[PAA-Discuss] Fwd: Here Comes Single-Payer Healthcare in Another State

[Bill Crosier]

California may be leading the way for us with single payer universal 
health care, if Gov. Gropenator will sign the bill -- see article 
below.  Looks like some other states are geting interested, too.

Bill


>Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:47:46 -0500
>From: David Swanson <david at davidswanson.org>
>To: "activists at lists.mayfirst.org" <activists at lists.mayfirst.org>
>Subject: [Activists] Fixed: Here Comes Single-Payer Healthcare in Another
>	State
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>
>Here Comes Single-Payer Healthcare in Another State
>By David Swanson
><http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/50183>http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/50183
>
>A bill to create single-payer healthcare in California has passed 
>that state's senate for the third time now. Californians just need 
>to persuade a governor to sign it. Single-payer healthcare bills are 
>advancing in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and a 
>growing list of states, including New Mexico, where State Senator 
>Jerry Ortiz y Pino, a long-time supporter of single-payer 
>healthcare, is running for Lieutenant Governor.
>
>Now North Carolina house candidate Marcus Brandon has pledged to 
>introduce a bill to create single-payer healthcare in that state. 
>Brandon, whom I know and like and who worked for Congressman Dennis 
>Kucinich's 2008 presidential campaign, is a candidate in North 
>Carolina House District 60. That's near Greensboro, where I can just 
>picture Marcus sitting at a lunch counter and refusing to be 
>provoked.
>
>Brandon has promised that if he is elected, the first piece of 
>legislation he will introduce will be the "North Carolina Healthcare 
>Act" which will provide universal single-payer healthcare to every 
>citizen of the state.
>
>Brandon says that he remains a supporter of national single-payer 
>healthcare and will continue lobbying for passage of HR 676, 
>Congressman John Conyers' bill:
>
>"The HR 676 fight is definitely not over, but we must now 
>strategically shift the focus to the state level.  When other states 
>see that we can cut the cost of healthcare, streamline our medical 
>industry, and still provide universal coverage to all North 
>Carolinians, then all of the sudden, single-payer health care 
>doesn't look so bad."
>
>Brandon argues that a single-payer system could save over $1.5 
>billion per year in reduced bureaucracy in the state of North 
>Carolina alone. And he speaks confidently about making this happen:
>
>"North Carolina is poised to be the first state to adopt 
>single-payer, once I am able to introduce it.  North Carolinians are 
>ready for real solutions to healthcare.   North Carolina has the 
>third  highest healthcare cost of any state, while it sags at 37th 
>in average income.  This is a disparity that most North Carolinians 
>feel when they have to think about healthcare.  Every day, as I am 
>knocking on doors to talk to voters, I hear stories of people who 
>cannot afford insurance and become victims of this for-profit 
>industry."
>
>Brandon says his bill is similar to other states' initiatives such 
>as the "Minnesota Health Act" or the "California Universal 
>Healthcare Act."  Brandon points to these two bills as excellent 
>examples of how a single payer healthcare system could be both 
>fiscally sound and provide full coverage.
>
>Brandon served in 2007 and 2008 as Dennis Kucinich's National 
>Finance Director and Deputy Campaign Manager.  He says that Kucinich 
>inspired him:
>
>"Dennis urged me to run for office so we could build a 
>state-by-state grassroots movement for single payer and other 
>progressive issues.  My campaign for the North Carolina House is an 
>extension of the work I did with Dennis Kucinich."
>
>While Kucinich has struggled unsuccessfully thus far to pass federal 
>legislation facilitating the state creation of single-payer 
>healthcare systems, states are pressign ahead and will deal with 
>lawsuits from "health" corporations when and if they arise.
>
>Marcus Brandon's website is at
><http://www.marcusbrandon.com>http://www.marcusbrandon.com
>
>He has a primary on May 4th.  Those who want a real healthcare 
>system in this country would be wise to pour money into his campaign 
>and those of other state leaders across the country. 
>
>Alternatively we could keep putting all our eggs in the basket of 
>fantasies about the United States Senate getting its act together.
>
>--
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>
>David Swanson is the author of the new book "Daybreak: Undoing the 
>Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union" by Seven 
>Stories Press.  You can order it and find out when tour will be in 
>your town: 
><http://davidswanson.org/book>http://davidswanson.org/book.
>
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>

-- 
Bill Crosier
paa at crosierbiomed.com      713-641-4941
Progressive Action Alliance   http://progressiveactionalliance.org/
KPFT - Radio for Peace - 90.1 FM Houston   http://kpft.org
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