Guaranteed Healthcare

By Donna Smith, American SiCKO, communications specialist for CNA/NNOC 

It takes courage to stand up to the people who make money off the suffering of others when those same people bring loads of money and influence to every table they buy.

But there still are some courageous Americans -- and even some courageous Americans who are also elected officials.  Today in protest actions across the United States, citizens will stand side-by-side with some of those brave warriors of the people as we protest the private health insurance industry and its stranglehold on the American healthcare system.

From San Francisco to Louisville and from Philadelphia to San Antonio and in a dozen other cities, patients, nurses, doctors, activists, writers, lawyers, students, senior citizens, veterans, and politicians with guts will gather in solidarity against the inhumanity that places profits above human life and masquerades itself as protection against calamity -- and that imposter is the private health insurance industry. 

A city attorney from Los Angeles, a mayor from San Francisco, a state senator from Pittsburgh, a state representative from Chicago and other amazing truth-telling public officials stand unafraid to proclaim:  healthcare is a basic human right.

Here in San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom and his city government have already led the way for cities across the land in supporting a universal healthcare program for city residents. Today the good mayor will sign a proclamation of support for federal action: HR676, the federal bill co-sponsored already by more than 20 percent of the U.S. House of Representatives and that would give every American guaranteed healthcare for life. 

Down the road in Los Angeles, City Attorney Rockard "Rocky" Delgadillo takes on the private insurance industry whenever he sees wrongs being done to citizens of California that violate state law -- like insurance rescissions and denials of care resulting in patients' suffering and even death. He doesn't just give lip service to the issue, he sues the wrong-doers.  He stands for what is just, and he does so publically and proudly.

State Sen. Sheila Kuehl continues her amazing support for SB840, a single payer (publically funded, privately delivered), guaranteed healthcare bill for all Californians.  And the California Nurses Association stands with her every step of the way.

Go California!  Life matters in California.  Human life has value in California!  As the nation often looks westward for trends and foreshadowing of things to come, look west today and see what we can be with and for one another and what we can demand of our elected officials.

But way across the country, in Pennsylvania, protests of the private insurance industry will be unfolding in five separate cities, led by massive citizen pressure and the steadfast beliefs of State Senator Jim Ferlo of Pittsburgh.  Both PA House Bill 1660 and Senate Bill 300 promise healthcare for all, and thousands of citizens are working to make that reality. Ferlo's city is but one of the centers for protest in the Keystone state as citizens will gather in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Allentown and Wilkes-Barre as well.  This is the stuff of movements, not ripple in the pond, but honest to goodness movements that demand attention and change.

In Chicago, State Rep. Mary Flowers often stands as a powerful voice for citizens who have no power to stand against private insurers.  And she will gather with her fellow citizens to protest.  Midwesterners can be a stoic lot -- but not when Mary is in the room.  She has fire and brimstone in her healthcare soul.

In Florida, in Louisville and in Atlanta, watch the swelling ranks of the unsettled masses calling for an end to the gross misconduct of those in power in our healthcare system. In Boston and Baltimore, Minnetonka and New York, shoulder-to-shoulder with one another, we will stand against the power of profit on the pain of others. In Albany and Newark and St. Louis, together -- together with courage and with conviction.

Some of those insurance folks must have a great "suspension of the soul" as they deny care and practice organized cruelty against their fellow Americans whose only sin was to get sick while being "covered" by private insurance policies.

But today another sort of soul is reaching out and drowning out the din.  And that soul is the better part of our collective social conscience -- our deepest of American values of decency and compassion for our fellow citizens and our stalwart belief that doing what is right is what wins the day.

So, stand up America.  The chorus is beginning to sing louder and louder. The tide is turning.  There is a city attorney suing insurance companies for us, there are leaders signing proclamations and leading protests on the same day insurance executives are gathering to celebrate themselves with smug righteousness of those drunk on unchallenged power and corruption.

Get to one of the protests. Sign an on-line petition.  Write a letter. Make a phone call.  The reign of healthcare terrorists is coming to an end.

And don't worry about the smug smiles and the snide remarks thrown by some of the ill-informed.  Their time at the head of the table is drawing to a close.  Smug as they may be about just whose pockets they have lined so very carefully and confidently, we have Rocky and Gavin and Sheila and Jim and Mary -- and 80,000 nurses -- and a good fight never scared any of them even a bit. 

March on, my friends, march on...