H.R. 676 is a bill, co-drafted by Dennis Kucinich, which will enact a true universal health care system for the United States. The bill will create a publicly financed, privately delivered healthcare program that provides all U.S. citizens with comprehensive medical coverage, including office visits, hospitalization, emergency care, long term care, prescription drugs, medical equipment, mental health services, drug and alcohol treatment, dental and vision care; with no co-pays, deductibles, or denial of coverage.
Moreover, H.R. 676 provides this comprehensive coverage to all citizens by spending $56 Billion less each year than the current for-profit, private insurance system; the private insurance system that leaves 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; the same system that wastes 31% of every healthcare dollar (roughly $600 billion/yr) on non-healthcare related spending, such as marketing/advertising, an inefficient administration, rating and underwriting clients, denying coverage, and generating corporate profit; the system structured around profit that has undermined quality, affordable coverage, leaving Americans vulnerable to financial ruin in times of need because of excessive co-pays, deductibles, and medication costs.
As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 eliminates the waste by operating with a much more efficient 3% administration cost, utilizing the roughly $600 billion saved each year for actual healthcare and finally guaranteeing the same high quality care for every American. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 creates a healthcare system structured for the purpose of providing the best care to all in the most economically efficient way, rather than maximizing profit. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 finally presents access to healthcare as a basic human right, rather than just another corporate commodity. And, in his support of H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate considering what will truly strengthen and provide security for all Americans, rather than the healthcare industry. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is considering:
Crisis: 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; medically related bankruptcies, up 2,200% since 1981, account for half of all bankruptcies in this country and, yet ¾ of them were insured at the time. H.R. 676 guarantees full coverage for every American.
Quality: Not only does H.R. 676 provide all Americans with unparalleled quality of coverage, including free choice of provider and complete portability, but it finally allows medical decisions to be made only by those that should: medical professionals. H.R. 676 has the support of over 14,000 physicians and nurses associations because it eliminates the business of private insurance and pharmaceutical companies from influencing medical decisions to save money.
Costs: The private system has utterly failed to control costs as premiums have risen three times faster than inflation and pharmaceuticals go through the roof. H.R. 676 will not only spend $56 billion less, but go further in controlling costs by allocating budgets, eliminating profit and finally having the clout to negotiate fair rates with the pharmaceutical companies.
Families: As H.R. 676 is funded through tax dollars, 95% of families will pay less for health care than they do now. Under the current private system, the average family premium is up to $11,000/yr. However, under H.R.676, a family of three making $40,000/yr. will spend roughly 1,900/yr. For comprehensive coverage without any additional costs, such as co-pays,
deductibles or prescription medications.
Businesses: The current private system places a heavy burden on businesses to provide
healthcare for employees, the average employer contributing $2,600 per employee. Under H.R. 676 the average would drop to about $1,600. This financial strain handicaps U.S. businesses competing in the world market.
The for-profit system requires non-healthcare related spending and waste to operate, the whole system designed to create income, not care. In supporting H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only presidential candidate who offers a solution for high quality, true universal health care in this country: eliminating the for-profit, private insurance system. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is able to finally guarantee all Americans the security of affordable and fully comprehensive coverage. And through H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is reaching out to all Americans, bringing them together, to face the for-profit, private healthcare system and once again reclaim our responsibility as a great nation.
Showing posts with label Health care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health care. Show all posts
Friday, October 26, 2007
Kucinich's Open Call To Progressives
Dennis Kucinich submitted a clear statement to Democracy For America Presidential Pulse Poll, outlining his bold leadership as the Progressive candidate in this election. As I can't really improve upon his clear and compelling words, I need only quote his letter:
On the war in Iraq and the move to extend it to Iran, Kucinich stated:
On Civil Liberties:
On Health Care:
On Equal Rights:
On Accountability:
Kucinich closed the letter
Dear Democracy for America members,
I am writing to you to ask you for your support because you, as much or more than any group of voters in this nation, recognize the real issues confronting our country, the real solutions, and the shortcomings and failures of many of our political leaders in addressing them.
I know that many of you agree with me that half measures, compromises, misguided thinking and hollow rhetoric are not the answers. They are symptomatic of the problems, and, to a regrettable extent, the causes of the problems. That’s why we are in a war, and why we’re moving ever closer to another. That’s why our Constitutional rights and protections are being violated every day. Why 47 millions Americans are uninsured and another 50 million are under-insured. Why millions of American jobs have been outsourced. And every other issue that we, as progressive and independent-thinking Democrats stand for is pushed aside.
DFA members have the power to change that by supporting the one and only candidate who isn’t afraid to say what he believes - what you believe - and who won’t back down.
On the war in Iraq and the move to extend it to Iran, Kucinich stated:
I am the only Democratic presidential candidate who campaigned against and voted against the war authorization resolution in 2002 and every supplemental appropriation since. Five years ago, I presented evidence to my colleagues in the House and Senate based on my own intelligence analysis which showed that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction and was not a direct threat to the U.S. or our allies. I shared that analysis with my Congressional colleagues and rallied more than 120 members to vote against the authorization.
The defense offered by other candidates - “If I knew then what I know now” - is a feeble excuse for making the wrong decision when it mattered most to make the right decision. Many of us did know then because we weren’t tricked or bullied by the White House. We knew it was wrong, and we knew the consequences. So did you.
But what makes the newfound anti-war claims of some other candidates even more indefensible is that they voted to continue funding the war, year after year, at least until their Presidential campaigns began. It’s simply not enough to say you oppose the war now when you continued to fund it time and time again.
Right now, the war is fully funded until early next year. There is more than enough money available to bring all of our troops and equipment home within a few months, but the Congressional leadership is unwilling to challenge the President.
My plan, embodied in HR 1234, would end the war, end the occupation, establish an international security and peacekeeping force, begin the process of reconciliation, and provide the kind of support needed for reconstruction.
My target is not 2013. My target is three months after taking office.
But in the meantime, we in the Congress, with your support, must use every means at our disposal to force the White House to act now to bring our troops home. And, we must use every means at our disposal to stop the White House from launching a new war on Iran with the same flimsy, deceptive and outright fraudulent claims it used five years ago.
After failing to deliver what it promised in last year’s election, the Democratic leadership has a moral obligation, overdue, to live up to its word to the American people. Please cast your vote:
On Civil Liberties:
I am the only Democrat running for President who voted against the unconstitutional and illegal U.S.A Patriot Act. The other candidates were wrong then, and various federal court rulings have made that abundantly clear. We can’t condone the shredding of our Constitution in the name of “national security.” And we can’t support leaders, candidates or policies that do. Please cast your vote:
On Health Care:
I am the only Presidential candidate who supports a truly universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care system to cover all Americans. Every other plan preserves, and in some cases, enhances the role of private, for-profit insurance companies that make their billions by not providing coverage. Forcing Americans to buy private insurance denies the moral obligation of this nation to provide coverage for its citizens. Any scheme that provides subsidies or other financial incentives to for-profit providers to make coverage less expensive or more accessible is just that: a scheme. It further enriches the insurers, at taxpayers’ expense, and would still not guarantee full coverage or universal availability.
Michael Moore has endorsed my health care plan (HR 676), as have thousands of physicians, nurses, and labor union members. It’s time to catch up to the rest of the industrialized nations and declare that health care is a right, not a commodity that some people can afford and others can’t. No other candidate is willing to take on those insurance companies. I am. And I believe that you are, too. Please cast your vote
On Equal Rights:
I am the only candidate running for president who supports full marriage equality. I believe marriage equality is a defining issue for the 21st century. Any two people who love each other should not be denied the right to share their love with each other. The other candidates disagree. Once again, they are wrong.
If we don’t stand up for this issue - vote our hearts and our consciences - the Democratic Party and the Democratic candidates will continue to ignore the issue of marriage equality and continue falling back on “civil unions” as a more “acceptable” alternative. It is not acceptable. You know it, and I know it. Please cast your vote
On Accountability:
I am only the presidential candidate willing to demand the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney. Every pair of DFA eyes reading this e-mail knows that this President and this Vice President have committed serious crimes worthy of impeachment. This it not a personal attack against the Vice President. It is about the sanctity of the Constitution. This democracy must be protected against leaders who have no regard for the Constitution or the rule of law. The mechanism for taking action against such leaders is impeachment. We, the people, have not only the right but the obligation to stop this. HR 333, which I introduced, is the appropriate recourse under the law to hold those leaders accountable and answerable.
Again, the Congressional leadership and the other candidates are unwilling to take the kind of action that our Constitution, our laws, and our beliefs demand that we take. And again, they are wrong. Please cast your vote
Kucinich closed the letter
My candidacy for President of the United States is about who we are as Americans. It is about who we are as Democrats. It is about who we are as progressives. There are clear distinctions between my friends in this race and me — major differences on every issue of importance to me and to you.
I stand proudly for my core beliefs. Only if you and others with the courage to hold the Party and its candidates accountable will we be able to make progress on a real agenda for real change in this nation. And by doing what’s right, all of us together, we can send a proud and powerful message that we know what - and who - is wrong. And, very simply, we’ve had enough.
For more information on my record, please visit my website — I want DFA members to have direct and constant contact with my campaign. I urge you at any time to reach out to our campaign’s national field director, Vin Gopal, by e-mailing him at vin.gopal(at)kucinich.us
I hope to earn your vote in this very important presidential poll.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Kucinich Goes Postmodern
The 35 Percenters have given us wondefully informed, yet playful and enertaining, dose of political commentary. In this acid-tongued, straight-shooting satire, an ordinary evening dinner at the Cleavers' turns into a political critique involving the most important issues of the 2008 Election; our swiftly fading nostalgia-Americana is forced to confront the current world of poltical corruption and corporate threats to democracy. Time to wake up?
Think, "What's Up Tiger Lily" with political purpose. Or, Kucinich gone postmodern...
Think, "What's Up Tiger Lily" with political purpose. Or, Kucinich gone postmodern...
Monday, October 1, 2007
H.R. 676: True Universal and Comprehensive Healthcare
H.R. 676 is a bill, co-drafted by Dennis Kucinich, which will enact a true universal health care system for the United States. The bill will create a publicly financed, privately delivered healthcare program that provides all U.S. citizens with comprehensive medical coverage, including office visits, hospitalization, emergency care, long term care, prescription drugs, medical equipment, mental health services, drug and alcohol treatment, dental and vision care; with no co-pays, deductibles, or denial of coverage.
Moreover, H.R. 676 provides this comprehensive coverage to all citizens by spending $56 Billion less each year than the current for-profit, private insurance system; the private insurance system that leaves 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; the same system that wastes 31% of every healthcare dollar (roughly $600 billion/yr) on non-healthcare related spending, such as marketing/advertising, an inefficient administration, rating and underwriting clients, denying coverage, and generating corporate profit; the system structured around profit that has undermined quality, affordable coverage, leaving Americans vulnerable to financial ruin in times of need because of excessive co-pays, deductibles, and medication costs.
As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 eliminates the waste by operating with a much more efficient 3% administration cost, utilizing the roughly $600 billion saved each year for actual healthcare and finally guaranteeing the same high quality care for every American. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 creates a healthcare system structured for the purpose of providing the best care to all in the most economically efficient way, rather than maximizing profit. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 finally presents access to healthcare as a basic human right, rather than just another corporate commodity. And, in his support of H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate considering what will truly strengthen and provide security for all Americans, rather than the healthcare industry. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is considering:
Crisis: 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; medically related bankruptcies, up 2,200% since 1981, account for half of all bankruptcies in this country and, yet ¾ of them were insured at the time. H.R. 676 guarantees full coverage for every American.
Quality: Not only does H.R. 676 provide all Americans with unparalleled quality of coverage, including free choice of provider and complete portability, but it finally allows medical decisions to be made only by those that should: medical professionals. H.R. 676 has the support of over 14,000 physicians and nurses associations because it eliminates the business of private insurance and pharmaceutical companies from influencing medical decisions to save money.
Costs: The private system has utterly failed to control costs as premiums have risen three times faster than inflation and pharmaceuticals go through the roof. H.R. 676 will not only spend $56 billion less, but go further in controlling costs by allocating budgets, eliminating profit and finally having the clout to negotiate fair rates with the pharmaceutical companies.
Families: As H.R. 676 is funded through tax dollars, 95% of families will pay less for health care than they do now. Under the current private system, the average family premium is up to $11,000/yr. However, under H.R.676, a family of three making $40,000/yr. will spend roughly 1,900/yr. For comprehensive coverage without any additional costs, such as co-pays,
deductibles or prescription medications.
Businesses: The current private system places a heavy burden on businesses to provide
healthcare for employees, the average employer contributing $2,600 per employee. Under H.R. 676 the average would drop to about $1,600. This financial strain handicaps U.S. businesses competing in the world market.
The for-profit system requires non-healthcare related spending and waste to operate, the whole system designed to create income, not care. In supporting H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only presidential candidate who offers a solution for high quality, true universal health care in this country: eliminating the for-profit, private insurance system. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is able to finally guarantee all Americans the security of affordable and fully comprehensive coverage. And through H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is reaching out to all Americans, bringing them together, to face the for-profit, private healthcare system and once again reclaim our responsibility as a great nation.
Moreover, H.R. 676 provides this comprehensive coverage to all citizens by spending $56 Billion less each year than the current for-profit, private insurance system; the private insurance system that leaves 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; the same system that wastes 31% of every healthcare dollar (roughly $600 billion/yr) on non-healthcare related spending, such as marketing/advertising, an inefficient administration, rating and underwriting clients, denying coverage, and generating corporate profit; the system structured around profit that has undermined quality, affordable coverage, leaving Americans vulnerable to financial ruin in times of need because of excessive co-pays, deductibles, and medication costs.
As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 eliminates the waste by operating with a much more efficient 3% administration cost, utilizing the roughly $600 billion saved each year for actual healthcare and finally guaranteeing the same high quality care for every American. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 creates a healthcare system structured for the purpose of providing the best care to all in the most economically efficient way, rather than maximizing profit. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 finally presents access to healthcare as a basic human right, rather than just another corporate commodity. And, in his support of H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate considering what will truly strengthen and provide security for all Americans, rather than the healthcare industry. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is considering:
Crisis: 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; medically related bankruptcies, up 2,200% since 1981, account for half of all bankruptcies in this country and, yet ¾ of them were insured at the time. H.R. 676 guarantees full coverage for every American.
Quality: Not only does H.R. 676 provide all Americans with unparalleled quality of coverage, including free choice of provider and complete portability, but it finally allows medical decisions to be made only by those that should: medical professionals. H.R. 676 has the support of over 14,000 physicians and nurses associations because it eliminates the business of private insurance and pharmaceutical companies from influencing medical decisions to save money.
Costs: The private system has utterly failed to control costs as premiums have risen three times faster than inflation and pharmaceuticals go through the roof. H.R. 676 will not only spend $56 billion less, but go further in controlling costs by allocating budgets, eliminating profit and finally having the clout to negotiate fair rates with the pharmaceutical companies.
Families: As H.R. 676 is funded through tax dollars, 95% of families will pay less for health care than they do now. Under the current private system, the average family premium is up to $11,000/yr. However, under H.R.676, a family of three making $40,000/yr. will spend roughly 1,900/yr. For comprehensive coverage without any additional costs, such as co-pays,
deductibles or prescription medications.
Businesses: The current private system places a heavy burden on businesses to provide
healthcare for employees, the average employer contributing $2,600 per employee. Under H.R. 676 the average would drop to about $1,600. This financial strain handicaps U.S. businesses competing in the world market.
The for-profit system requires non-healthcare related spending and waste to operate, the whole system designed to create income, not care. In supporting H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only presidential candidate who offers a solution for high quality, true universal health care in this country: eliminating the for-profit, private insurance system. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is able to finally guarantee all Americans the security of affordable and fully comprehensive coverage. And through H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is reaching out to all Americans, bringing them together, to face the for-profit, private healthcare system and once again reclaim our responsibility as a great nation.
Kucinich's SCHIP Vote
People have been quick to jump on Dennis Kucinich's for his vote against the SCHIP bill. According to the many critics who are slamming him for it, he is "grandstanding" by not supporting "progressive" reform and thus undermining the health of millions of children. That is, they say, Kucinich chose himself over the children.
Ironically, though, it's suffering children that made Kucinich vote against the bill. It doesn't cover children of legal immigrants:
That's right, this "progressive" legislation has omitted that part from the earlier version of expanding the program; the earlier version that Kucinich did vote for. And before someone starts arguing "realistic reform" and taking "steps in the right direction" ask yourself how likely it is that these children woould be addressed at a later time, in some reform down the road: when do you think Congress will address these children of parents who don't vote?
No. It is unacceptable to leave these children out of the reform, children who in large part are the children in most need; the children who are truly poor, who live 2 or 3 families a house, the children whose parents are more likely to not speak English and therefore, not only have low wages, but unsafe and unsanitary work conditions, children who are exposed to pesticides...
It's stunning how leaving these children out of the legislation is only described as "not perfect". It's not humane!
Ironically, though, it's suffering children that made Kucinich vote against the bill. It doesn't cover children of legal immigrants:
“I cannot support legislation which extends health coverage to some children while openly denying it to other children,” Kucinich said. “This legislation is woefully inadequate: and I will not support it.
“Legal immigrant children deserve the same quality health care as other children receive. It is Congress’ responsibility to address the main difficulties that prevent legal immigrant children from gaining access to health care. Today, we did exactly the opposite.
That's right, this "progressive" legislation has omitted that part from the earlier version of expanding the program; the earlier version that Kucinich did vote for. And before someone starts arguing "realistic reform" and taking "steps in the right direction" ask yourself how likely it is that these children woould be addressed at a later time, in some reform down the road: when do you think Congress will address these children of parents who don't vote?
No. It is unacceptable to leave these children out of the reform, children who in large part are the children in most need; the children who are truly poor, who live 2 or 3 families a house, the children whose parents are more likely to not speak English and therefore, not only have low wages, but unsafe and unsanitary work conditions, children who are exposed to pesticides...
It's stunning how leaving these children out of the legislation is only described as "not perfect". It's not humane!
Monday, September 24, 2007
H.R. 676: True Universal and Comprehensive Healthcare
H.R. 676 is a bill, co-drafted by Dennis Kucinich, which will enact a true universal health care system for the United States. The bill will create a publicly financed, privately delivered healthcare program that provides all U.S. citizens with comprehensive medical coverage, including office visits, hospitalization, emergency care, long term care, prescription drugs, medical equipment, mental health services, drug and alcohol treatment, dental and vision care; with no co-pays, deductibles, or denial of coverage.
Moreover, H.R. 676 provides this comprehensive coverage to all citizens by spending $56 Billion less each year than the current for-profit, private insurance system; the private insurance system that leaves 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; the same system that wastes 31% of every healthcare dollar (roughly $600 billion/yr) on non-healthcare related spending, such as marketing/advertising, an inefficient administration, rating and underwriting clients, denying coverage, and generating corporate profit; the system structured around profit that has undermined quality, affordable coverage, leaving Americans vulnerable to financial ruin in times of need because of excessive co-pays, deductibles, and medication costs.
As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 eliminates the waste by operating with a much more efficient 3% administration cost, utilizing the roughly $600 billion saved each year for actual healthcare and finally guaranteeing the same high quality care for every American. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 creates a healthcare system structured for the purpose of providing the best care to all in the most economically efficient way, rather than maximizing profit. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 finally presents access to healthcare as a basic human right, rather than just another corporate commodity. And, in his support of H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate considering what will truly strengthen and provide security for all Americans, rather than the healthcare industry. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is considering:
Crisis: 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; medically related bankruptcies, up 2,200% since 1981, account for half of all bankruptcies in this country and, yet ¾ of them were insured at the time. H.R. 676 guarantees full coverage for every American.
Quality: Not only does H.R. 676 provide all Americans with unparalleled quality of coverage, including free choice of provider and complete portability, but it finally allows medical decisions to be made only by those that should: medical professionals. H.R. 676 has the support of over 14,000 physicians and nurses associations because it eliminates the business of private insurance and pharmaceutical companies from influencing medical decisions to save money.
Costs: The private system has utterly failed to control costs as premiums have risen three times faster than inflation and pharmaceuticals go through the roof. H.R. 676 will not only spend $56 billion less, but go further in controlling costs by allocating budgets, eliminating profit and finally having the clout to negotiate fair rates with the pharmaceutical companies.
Families: As H.R. 676 is funded through tax dollars, 95% of families will pay less for health care than they do now. Under the current private system, the average family premium is up to $11,000/yr. However, under H.R.676, a family of three making $40,000/yr. will spend roughly 1,900/yr. For comprehensive coverage without any additional costs, such as co-pays,
deductibles or prescription medications.
Businesses: The current private system places a heavy burden on businesses to provide
healthcare for employees, the average employer contributing $2,600 per employee. Under H.R. 676 the average would drop to about $1,600. This financial strain handicaps U.S. businesses competing in the world market.
The for-profit system requires non-healthcare related spending and waste to operate, the whole system designed to create income, not care. In supporting H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only presidential candidate who offers a solution for high quality, true universal health care in this country: eliminating the for-profit, private insurance system. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is able to finally guarantee all Americans the security of affordable and fully comprehensive coverage. And through H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is reaching out to all Americans, bringing them together, to face the for-profit, private healthcare system and once again reclaim our responsibility as a great nation.
Moreover, H.R. 676 provides this comprehensive coverage to all citizens by spending $56 Billion less each year than the current for-profit, private insurance system; the private insurance system that leaves 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; the same system that wastes 31% of every healthcare dollar (roughly $600 billion/yr) on non-healthcare related spending, such as marketing/advertising, an inefficient administration, rating and underwriting clients, denying coverage, and generating corporate profit; the system structured around profit that has undermined quality, affordable coverage, leaving Americans vulnerable to financial ruin in times of need because of excessive co-pays, deductibles, and medication costs.
As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 eliminates the waste by operating with a much more efficient 3% administration cost, utilizing the roughly $600 billion saved each year for actual healthcare and finally guaranteeing the same high quality care for every American. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 creates a healthcare system structured for the purpose of providing the best care to all in the most economically efficient way, rather than maximizing profit. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 finally presents access to healthcare as a basic human right, rather than just another corporate commodity. And, in his support of H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate considering what will truly strengthen and provide security for all Americans, rather than the healthcare industry. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is considering:
Crisis: 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; medically related bankruptcies, up 2,200% since 1981, account for half of all bankruptcies in this country and, yet ¾ of them were insured at the time. H.R. 676 guarantees full coverage for every American.
Quality: Not only does H.R. 676 provide all Americans with unparalleled quality of coverage, including free choice of provider and complete portability, but it finally allows medical decisions to be made only by those that should: medical professionals. H.R. 676 has the support of over 14,000 physicians and nurses associations because it eliminates the business of private insurance and pharmaceutical companies from influencing medical decisions to save money.
Costs: The private system has utterly failed to control costs as premiums have risen three times faster than inflation and pharmaceuticals go through the roof. H.R. 676 will not only spend $56 billion less, but go further in controlling costs by allocating budgets, eliminating profit and finally having the clout to negotiate fair rates with the pharmaceutical companies.
Families: As H.R. 676 is funded through tax dollars, 95% of families will pay less for health care than they do now. Under the current private system, the average family premium is up to $11,000/yr. However, under H.R.676, a family of three making $40,000/yr. will spend roughly 1,900/yr. For comprehensive coverage without any additional costs, such as co-pays,
deductibles or prescription medications.
Businesses: The current private system places a heavy burden on businesses to provide
healthcare for employees, the average employer contributing $2,600 per employee. Under H.R. 676 the average would drop to about $1,600. This financial strain handicaps U.S. businesses competing in the world market.
The for-profit system requires non-healthcare related spending and waste to operate, the whole system designed to create income, not care. In supporting H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only presidential candidate who offers a solution for high quality, true universal health care in this country: eliminating the for-profit, private insurance system. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is able to finally guarantee all Americans the security of affordable and fully comprehensive coverage. And through H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is reaching out to all Americans, bringing them together, to face the for-profit, private healthcare system and once again reclaim our responsibility as a great nation.
Kucinich at The Urban League With "Strength Through Peace"
Americans are fed up; fed up with the war, with healthcare, with our approach to the environment. Citizens are fed up with unconstitutional "patriotism", with unitary executive "order", with a "Vice-President" using unprecedented power, with "wars on terror"; with a now neurotic sense of national identity that reflects a broken constitution and that foreboding sense of irony that comes with these endless quotations!
We are fed up with a Legislative lack of constitutional integrity, of a Congress democratically elected to end a war and refuses to, of a government with a fundamental disconnect at the "representative" level. We are fed up with a corporate media controlled by so few shaping our elections, with lobbyists, bundling and hedge funds, with politics as usual.
America is fed up with our standing, both nationally and internationally, and desperate for real change: change that addresses not only policy, but citizens. Americans needs to feel connected again; to the world, their government and themselves. And this is what Dennis Kucinich is offering in his candidacy to represent the uNited States at the Presidential level: Strength Through Peace.
Strength Through Peace is not a simple anti-war campaign slogan, but, rather a holisitc approach to foreign and domestic policy that will take this country in a whole new direction.
Strength through Peace means restoring American leadership in diplomacy and respecting International Law and treaties. It means creating jobs at home and providing true universal and comprehensive healthcare for all Americans. It means ending the occupation in Iraq and preventing future strikes in Iran, while recognizing the link between global warring and global warming. It means then breaking our dependence on oil, as well as coal and nuclear, to aggresively pursue renewable and sustainable energy sources at home. It means ending disastrous wars, wasting hundreds of billion of dollars, and focusing money on domestic needs to provide universal pre-kindergarten and daycare. It means repealing unfair trade agreements like NAFTA and WTO to bring jobs back to this country.
Strength Through Peace is Dennis Kucinch reaching out to all Americans in order to reclaim this country from special interests like the insurance and drug companies, the oil industry and the military-industrial complex. The most outspoken and consistent critic against the war from the beginning and the only candidate to offer single-payer healthcare system that eliminates the wasteful private insurance industry, Kucinich recently spoke at the Urban League about his domestic policy and how he uses Strength Through Peace within it. If you haven't yet seen Kucinich speak at length, I would urge you to go here. He is a dynamic and passionate speaker who is utterly different than the image created in our media and many may be struck by the soberness of his views and bright promise he offers for this country. He appears about 1/4 of the way through the video and speaks about the things I have outlined above as well as his plans to create a works program, similar to FDR's WPA, repairing our national infrastructure like roads, schools, and water systems and incorporating sustainable energy solutions that would create even more jobs and save more money to families, retrofiting homes with solar and wind technology.
In the end, Strength Through Peace means creating the conditions for peace to manifest. Peace is a pragmatic issue, not a blindly idealistic one. Peace grows out of material conditions and relationships structured upon fairness and respect, not thin air or fantasy. And until this country implements policies to create conditions favorable to peace and conducts its relationships based upon fairness and law, our problems will remain the same.
Please notice I say this country and not politicians. Politicians can offer us platforms and leadership, but ultimately the country is in the hands of the people. And I'd rather hear no more media induced fear from our people. No more talk of "electability". No more anti-war voters who support candidates that won't faithfully pursue its end. No more avoiding policy answers that are in the best interest of the country because of the little hope that it can be passed through and become law.
Elections are decided by votes from an active citizenry. Representatives are elected by, and answer to, an active citizenry. And politically unpopular policies will only become law through this active citizenry.
We have to recognize the disconnect between our Representatives and citizens, stare it straight in the face, and begin our struggle to change it. What should be an outrage and treated as any other threat, has only become a deadened response to pain, a cynical shrug of the shoulders. For this disconnect has become so pronounced that what is politically unpopular often has very little to do with what is popular with the majority of the people. Yet, we don't vote to change it because of media fears like "electability", policies that won't pass...
As far as I can see, this really IS the problem. Nothing else. We have the power to change this country, but only if we take action. We can change this country by voting for what matters to us: by voting on the issues and nothing else. For if we voted on issues I can't help but wonder how different this country would be. If we voted on issues we may have a very different election.
I'll leave you with this final link: here. It is from an independent website poll taken by over 67,000 participants and voted strictly by the issue, without any refernce to the specific canidates. In the poll Kucinich is the first choice of 53% of those participants, dwarfing the next highest at around 12% (and, no it wasn't any of the "frontrunners").
We are fed up with a Legislative lack of constitutional integrity, of a Congress democratically elected to end a war and refuses to, of a government with a fundamental disconnect at the "representative" level. We are fed up with a corporate media controlled by so few shaping our elections, with lobbyists, bundling and hedge funds, with politics as usual.
America is fed up with our standing, both nationally and internationally, and desperate for real change: change that addresses not only policy, but citizens. Americans needs to feel connected again; to the world, their government and themselves. And this is what Dennis Kucinich is offering in his candidacy to represent the uNited States at the Presidential level: Strength Through Peace.
Strength Through Peace is not a simple anti-war campaign slogan, but, rather a holisitc approach to foreign and domestic policy that will take this country in a whole new direction.
Strength through Peace means restoring American leadership in diplomacy and respecting International Law and treaties. It means creating jobs at home and providing true universal and comprehensive healthcare for all Americans. It means ending the occupation in Iraq and preventing future strikes in Iran, while recognizing the link between global warring and global warming. It means then breaking our dependence on oil, as well as coal and nuclear, to aggresively pursue renewable and sustainable energy sources at home. It means ending disastrous wars, wasting hundreds of billion of dollars, and focusing money on domestic needs to provide universal pre-kindergarten and daycare. It means repealing unfair trade agreements like NAFTA and WTO to bring jobs back to this country.
Strength Through Peace is Dennis Kucinch reaching out to all Americans in order to reclaim this country from special interests like the insurance and drug companies, the oil industry and the military-industrial complex. The most outspoken and consistent critic against the war from the beginning and the only candidate to offer single-payer healthcare system that eliminates the wasteful private insurance industry, Kucinich recently spoke at the Urban League about his domestic policy and how he uses Strength Through Peace within it. If you haven't yet seen Kucinich speak at length, I would urge you to go here. He is a dynamic and passionate speaker who is utterly different than the image created in our media and many may be struck by the soberness of his views and bright promise he offers for this country. He appears about 1/4 of the way through the video and speaks about the things I have outlined above as well as his plans to create a works program, similar to FDR's WPA, repairing our national infrastructure like roads, schools, and water systems and incorporating sustainable energy solutions that would create even more jobs and save more money to families, retrofiting homes with solar and wind technology.
In the end, Strength Through Peace means creating the conditions for peace to manifest. Peace is a pragmatic issue, not a blindly idealistic one. Peace grows out of material conditions and relationships structured upon fairness and respect, not thin air or fantasy. And until this country implements policies to create conditions favorable to peace and conducts its relationships based upon fairness and law, our problems will remain the same.
Please notice I say this country and not politicians. Politicians can offer us platforms and leadership, but ultimately the country is in the hands of the people. And I'd rather hear no more media induced fear from our people. No more talk of "electability". No more anti-war voters who support candidates that won't faithfully pursue its end. No more avoiding policy answers that are in the best interest of the country because of the little hope that it can be passed through and become law.
Elections are decided by votes from an active citizenry. Representatives are elected by, and answer to, an active citizenry. And politically unpopular policies will only become law through this active citizenry.
We have to recognize the disconnect between our Representatives and citizens, stare it straight in the face, and begin our struggle to change it. What should be an outrage and treated as any other threat, has only become a deadened response to pain, a cynical shrug of the shoulders. For this disconnect has become so pronounced that what is politically unpopular often has very little to do with what is popular with the majority of the people. Yet, we don't vote to change it because of media fears like "electability", policies that won't pass...
As far as I can see, this really IS the problem. Nothing else. We have the power to change this country, but only if we take action. We can change this country by voting for what matters to us: by voting on the issues and nothing else. For if we voted on issues I can't help but wonder how different this country would be. If we voted on issues we may have a very different election.
I'll leave you with this final link: here. It is from an independent website poll taken by over 67,000 participants and voted strictly by the issue, without any refernce to the specific canidates. In the poll Kucinich is the first choice of 53% of those participants, dwarfing the next highest at around 12% (and, no it wasn't any of the "frontrunners").
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
