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Democracy for America group blog for Greater Kansas City Democracy for America
October Meeting -- Well Done!
Linked to groups: Greater Kansas City Democracy for America
To all those responsible for the panel discussion at the October meeting ...
You should be proud of yourselves for presenting us with an outstanding panel and stimulating discussion.
Attend and/or support the DFA Campaign Training in Columbia MO this next weekend. You are invited!
Linked to groups: Democracy For the Heart of America, DFA Columbia, Missouri DFA, Greater Kansas City Democracy for America, Change for Missouri
Columbia MO DFA is hosting the Democracy For America Campaign Training Academy October 3rd and 4th, just in time to help launch the 2010 campaign season.
If you have not yet RSVP'd please do:
Please help spread the word.
We have some great speakers, and the breakout sessions will focus on Missouri and how to swing voters in conservative areas. Andrew Kling, Rebecca McClanahan's campaign manager will be doing a breakout session on Sunday. Rebecca Richardson, Chair of Missouri Progressive Women's Caucus will share her expertise on how to elect progressive women candidates, and Brian Zuzenak, the MO Party Exec Director will focus on Party structure and the use of the voter file.
These folks are in addition to the other expert national campaign trainers specializing in media (Ellory Gould), finance (Jay Parmley), messaging (Brian Hageny), field organizing and issue advocacy (Helen Strain) as well as DFA Chair Jim Dean and principle trainer Matt Blizek.
A highlight of the weekend will be the Pizza Party outside Shakespeare's pizza under big-top canopies with several incumbent speakers and fantastic pizza courtesy of the host DFA organization, Democracy for Missouri. More details on the weekend here:
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/events/32787-dfa-campaign-training-in-columbia
Thus far we have 87 RSVPs, and although the training is not very expensive, ($60...$30 for low income/students) there are
about 20 people who have requested help with tuition. Call it a sign of
the economic times we are in. It would be great if you could help
sponsor training attendees:
https://democracyforamerica.com/contribution_pages/89-scholarship-contribution?event=32787
Details on the Columbia DFA Traning Academy
Linked to groups: Change for Missouri, Democracy For the Heart of America, Missouri DFA, Greater Kansas City Democracy for America, DFA Columbia
The last Democracy for America Campaign Training of 2009, is in Columbia MO October 3rd and 4th, just in time to help launch the 2010 campaign season. If you have not yet RSVP'd please do...
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/events/32787-dfa-campaign-training-in-columbia
Please help spread the word.
We have some great speakers, and the breakout sessions will focus on Missouri and how to swing voters in conservative areas. Andrew Kling, Rebecca McClanahan's campaign manager will be doing a breakout session on Sunday. Rebecca Richardson, Chair of Missouri Progressive Women's Caucus will share her expertise on how to support progressive women candidates, and Brian Zuzenak, the MO Party Exec Director will focus on Party structure and the use of the voter file.
These folks are in addition to the other expert national campaign trainers specializing in media (Ellory Gould), finance (Jay Parmley), messaging (Brian Hageny), field organizing and issue advocacy (Helen Strain as well as DFA Chair Jim Dean and principle trainer Matt Blizek.
A highlight of the weekend will be the Pizza Party outside Shakespeare's pizza under big-top canopies with several incumbent speakers and fantastic pizza courtesy of the host DFA organization, Democracy for Missouri.
Thus far we have 76 RSVPs, and although the training is not very expensive, ($60) there are
about 20 people who have requested help with tuition. Call it a sign of
the economic times we are in. It would be great if you could help
sponsor training attendees:
https://democracyforamerica.com/contribution_pages/89-scholarship-contribution?event=32787
More McCaskill Health care events and some rally action as well!
Linked to groups: Greater Kansas City Democracy for America, Democracy For the Heart of America, Missouri DFA
There are two grassroots health insurance reform rallies and lots of Claire McCaskill health events coming up.
September 2nd:
Progressive organizations with the
cooperation of the Johnson County Democratic Party & UCM College
Democrats will host a march & rally in support of healthcare reform
at 5.00 p.m. Wednesday, September 2 at the Johnson County Court House
Grounds in Warrensburg, Missouri.
The Real Healthcare Reform March
We will start from the Johnson County Court House Grounds and march to the University Union Room 237B 5.30pm – 6.00pm
(We
have been granted permission to hold a parade from the courthouse to
the UCM union. We will have police escorts in front of and behind the
group that walks)
Also on the 2nd:
Grass Roots Organizing and Health Care for America Now have a huge rally with great speakers also planned tor the 2nd on the Steps of the Capital in Jefferson City. Starts 10:30 til Noon with Speeches by Judy Baker, Senator Wes Shoemyer, Representative Rebecca McClanahan and others.
Lets turn out, get Claire and Obama's back, and help bring on the health reform with a Public Option that we need!
Claire's Health listening tour:
In addition to Health care "listening forums" in Moberly Kansas City and Hannibal on the 24th and Jefferson City on the 26th, Claire will be in Warrrensburg in the early ours of the 26th and in Springfield and West Plains on the 31st.
Healthcare Listening Forum
Rural Youth Community Center - Johnson County Fairgrounds
386 NW 145
4 miles west of Warrensburg on Hwy. 50
Warrensburg, MO 64093
Wednesday, August 26, 8:00 a.m.
Healthcare Listening Forum
West Plains Civic Center Theater
110 St. Louis Street
West Plains, Missouri 65775
Monday, August 31, 9:00 a.m.
Healthcare Listening Forum
Gillioz Theater
325 Park Central East
Springfield, MO 65806
Monday, August 31, 12:30 p.m.
Thanks to Ragh from Warrensburg for the alert on this.
Bill Monroe, DFA Missouri
Obama and Public Health Option...yes!
Linked to groups: Greater Kansas City Democracy for America, Democracy For the Heart of America, DFA Columbia, Missouri DFA
What follows is the letter the President sent outlining his health care priorities and detailing that the Public Health care option must be present. Time for letters to the editor and to our Representatives to assure coverage for all with a Public option.
By the way....if you have not yet registered for the DFA Training this October in Columbia MO, please do so now. We have reserved a small block of rooms for out of town folks and have been engaged in some conference calls planning this with Matt Blizek. It is going to be fantastic!
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/events/32787-dfa-campaign-training-in-columbia
TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY AND SENATOR MAX BAUCUS
June 2, 2009
The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy, The Honorable Max Baucus
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Baucus:
The meeting that we held today was very productive and I want to commend you for your leadership -- and the hard work your Committees are doing on health care reform, one of the most urgent and important challenges confronting us as a Nation.
In 2009, health care reform is not a luxury. It's a necessity we cannot defer. Soaring health care costs make our current course unsustainable. It is unsustainable for our families, whose spiraling premiums and out-of-pocket expenses are pushing them into bankruptcy and forcing them to go without the checkups and prescriptions they need. It is unsustainable for businesses, forcing more and more of them to choose between keeping their doors open or covering their workers. And the ever-increasing cost of Medicare and Medicaid are among the main drivers of enormous budget deficits that are threatening our economic future.
In short, the status quo is broken, and pouring money into a broken system only perpetuates its inefficiencies. Doing nothing would only put our entire health care system at risk. Without meaningful reform, one fifth of our economy is projected to be tied up in our health care system in 10 years; millions more Americans are expected to go without insurance; and outside of what they are receiving for health care, workers are projected to see their take-home pay actually fall over time.
We simply cannot afford to postpone health care reform any longer. This recognition has led an unprecedented coalition to emerge on behalf of reform -- hospitals, physicians, and health insurers, labor and business, Democrats and Republicans. These groups, adversaries in past efforts, are now standing as partners on the same side of this debate.
At this historic juncture, we share the goal of quality, affordable health care for all Americans. But I want to stress that reform cannot mean focusing on expanded coverage alone. Indeed, without a serious, sustained effort to reduce the growth rate of health care costs, affordable health care coverage will remain out of reach. So we must attack the root causes of the inflation in health care. That means promoting the best practices, not simply the most expensive. We should ask why places like the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, and other institutions can offer the highest quality care at costs well below the national norm. We need to learn from their successes and replicate those best practices across our country. That's how we can achieve reform that preserves and strengthens what's best about our health care system, while fixing what is broken.
The plans you are discussing embody my core belief that Americans should have better choices for health insurance, building on the principle that if they like the coverage they have now, they can keep it, while seeing their costs lowered as our reforms take hold. But for those who don't have such options, I agree that we should create a health insurance exchange -- a market where Americans can one-stop shop for a health care plan, compare benefits and prices, and choose the plan that's best for them, in the same way that Members of Congress and their families can. None of these plans should deny coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition, and all of these plans should include an affordable basic benefit package that includes prevention, and protection against catastrophic costs. I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans. This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest.
I understand the Committees are moving towards a principle of shared responsibility -- making every American responsible for having health insurance coverage, and asking that employers share in the cost. I share the goal of ending lapses and gaps in coverage that make us less healthy and drive up everyone's costs, and I am open to your ideas on shared responsibility.
But I believe if we are going to make people responsible for owning health insurance, we must make health care affordable. If we do end up with a system where people are responsible for their own insurance, we need to provide a hardship waiver to exempt Americans who cannot afford it. In addition, while I believe that employers have a responsibility to support health insurance for their employees, small businesses face a number of special challenges in affording health benefits and should be exempted.
Health care reform must not add to our deficits over the next 10 years -- it must be at least deficit neutral and put America on a path to reducing its deficit over time. To fulfill this promise, I have set aside $635 billion in a health reserve fund as a down payment on reform.
This reserve fund includes a number of proposals to cut spending by $309 billion over 10 years --reducing overpayments to Medicare Advantage private insurers; strengthening Medicare and Medicaid payment accuracy by cutting waste, fraud and abuse; improving care for Medicare patients after hospitalizations; and encouraging physicians to form "accountable care organizations" to improve the quality of care for Medicare patients. The reserve fund also includes a proposal to limit the tax rate at which high-income taxpayers can take itemized deductions to 28 percent, which, together with other steps to close loopholes, would raise $326 billion over 10 years.
I am committed to working with the Congress to fully offset the cost of health care reform by reducing Medicare and Medicaid spending by another $200 to $300 billion over the next 10 years, and by enacting appropriate proposals to generate additional revenues. These savings will come not only by adopting new technologies and addressing the vastly different costs of care, but from going after the key drivers of skyrocketing health care costs, including unmanaged chronic diseases, duplicated tests, and unnecessary hospital readmissions.
To identify and achieve additional savings, I am also open to your ideas about giving special consideration to the recommendations of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), a commission created by a Republican Congress. Under this approach, MedPAC's recommendations on cost reductions would be adopted unless opposed by a joint resolution of the Congress. This is similar to a process that has been used effectively by a commission charged with closing military bases, and could be a valuable tool to help achieve health care reform in a fiscally responsible way.
These are some of the issues I look forward to discussing with you in greater detail in the weeks and months ahead. But this year, we must do more than discuss. We must act. The American people and America's future demand it.
I know that you have reached out to Republican colleagues, as I have, and that you have worked hard to reach a bipartisan consensus about many of these issues. I remain hopeful that many Republicans will join us in enacting this historic legislation that will lower health care costs for families, businesses, and governments, and improve the lives of millions of Americans.
So, I appreciate your efforts, and look forward to working with you so that the Congress can complete health care reform by October.
Sincerely,
BARACK OBAMA
Statewide Peace Rally in Columbia this Saturday...DFA B Day, etc
Linked to groups: Missouri DFA, Change for Missouri, Greater Kansas City Democracy for America
There will be a major peace rally in Columbia this Saturday the 21st at 1:30 PM at Courthouse Square, followed by a march and message delivery to our Senator's offices. There are some great speakers and music lined up. The Theme is YES WE CAN! create a peaceful world and a peace economy. The local DFA will be there as members of the Columbia Peace Coalition which is organizing this event. Look for the Democracy for Missouri banner.
A lot of help will be needed with the collection of signatures to the HCAN health care petition by ProVote and the Obama (OFA) health, energy and education pledge drive which will be a part of this event.
Please do come, show your support for peace and help out if you are so moved.
In other news, DFA Columbia is hosting a 5th Birthday party for DFA at Shakespeare's pizza on Wednesday March 25th at 6:00 PM. The telephone conference call from Howard Dean and others starts at 8:00 PM Central time. Check it out and/or RSVP here:
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/events/32536-dfa-birthday-party
Watch Countdown with Keith Olbermann on the net at http://liberal.democratz.org
Linked to groups: Manhattan Young Democrats, iilinois federation of college democrats, Essex Freeholder Watch, DFA Passaic County , Democracy for Texas
Did you miss last night's episode of Countdown with Keith Olbermann? Does your tv system not have MSNBC? If so then you can watch Countdown with Keith Olbermann on the net at
http://liberal.democratz.org and if you can't get to that web page then go to
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze2pnn4/dmocrats1/id2.html
Read more
Send this letter to congress to end Republiklan filibusters and get needed legislation enacted. http://write2congress.buyblue.biz
Linked to groups: Essex Freeholder Watch, North Dallas Democracy For America, Georgia for Democracy, Democracy For America - Oklahoma City, 49th Ward DFA
Send the following letter by fax to Senate Republican minority leader
Senator Mitch McConnell. Tell other people to visit this site and have
these people to get other people to visit this site.
Go to http://write2congress.buyblue.biz which will have the letter
shown below in the text box and the fax information for Senator
McConnell. Just enter your name and email in the left hand box and fill
in the captcha code and then click on the button that reads send free
fax now.
Dear Senator Senator McConnell
I want the following actions taken and legislation enacted into law.
Read more
A message from a four-legged friend.
Linked to groups: DFALA, Boise D.F.A., Georgia Business Professionals DFA, Democracy for Edina/West Bloomington, Democracy for Montgomery County
Mitzy is a two year old Brittany Spaniel/Chocolate Lab mix. She is a wonderful dog who loves to play, especially fetch, and loves to go for rides in the car. She knows how to sit, shake and heel.
Mitzy's family loved her very much. They had her spayed, as all responsible pet-owners should, and took her to the Vet for the least little problem. Mitzy was a member of the family, and when a member of your family is sick, you take them to the doctor.
However, about six months ago, the father of Mitzy's family lost his job. The result was so financially devastating that they could no longer afford to care for Mitzy and were forced to surrender her to the Missaukee Humane Society.
Given the exponential descent of our economy, Mitzy's story has become all too common. But, there is something you can do to help. Missaukee Humane Society (MHS) is a small shelter in rural northern Michigan, dependent on contributions to continue their mission of mercy. They are one of the only no-kill animal shelters left in Michigan, and are currently running on a deficit, at full capacity. Many mornings, the staff arrives to find abandoned pets, left overnight by owners who can no longer afford to feed or care for them.
Right now, MHS is attempting to win a $10,000 prize from Adopt-a-Pet.com. Please, can you spare 30 seconds of your time to vote for MHS, by clicking on...
http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/70962/?refer=26290.12.1229816824.4762
$10,000 could save literally hundreds of abandoned pets - Pets that give us nothing but unconditional love in exchange for an occasional pat on the head, a squeaky toy to play with, and a couple of bowls filled with food and fresh water.
Because MHS is in a rural, sparsely populated area, they need as many votes as possible from all across the state, and all across the country. Please vote now at...
http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/70962/?refer=26290.12.1229816824.4762
Time is running out, so please don't wait. The contest ends January 31, 2009, at 11:59pm. After you vote, you will have an opportunity to forward information about the contest to as many people as possible so that they can join you in this worthy cause. Vote, spread the word, be a voice for the voiceless...
http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/70962/?refer=26290.12.1229816824.4762
I thank you, and Mitzy thanks you.
The one absolute, unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world—the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous—is his dog…
- George Graham Vest, American lawyer and politician, 1830-1904
Can you spare 30 seconds of your time to help save abandoned pets?
Linked to groups: Georgia for Democracy, Washtenaw County Democracy For America, Lower Bucks for Democracy, Democracy for Indiana, Clean Money Virginia
As our economic crisis continues to worsen, some of the most vulnerable among us can not speak for themselves - Unwanted and abandoned pets. Missaukee Humane Society (MHS) is a small shelter in rural Northern Michigan, dependent on contributions to continue their mission of mercy. MHS is one of the only no-kill animal shelters left in Michigan. They are currently running on a deficit, and at full capacity. Many mornings, the staff arrives to find abandoned pets, left overnight by owners who can no longer afford to feed or care for them.
Right now, MHS is attempting to win a $10,000 prize from Adopt-a-Pet.com. Please, can you spare 30 seconds of your time to vote for MHS, by clicking on...
http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/70962/?refer=26290.12.1229816824.4762
$10,000 could save literally hundreds of abandoned pets - Pets that give us nothing but unconditional love in exchange for an occasional pat on the head, game of fetch, and a couple of bowls filled with food and fresh water.
Because MHS is in a rural, sparsely populated area, they need as many votes as possible from all across the state, and all across the country. Please vote now at...
http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/70962/?refer=26290.12.1229816824.4762
The one absolute, unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world—the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous—is his dog…a man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he can be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that had no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace, and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.
- George Graham Vest, American lawyer and politician, 1830-1904
Videos of some of the 64 House Healthcare Heroes standing strong for a public health insurance option
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver
Congressman Lloyd Dogget
Congressman Keith Ellison
Congressman Bob Filner
Congressman Phil Hare
Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey
Congresswoman Maxine Waters
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