Our beloved governor is an a rampage, ordering state departments to refuse any federal funds. After turning down well over $1 billion in federal funds, Timmy continues his reign of terror on the people of Minnesota. Turns out it's more than just scorn for Minnesotans, it's a payoff for his friends and benefactors, the insurance industry. TakeAction took action and interrupted the Friday Republican Hour on the Good Neighbor, our own WCCO.
link: http://theuptake.org/2010/08/2... One of the requirements of the new health care act is that insurance rate increases have to have a public review. Our thoughtful insurers prefer to keep rate increase discussion in the dark room in the back, So Timmy gets 2 jollies with one act - he spits in the eyes of Minnesotans as he gives away money and he keeps his insurance buddies out of public view.
It's a win win for Tim.
You may have noted in a post I wrote about Tom Emmer, I mentioned that Minnesota could receive $263 million in aid to help pay for Medicaid (amount has since been revised to $236M). Tim Pawlenty, 2012 Republican presidential hopeful and lame duck Minnesota Governor, may have found yet another way to hurt out state (And you thought that with the legislative session over, there was little more damage he could do). Pawlenty could not request this grant money.
Democratic leaders in the Minnesota Legislature urged Gov. Tim Pawlenty Tuesday to apply for $236 million in federal health care money. In a letter to the governor, Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller and House Majority Leader Tony Sertich wrote that it would be "irresponsible" for the state to not seek the funds when many patients in Minnesota are struggling with the tough economy, adding, "You cannot let political ambition get in the way of doing what's right for Minnesota." They join the Minnesota Medical Association and the Mayo Clinic in calling for Pawlenty to secure the funds for Minnesota.
(Minnesota Independent)
Will Pawlenty join other Republican Governors who have railed against expanding the deficit and the government stimulus plan yet accept this money or play to the teabagger base? Unfortunately, the well-being of our state and it's citizens hangs in the balance. I'm not getting my hopes up.
Over a year ago the Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition - http://www.muhcc.org - started meeting with gubernatorial candidates to introduce them to the MN Health Plan and to learn about their health care platforms. We told them that our intention was to make single-payer and the MN Health Plan a defining issue in the governor's race. One candidate told us it was a pipe dream, and that the whole race would be about jobs. We replied that there would be no solution to the job and budget crisis without getting a handle on health care.
Fast forward to July 2010. Two of the three DFL candidates for governor are running as single-payer supporters, and the MN Health Plan continues to gain front page media attention. While Washington DC labors to write implementation rules for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and state level task forces work to understand the MN implications, we are moving ahead with real reform- reform that doesn't just expand coverage, but reform which creates a health care system that is equitable, efficient, fiscally responsible, and truly universal.
"I just got back from the Celebrate Minnesota event at the National Arboretum," Franni Franken began. Franni is Sen. Al Franken's wife. "There were so many Minnesotans there it seemed like we'd emptied the state."
Volunteers from General Mills, Target and "a whole bunch of organizations" helped stage the events. They served Minnesota food like wild rice, cheese curds, walleye and swedish meatballs made from buffalo. She said she really liked the meatballs.
"I found a spot near the door where they were bringing the appetizers in," she continued. "So I could eat some cheese curds. It made me think about the State Fair ... not too long now until it starts, I've got to get warmed up for it!"
I asked about what's the latest from Al.
"He's so very, very, very proud to have voted for health care reform," she replied. "Because checks went out Tuesday for $250 to 63,000 seniors in Minnesota." These checks will cover the "donut hole" in Medicare prescription drug coverage.
"And it's going to get even better for Minnesota seniors," she continued. "Next year drug prices are going to get even better, there's going to be a 50% discount because of health care reform."
In family news, Franni's sister Cathy is retiring after 43 years as a public school teacher. She taught first graders in Maine.
"We're throwing a retirement luncheon for her," she said. "Both my kids will be there. You know Cathy comes from a long line of teachers." Franni's Mom taught school after earning her college degree and daughter Thomasin is an educator/nutrionist in DC.
"Al has been a part of the family for a long time now," she continued. "He helped throw the retirement party for my Mom, too. Hopefully, we'll be around to throw a party for Thomasin."
We also talked about the second woman to come forward with allegations of rape against employees of Halliburton/KBR while in Iraq.
The Intergovernmental Relations Committee of the Minneapolis City Council, a committee consisting of the entire city council, voted unanimously this morning, April 29th, to support the Minnesota Health Plan! The resolution places the Minnesota Health Plan on the city council's legislative agenda. The legislative agenda identifies the city's legislative priorities at the state capitol. Thank you to the Minneapolis City Council members, especially IGR Committee Chair Elizabeth Glidden, for bringing this forward. Thank you to all of our supporters who made calls or sent emails on short notice.
In case you missed the news too, the Duluth City Council passed a similar resolution on April 12th by a vote of 6-3!
The good news continues for the MN Health Plan...
Visit the Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition website to stay updated --
http://www.muhcc.org/
One of the pivotal moments of the convention came just before the final ballot when John Marty announced his endorsement of Margaret Anderson Kelliher, citing her pledge to do all within her power to enact the Minnesota Health Plan within two years. The DFL thus leaves its convention with an endorsed candidate who has taken a stronger position on universal health care than anyone would have expected going in.
How and why this happened is one of the great untold stories of the convention.
There were, at this convention a significant number of delegates whose commitment to the issue of universal health care outstripped their concern for individual candidates. While many of these delegates arrived committed to John Marty, many arrived uncommitted, and some arrived committed to other candidates. What they had in common, though, was that they would not move to one of the leaders unless and until they were persuaded that the candidate would give more than lip service to universal health care. In the case of Duluth's SD 7, for instance, 3 of the 21 delegates came from a Marty sub-caucus and an additional 4 were uncommitted delegates strongly committed to single-payer health care. Not a single one of these delegates cast their vote for either of the two leaders (MAK or Ryback) until the final ballot. On the final ballot all 7 moved to MAK.
In the end John Marty was able to "deliver" these delegates to MAK, but not because of their personal loyalty to him. On the contrary, he was able to deliver these delegates to MAK because of the health care pledge he obtained.
John Marty is the hero of the convention for putting placing the health and well-being of Minnesotans ahead of crass political calculations. But the convention heroes also include all those delegates who placed the common good ahead of the convention "game" and the politics of celebrity.
ARE YOU A DELEGATE TO THE DFL STATE CONVENTION? DO YOU SUPPORT SINGLE-PAYER? IF SO, SUPPORT SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 23.
VOTE YES ON RESOLUTION #50
Be it resolved that we support and work to enact a universal, single-payer health care plan on the federal level and the single-payer Minnesota Health Act at the state level.
The federal reform bill was only step one. Help us continue to take those necessary steps toward a BETTER solution. Vote YES on #50 and make sure Single-Payer health care remains a legislative priority for the DFL Party in Minnesota.
WHY???
All MN residents are covered -Permanent coverage regardless of health status, employment, or income
Comprehensive coverage -Prevention and primary care, hospitalization, mental health, dental, home health care, long term care, prescriptions, medical equipment, and more
Choose your own provider -All licensed providers covered in one statewide network. You choose who you see
Premium based on ability to pay -No co pays or deductibles
Run by an independent health board -Regional representatives, including consumers, accountable to the public
Help spread the word at the State Convention too! Let's continue to show our support moving forward and eventually make the MN Health Plan...Single-Payer for ALL Minnesotans...A REALITY.
THE MINNESOTA HEALTH ACT -Senate File 118 | House File 135
-Chief Authors: Senator John Marty & Representative David Bly
-Co authored by over 1/3 of the MN Legislature
The movement for universal health care in Minnesota took a big step forward tonight when the Duluth City Council, by a 6-3 vote, passed a resolution in favor of the Minnesota Health Plan. The Minnesota Health Plan would create a universal public health insurance program in the state that would cover everyone and would guarantee everyone their coverage.
Representatives from the Minnesota Citizens Federation-Northeast and the Duluth DFL spoke in favor of the resolution and stressed the security that a univeral public health insurance program would provide to individuals as well as the cost savings such a program would provide to city government. Duluth resident Carl Sack described the challenges of living with a congenital heart condition without health insurance despite working two jobs.
The resolution was introduced by city councilor Kerry Gauthier. Councilors Gauthier, Boyle, Gardner, Cuneo, Hartman, and Anderson voted in favor. Councilors Fedora, Fosle, and Stauber voted no.
Please help us build upon this victory by attending the rally to pass the Minnesota Health Plan in Duluth on Friday, April 23rd (first day of the DFL state convention). Gather for a march at 5:30 PM at the corner of Lake and Superior in downtown Duluth. The rally will be at 6:00 PM at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center (the convention site). Councilor Gauthier will be among the speakers.
If you watch conservative media and blogs, you'll see a lot of hay being made about how the health care law's individual mandate is unconstitutional, and that's why thirteen Attorneys General plus Tim Pawlenty (because Minnesota's top law enforcement official actually read the law and supports it) are suing to get it overturned.
The logic goes something like this: the federal government can't force individuals to buy a product from a private corporation, and that's what the individual mandate does: forces you to buy insurance from private insurance companies.
Never mind that this is essentially what President Bush's Social Security privatization push was all about in early 2005 (forcing some social security payments to be invested with privately held funds). The argument is a straw man on its face, because the health care reform law does nothing of the sort.
If you are coming to Duluth for the DFL State Convention, mark Friday, April 23rd at 5:30 PM in your calendar. A number of local Duluth groups (including the Duluth Central Labor Body, the Duluth DFL, the local NAACP, and the Citizens Federation-Northeast, among many others) are holding a March and Rally for Universal Health Care. The rally is in support of the Minnesota Health Plan, which would create a universal public health insurance program for all Minnesotans.
The march begins at 5:30 PM at the MN Power Plaza (corner of Lake and Superior) and culminates with a 6:00 PM rally at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center (the convention site). So come join us and get a taste of grassroots progressive organizing Duluth-style. Then join the Duluth DFL afterwards for a happy hour at Sneakers in the Holiday Center.
A report from a reader and activist in CD7 indicates that Collin Peterson (he of the "no" vote on health care reform despite tens of thousands of uninsured Minnesotans in his district) may be sensing some political tremors in his own party over that vote...
Most counties either passed resolutions or made a statement "let the minutes reflect this county is against Collin Peterson's vote on health care reform", etc ... even the 7th CD exec comm did that. Collin got wind of a "no endorsement" drive at the 7th CD convention coming up, so he's been traveling around meeting in small groups with county chairs all over, promising to start coming around more again, and being quite humble. He won't win by 70% this year.
The only person I have heard defend him was Roger Moe at the Polk County convention, where he said, basically, "if you want to publicly chastise him for the one vote you don't like, you better publicly praise him for the 15 good things he's done for you."
Haven't confirmed this one with any local party chairs yet, but if we can confirm it, it would be an interesting play for the party's (apparently restless) base in western Minnesota. Wonder if Cap-and-Trade comes up at all in those small group meetings?
An article in Monday's New York Times served as a painful reminder that while we have achieved a historic victory in the long-running fight for health care reform, our work is far from over.
Insurance companies, as the Times reported, are arguing that while the law says they have to pay for treatment of children already on their plans with pre-existing conditions, they can still refuse to write new policies for families with sick kids until 2014.
"The fine print differs from the larger political message," an insurance lawyer told the newspaper. "If a company sells insurance, it will have to cover pre-existing conditions for children covered by the policy. But it does not have to sell to somebody with a pre-existing condition. And the insurer could increase premiums to cover the additional cost."
This flies in the face of the spirit of the law, public opinion and the basic principle that we should never turn our backs on the most vulnerable members of our society.
That's why I supported the public option, rigorous oversight of insurance practices and stripping companies of anti-trust exemptions that allow them to engage in behavior that reduces competition and limits choices and opportunity for Americans.
As a doctor, I've seen the problems up close and as the 3rd Congressional District's next representative I will fight to defend the hard-won provisions of the new health care laws and will continue to work for the additional reforms we need to ensure that no American is ever denied their fundamental right to health care.
Progress doesn't have a finish line. Progressives' work is never done.
Earlier this week, those who believe in justice, equality - and frankly, good, old-fashioned fiscal responsibility - won an important victory with health care reform.
This bill is a good step. It will make our nation stronger and healthier. And, history is on the side of reform. Lyndon B. Johnson's Medicare victory was decried by conservatives with the same over-the-top, fear-mongering rhetoric that has been used in the past year to try and prevent reform. Yet today, you'll struggle to find a politician who doesn't support Medicare, and our seniors lead richer lives because of it.
But there is more to be done. We now face a movement among those seeking to protect the status quo to fight reform. Without bold, progressive leadership on the state level, we risk going backwards. And that, we cannot afford to do.
Don't take it from me. Take it from these voices for reform.
A week ago we asked for your health care stories. Here are a few.
*(These stories were read from submissions sent to our campaign with permission by the original authors)
Last week, I asked for your health care stories. We pored over them. We heard you, and now others will hear your stories, too.
Happy as we are about the health care victory earlier this week, it's obvious there is much, much more to be done: to defend the progress we have made and keep moving forward.
I want to be your governor. I will continue to advocate and lead for progress as governor of this great state. If you haven't already, sign up to join our campaign. We need you, your commitment and your energy to win in August and again in November.
It's time to face our challenges and set our state up for success in the future. Please - join me!
That's the strategy for Washington Republicans. Even when Democrats are receiving death threats, pictures of nooses faxed to their offices, having racial epithets hurled at them, and their siblings' homes are being attacked, the GOP says "we're being threatened too!" and "it's the Dems' fault!"
Meanwhile, some Republicans accused Democrats of using the reports of threats for political gain. "To use such threats as political weapons is reprehensible," said Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the Republican whip, who said a shot was fired through a window of his campaign office in Richmond, Va., this week, but that he had chosen not to publicize the incident. "By ratcheting up the rhetoric, some will only inflame these situations to dangerous levels."
What's the problem? Take a look at a local AP report from Cantor's area:
A bullet that hit a window in Republican U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor's office building was fired randomly into the air, police said Thursday.
...
Later Thursday, however, Richmond police said in a news release that the bullet had been fired into the air around 1 a.m. Tuesday. It finished its random arc back to earth at a sharp downward trajectory, breaking a window pane on the bottom floor of the two-story brick building where Cantor's campaign leases the top floor.
The spent bullet hit the floor about one foot inside the shattered pane. No one was in the building at the time. A police investigation has yielded no suspects.
Slight difference in interpretation, methinks.
These threats and attacks are impermissible under any circumstances, are violations of the law, and should be prosecuted as such. They also have not yet been leveled at any Republicans.
It was largely an exercise in obstructionism and artificial election ad creation by Senate Republicans, but the companion reconciliation bill which completes the health care reform effort has passed Congress.
For your review: earlier this week the House of Representatives passed two bills. The first was the Senate Health Care bill, verbatim. That bill previously passed the Senate with a veto-proof majority, and contained the vast majority of the changes to America's health care system. The second bill was this reconciliation bill which contains several budget-related improvements to the Senate bill, which House Democrats demanded because their original health care bill had been stronger than their Senate colleagues' version.
The reconciliation bill then went to the Senate for a short round of debate, because it could not be filibustered. Senate Republicans introduced several ridiculous amendments which ALL had to be voted down one by one to keep the text of the bill exactly the same as when it entered the Senate. The parliamentarian actually found one small issue which did have to amended, which meant the bill would have to go back to the House for one last vote (agh!)
The reconciliation bill passed the Senate, 56-43 earlier today, then came back to the House for one last vote, which it passed, 220-207. The bill now heads to President Obama for his signature.
Curiously, Joe Lieberman (I-CT) voted for the reconciliation bill. Previously he was the single figure who held up the Senate health care bill, demanding that Medicare expansions, public options, and most other progressive changes be stripped before he would vote for cloture. However, now that his lone vote did not represent any leverage, even improvements upon the Senate bill are worth his while. I believe the word is "crass" but no matter -- the health care reform effort is nearly complete.
