. That site should burn in hell.

Anonymous said...

To earlier anonymous,

Thomas More has been banned as of yesterday, reason unknown though he has been showing increased opposition to Obama and for good reason.

To Jennifer Bedingfield,

I'm sorry to hear what happened to you and I hope you recover and make it alive and well sweetheart. You look beautiful by the way. I wished I could meet you and hug you in person. Take care and best wishes. And keep up that fierce independent spirit. :)

To KDelphi,

Silence is never the answer to anything.