Urgent message to single payer supporters Join us for Obama regional governor's health care summit in Vermont to Insist on Single Payer
Dear Friend:
Vermont Governor Jim Douglas and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick have been asked by President Obama to host a regional New England health care summit at the University of Vermont on March 17th. We do not expect to be invited not do we expect single payer to be considered.
At the recent White House summit on health reform the first person to speak at the close of the forum was the head of the American Health Insurers Plans. The rest of those in attendance were mostly lobbyists from special interest groups. The single payer view was all but excluded.
In fact, no single payer advocate was invited until thousands of messages reached the White House, including word that doctors were going to protest on the sidewalk. At the end of the day prior to the summit, the White House quickly invited a solitary physician to represent the view of a large majority of physicians and a overwhelming majority of Americans: we need single payer national health insurance now.
When it comes to the debate in Washington, DC, single payer stands ignored, like the elephant in the room, in spite of all of the evidence that it saves money, contains future spending, will include everyone and will improve the economy. But with the last minute invitation to the White House we learned an important lesson:
We can make a difference! Right now we are the marginalized majority. We might expect this treatment from the Bush administration. But it is unforgivable from President Obama. The majority of Americans want a single payer health care system in the United States. The majority of doctors want single payer. The President has promised an open, transparent process, with all proposals considered. It is time to insist that single payer be a part of this process.
We are organizing a peaceful and respectful protest in front of the summit meeting at the University of Vermont Davis Center in Burlington, Vermont at 12 noon. If there ever was a day to drop what you are doing and come, this is it. There will be national and local media there. We need hundreds of people to come from all over New England and New York. We urge health professionals to come and bring your white coats and stethoscopes.
For more information email Deb Richter
vthca@sover.net
Call 802-371-7764
www.savevermonthealhcare.org
NOTE: The Davis Center is on Main Street but its entrance faces into the campus.
Ideas for signs:
The Marginalized Majority Wants Single Payer
Yes we can! Support single payer bills H100/S88 (Vermont) and HR 676 (US Congress)
Single payer = $billions in savings and health care for all
Private insurance = high costs and millions uninsured
Health care is a public good — support single payer
Health care is a public good, not a commodity
Take the profit out of health care — support single payer
Single payer-the Most Fiscally Conservative Plan
We are NOT # 1 but could be with Medicare for All
You want to help the middle class? Pass single payer
You want to help business? Pass single payer
You want to help the economy ? Pass single payer
Obama says single payer is the best option
It is our money . We want it to pay for health care not health insurance
We can afford health care for all, not health insurance for all
Doctors want single payer
Nurses want single payer
Americans want single payer