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Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun
Organizing For America Deputy Director Jeremy Bird thanks hundreds of rally participants for their support during a Health Insurance Reform Now rally in Las Vegas.
Friday, Sept. 18, 2009 | 2:30 a.m.
Roadtrip to Healthcare Reform
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President Obama's "Health Insurance Reform Now: Let's Get It Done" Bus made it's last stop in Las Vegas Thursday night after 18 months of touring the country to gather support for the healthcare reform bill being debated in Congress. More than a hundred supporters gathered to cheer on the bus as it rolled in to the Culinary Workers Union. Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller called for bi-partisan support of the bill, while a doctor and local mother told how their lives have been affected by a lack of healthcare reform.
Sun Archives
- Harry Reid: Health care bill won’t work for Nevada (9-16-2009)
- Separating reform fact from fiction (9-13-2009)
- Reaction to Obama's speech a glimpse into political divide (9-9-2009)
- How health care reform push looks to state delegation (9-9-2009)
- Reform proposals would get around Nevadan's legacy, insurers' privilege (9-6-2009)
- Vigils held in support of health care reform, public option (9-3-2009)
- Las Vegan’s lost battle for insurance puts face on reform (9-2-2009)
- Harry Reid: Reform a ‘moral issue’ with financial benefits (9-1-2009)
- Hundreds rally against Harry Reid, proposed health care reform (8-31-2009)
- Countering the hysteria (8-26-2009)
- Anti-tax advocates rally against spending, Obama (4-15-2009)
A nationwide bus tour to drum up support for President Barack Obama’s vision for health care reform wrapped up its trek Thursday night in Las Vegas.
About 700 people showed up to cheer on the Organizing for America team – an outgrowth of the Obama campaign that is working at the grassroots level to promote the president’s agenda – and Nevada residents who shared stories of how the current health care system has failed them and called for change.
The rally was held in the parking lot of the Culinary Union near downtown Las Vegas. Tour organizers chose to end in Nevada because the state’s diversity and growth make it a microcosm for the United States and to reward local volunteers, who have been working hard and growing in number, Organizing for America Deputy Director Jeremy Bird said.
“Folks across the state of Nevada want to have health insurance reform,” Bird said. “They want to see it passed now. This (rally) is just one part of what we’ve been doing.”
Including phone bank activities, house meetings and neighborhood canvasses, Organizing for America staff say they’ve put together more than 14,000 events since Obama took office.
Bird said that while the rallies are a chance for volunteers to celebrate their work, more importantly, they are meant to spur them onward.
“We’re on the brink and we need them now more than ever,” he said.
The Organizing for America bus tour came to Las Vegas a little more than two weeks after another tour, the Tea Party Express, passed through town to rally opposition to Obama’s plan, calling it another example of out-of-control government spending.
Unlike other recent pro- and anti-health care reform rallies held in Las Vegas, Thursday night’s rally had no protesters.
It did have a handful of Nevada residents who told their experiences with health care that have led them to join the call for reform.
Gloria Madrid, a home health care assistant and member of the Service Employees International Union, told how her lack of health insurance has forced her to drive to her native Mexico for medical care, where she said it is more affordable.
“Tens of millions of Americans live an accident or an illness away from total financial disaster,” she said. “For people like us, Obama’s plan offers affordable plan choice. So it’s time to work together. It’s time.”
Dr. Bashab Banerji, an internist, told of how it is a daily occurrence at his practice for patients to call and cancel appointments because they have lost their insurance and for bankruptcy notices to arrive on behalf of patients who have gone bankrupt because of medical expenses.
He said he supports Obama’s plan because it would create an exchange marketplace for insurance, which would increase accessibility for the self-employed and small businesses, while driving down costs through competition.
He also supports efforts to reform medical malpractice laws and ban insurance providers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
“Now is the time to act … the question that I propose is what do we have to lose in supporting a plan that provides one of life’s basic necessities, that furthers what we all cherish in being part of a compassionate nation,” Banerji said.
Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller also spoke, accusing opponents of health care reform of distorting the facts and calling on them to get behind Obama’s plan.
“From an economic perspective, and just from the perspective of doing what’s right, it’s time for significant health care reform in this country,” Miller said.
listen to the brilliant birdie boys and girls...
it's real simple...
you either suppor the public option...
or...
you support the excessive profits of the greedy pig insurance companies and the excessive salaries of the money grubbing whore doctors...
period...
end of story!!!
Former VP Dick Cheney is recovering from successful back surgery to eliminate a painful problem. That is great news and I wish him well. However, I have not heard anyone in Washington cry out and complain about the fact that this surgery was paid out of the insurance plan for government workers.
Remember folks the elected politicians have been complaining that they cannot see a way to pay for health insurance reform for all of us taxpayers and not bankrupt the country. They don't however hesitate to make certain that they, their colleagues, federal employees and families are well covered as paid for by us, the taxpayers of America. The military are the only ones that really should be thoroughly covered by our the tax system.
No one said that we could not afford the back surgery insurance for Dick Cheney, right? Nor did they ever say we could not afford the heart surgery for Barbara Bush, right? What about the special care that President Reagan received after the assassination attempt on his life? What about the special care for Reagan when he came down with Alzheimer's? How about the medical treatments for Edward Kennedy? What about the numerous medical procedures performed on House and Senate representatives like our own former House member Jon Porter? I haven't heard that these were excessive expenses requiring a special Congressional Health Czar to supervise that program, have you?
Is there a death panel for Congressional members? If so, what is their decision on still active 90 year old Senator Richard Byrd of Virginia? Is he about to be terminated and turned into Soylent Green cookies because of his age and failing health? It seems to me that Senator Harry Reid is becoming an obvious candidate for a death panel review; his elevator these days seems to be a few bricks short of a full load. Will he soon learn that he is headed for the Soylent Green cookies factory?
Isn't it about time we told Congress to cut the crappola and either provide us all with proper health insurance reform or get busy and eliminate their own Congressional health insurance that We, the People pay for? If it can't be afforded for us, then we cannot afford it for them either. They need to rely on the public insurance plans that they tout and praise so highly for us. Once they and their families have a true taste of pre-existing health care denials, and arguments by insurance bureaucrats that specific drugs are not covered they will change their minds.
700 in an area the size of the Las Vegas valley is certainly not much of a turnout. It is more and more evident that citizens do not want the crooked incompetent whores in Washingotn screwing up healthcare.
"The rally was held in the parking lot of the Culinary Union near downtown Las Vegas."
Notice that all those attending are working age...
Did they check union cards on the way in?
It was all union people. What a fake.
Everyone was welcome, but the 700 represent many of our smartes, hardest-working Democratic activist - and we know how to be civil in public!
After years of fighting the V.A. bureacracy for my healthcare - I'm fully covered now (and I also pay into Medicare and Medicaid voluntarily because I beleive in those programs that do so much for the poor)! But, the vast majority of our Vets did not get injured in training or wounded in combat - so, they do NOT get V.A. care! All Veterans used to be covered, but Nixon and Reagan ended that by breaking the contract and sacred promise!
Our wonderful military do fantastic humanitarian mission all over the world - and while they are vigilant about waste, fraud, abuse and doing so as efficiently as possible to help as many in need - I never heard anyone whine, snivel or complain about the costs! Why? Because it was our mission - and just the right thing to do!
Yet, we don't provide these same basic medical services to our own American citizenry! It is a national shame that demonstrates the culture of greed has robbed us of our compassion - THAT is what is says about all of us!
We have equipment for entire Field Hospitals in storage - so, why not activate National Guard and Reserve Units to help out our citizenry - we could and should! Oh, wait, that idea would be somewhat limited because we've just about worn out our military in Bush's mad-man mission in Iraq "nation building" - well, gee, why not save the nation, and people, of AMERICA!
The truth is the only reason we have not fully funded and fixed the V.A., Medicare and Medicaid and provided a UNIVERSAL PUBLIC OPTION is ONLY because these programs historically have served the poor and working poor! But, over the years, the lower middle class have needed these programs, and, now, middle-class people are forced to seek out help as well!
It's all about the money! Well, I say, if we've got TRILLIONS for Unjust Wars, and BILLIONS for bailing out the Banks, Insurance, Mortgage, Pharmacuetical and Automotive Corporations - we can extend that generosity to the American citizenry as well!
vsestini,
Amen!
The only people who would be in the Culinary Union parking lot in the middle of a slum are union workers. This is astro-turf at its best!
700 people??? There's 700 people right now at The Crazy Horse! How does this even make the front page?
Amen to both vsestini and Johnathan A.
Those billions and billions that were spent in Iraq could have bseen put to use here, in this country. My former stepdaughter wasin the military. in her job with the AF, she had been exposed to high levels of radiation several times to thepoint she was told not to start a family for a long time, if ever. she also came in contact with a very danger substance on her hand which now is constantly itchy and sore and at times, painful. Since she is a grphic designer, it does prohibit at times her doing her job. It took ove r THREE years after she left the service before the VA acknowledged this was because of her former job in the military and now she is considered a "disabled veteran". It's pathetic how this country treats its veterans. Now we have so many who are just reservists coming back to a country in sh ambles.
Too bad they didn't publish any photos of the entire crowd.
Somehow, 70 becomes 700...
instead of taking the time to protest and whine about not getting freebie health care, take that time to get a part-time job and just pay for yourself. LOSERS. Stay out of my paycheck!
The important number to consider is how many of our fellow Americans do not have any coverage! Then, add to that the number that do not have adequate coverage - and, real quick, you'll see from the basic math that is a majority of us!
No child chooses to be born disabled - one of my best friends was born with MS and has struggled all of his 32 years of life - and he's one of our best activist!
Only a few Culinary people were at this event - the vast majority were Democrats from all walks of Las Vegas life!
If you really care about healthcare for you and your family and friends - NOW IS THE TIME TO VOLUNTEER!
When you break this down, it's real simple:
Dems and many indy's are proponents of health care reform that insures affordable coverage for THE MASSES.
Republicans and right-wing nutjobs are against health care reform because it might affect "ME."
"My policy. My money. ME.
Sorry, gang. Our society demands health-care coverage for ALL human beings.
We. Us. Ours. Not My, Me, Mine.
Today, they came for my neighbor but I didn't care...
Will someone finish this saying so others will hopefully understand.
Johnathan states that he has been fighting the V.A. bureaucracy for years.
Munch says that it's pathetic how this country treats its veterans.
The Veterans Administration does some great things for this country's veterans. But they have a long way to go to match the medical care one receives in a public hospital. I have a VA medical care card for VA medical treatment, but I also have private medical insurance that I use instead of the VA care.
As mentioned by Johnathan and Munch, the VA has been underfunded by all administrations for years. Medicare and Medicaid are also under funded. If the Government can not properly fund the medical systems that have been in existence for years, how are they capable of running a "single payer" or "public option" program?
We need health reform but we do not need a government take over of our existing system.
A good start would be to stop all the waste in Medicare and put that money into Medicare and cover those who can not get insurance due to preexisting conditions. Also, raise the income limit on Medicaid so more low earners can obtain health care.
Heh. I bet OFA didn't need to bus people into Vegas for this. I guess that's the difference. Because most Nevadans really want and need health care reform, they'll go out and make sure our elected leaders do what we asked them to do.
I just hope Obama and Reid keep their promise on ensuring a Medicare-like public option that we the consumers decide on. We should have the right to choose. The HMOs shouldn't be able to take that choice away from us.
Hey atdleft: You right about OFA not needing to bus people in to their pep rally. They were already here and working for the SEIU...
Keep right on hoping that Obama and Reid will keep their promises...
Sorry guys the only way to deal with the wingnuts is to ignore them.
GOP should be changed to DRT (Dining Room Table).
Abbinet-There is nothing smart about any Democrat because Democrats are inherently dependent on government because Democrats lack the intelligence to take care of themselves. The party of gimmefreestuff. The party of the losers and social misfits.
Jeremy,
Where did you come up with 700 people? There wasn't even a 100 people there when I drove by.
Another Sun lie.
The dogmatic demagoguery continues unabated. Though I am not a Republican, Republicans have in fact created alternative reform bills, at least two of them would be far more effective (and cheaper) than Obama's plan. You can see them at the Kaiser Family Foundation's website.
Gmag,
As it happens, I'm much smarter than you at deciding what is best for me. You are much smarter than me at deciding what is best for you. For no strange reason, when the system is about "ME" and about "YOU" and not about some collective, the system works better. You get more efficiency, better service, less cost, and you build more wealth.
jlb101,
All of your posts can be summed up thusly:
Waaaa! Waaaaa! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Expletives deleted.
It's morally wrong to leave 100 million Americans un or underinsured, 1 illness away from financial ruin. And it's wrong to burden small business with the outrageous insurance costs also -- found a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth
Whether or not you like or agree w/Evangelist Charles Colson, this is a pretty scary commentary of things to come on this issue, not pretty scary, real scary...
http://www.breakpoint.org/commentaries/1...
Patrick,
THAT is the RUB right there.
Everything with "You" is about "wealth-building."
Everything about "us" is about "doing what is right for human beings in the long run.
It ain't always about the money, Pat. Sorry.
"We. Us. Ours. Not My, Me, Mine."
Does this sound familiar: "From each according to his means; to each according to his needs."
Ugh. Stupid hippie.
---
No one would have an iota of a problem helping those who NEED healthcare if it didn't mean [WE] would each have to wait an additional 1/12 of every year (at best!) to work for take-home pay (as opposed to take-to-Uncle-Sam pay).
You would be the same type of moron who would shame the Founders for their "selfishness" and "egocentricity" for their refusal to pay their not-so-fair share to George III.
BTW, I'm 26, female, self-employed, and pay a boatload for my ELECTIVE non-employer-subsidized health insurance (and I'm VERY healthy). Both of my parents are crazy libs (it's a love-hate relationship). And, I'm scared out of my mind about the future taxes for which I'm already marked - for which my potential grandkids are already marked.
So poor little Gloria Madrid has to drive back home to mexico for heath care? WTF, Save yourslf a trip and become a productive citizen in your home country. I'm certain they could use more home health care assistants. I would imagine they have sick people there just as we do here. PROBLEM SOLVED!