May 30th: National Day of Action For Single Payer

SarahLee's diary ::

Nationwide Rallies for Improved Medicare for All

Join thousands of single-payer supporters in a nationwide week of action to support improved Medicare for all (HR 676). Single-payer activists will be gathering all over the country to say, "Healthcare, yes; Insurance companies, no," and to show solidarity with demonstrations at the AHIP (American Health Insurance Plans, a private health insurance lobby) conference in San Diego.

If an action isn't already in your city, plan your own day of action! It can be a town hall meeting, demonstration in front of a local insurance company, film showing, vigil, or your own unique idea. Let us know what you'd like to start planning by contacting info@healthcare-now.org.
47 million Americans are uninsured. Private insurance rates are rising faster than inflation and our incomes. By 2025 the cost of private health insurance will exceed our projected income. A national, single-payer healthcare system is the only healthcare reform option that will cover every American resident while saving us billions of dollars. The majority of Americans want it. The majority of physicians want it. The only thing missing is the political will in Washington.

Demonstration Locations

Planning is happening in:
Albany, NY - May 27th Atlana, GA - May 27th Augusta, ME - May 30th Austin, TX - May 30th Billings, MT - May 16th Boston, MA - May 30th Chicago, IL - June 2nd Denver, CO - May 30th Elmwood Park, NJ - June 5 Fenton, MI - May 21st Gainesville, FL - May 28th & 30th Greeley, CO - May 30th Indianapolis, IN - May 20th Lawrence, KS - May 30th Los Angeles, CA - TBA Louisville, KY - May 28th Middleton, CT - May 28th New Albany, IN - May 30th New York City, NY - May 30th Philadelphia, PA - May 30th Pittsburgh, PA - May 29th Phoenix, AZ - May 30th Pontiac, MI - June 16th Portland, OR - May 27th Princeton, NJ - May 31st Rochester, NY - May 30th San Diego, CA - June 3rd San Francisco, CA - TBA Seattle, WA - May 30th Springfield, MA - May 27th Tampa, FL - TBA Topeka, KS - May 30th Towson, MD - May 30th Wheaton, MD - May 30th

Click here to get more info from DailyKos http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/5/18/732752/-May-30th:-National-Day-of-Action-For-Single-Payer


Take a little time out of your day to learn how it can be done, and IS being done, in five democracies around the world. Click here, and watch Frontline's 'Sick Around the World', get details on the five countries already providing this stabilizing, cost cutting service to their citizens.


United Kingdom

An interview with an expert on the UK's system +
Percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) spent on health care: 8.3
Average family premium: None; funded by taxation.
Co-payments: None for most services; some co-pays for dental care, eyeglasses and 5 percent of prescriptions. Young people and the elderly are exempt from all drug co-pays.


Japan

An interview with an expert on Japan's system +
Percentage of GDP spent on health care: 8
Average family premium: $280 per month, with employers paying more than half.
Co-payments: 30 percent of the cost of a procedure, but the total amount paid in a month is capped according to income.


Germany

An interview with an expert on Germany's system +
Percentage of GDP spent on health care: 10.7
Average family premium: $750 per month; premiums are pegged to patients' income.
Co-payments: 10 euros ($15) every three months; some patients, like pregnant women, are exempt.


Taiwan

An interview with an expert on Taiwan's system +
Percentage GDP spent on health care: 6.3
Average family premium: $650 per year for a family for four.
Co-payments: 20 percent of the cost of drugs, up to $6.50; up to $7 for outpatient care; $1.80 for dental and traditional Chinese medicine. There are exemptions for major diseases, childbirth, preventive services, and for the poor, veterans, and children.


Switzerland

An interview with an expert on Switzerland's system +
Percentage of GDP spent on health care: 11.6
Average monthly family premium: $750, paid entirely by consumers; there are government subsidies for low-income citizens.
Co-payments: 10 percent of the cost of services, up to $420 per year.

Help me ID this Viola - Garden Specimen Pics

Can you help me ID this viola? I bought it a few years ago for a spring sun, summer shade garden and remember it being called African pansy, the trouble is this plant doesn't resemble the plant of the same name when compared to photos online. These leaves are very heart shaped like a puffy heart and the underneath is purplish. It is unaffected by slugs, readily self sows, and as this past winter has proven, can withstand heavy snow and weeks of below freezing temperatures. I've never fertilized them. The few plants I purchased grow in a mound eight to ten inches high and have seeded dozens more and about one in ten have light green leaves and a more upright than mounded habit. They didn't flower this year until I brushed away the leaf mulch but then performed better than ever. I would really like to know what I have here so if the picture or description rings a bell for you please drop
me a message. I will add more photos later. Thanks and hope are are enjoying your spring!

Below are some pictures of the plants growing in the garden. I originally planted 3 r four plants, all along the far edge of the garden just before the hill drops off. Now, as you can see, there are lots of them scattered about.

Throwback or hybrid, lighter more 'viola' looking leaves and a lighter purple color flower.

A self seeded plant of the originally planted variety.

Here you can see the darker original alongside the lighter throwback/hybrid.



Here (easier to see if you click on the photo for the larger view) you can see the self seeded plants (and the weeds I've yet to pluck).

Earth Day 2009 - April 22nd through April 21st

By Morgantj

Sarah Palin: DOH!

"Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin acknowledges global warming is affecting her state,

But the former GOP vice presidential candidate contends gas drilling will help curb rising temperatures"






"We Alaskans are living with the changes that you are observing in Washington," she said. "The dramatic decreases in the extent of summer sea ice, increased coastal erosion, melting of permafrost, decrease in alpine glaciers and overall ecosystem changes are very real to us."

At Tuesday's hearing, she made it clear that she recognizes the problem of global warming and cast energy development as part of the answer.

Conservation groups warn that plunging drilling pads into the frozen Beaufort and Chukchi Seas and in Bristol Bay could open the door to a catastrophic oil spill in one of the Earth's most fragile environments. Read the entire article HERE.

And, just as a reminder:

Exxonmobil pays skeptic groups. Defending their right to profits before congress, why would they pay for something if they could get it for free? Click HERE

"The southeast Alaska Panhandle has wind resources consistent with utility-scale production. Major areas of excellent and outstanding resource are found on the ridge crests throughout the region and on the interior marine passageways. Population centers located close to excellent resource areas on these marine passageways include Ketchikan, Petersburg, Juneau, and Skagway." The following wind power potential map for Alaska is lit up like Hong Kong at night, both along it's substantial coastline as well as significant inland sites. Compare it to the next stormiest place in the US I could think of, Maine. While it enjoys a similar but not quite as strong a coastal potential, it has little or no inland site potential. Click HERE




With such an abundant, 'God Given' resource available, why is she still talking about oil? What could her motives POSSIBLY be? Oh... Oil Money of course! ('08 cycle alone, KNOWING the Democrats were coming into the majority)

Boom Boom! Out Go the Lights! Earth Hour 2009

The power plant pictured below, planned to go online from a near downtown location, no longer has to thanks to an equal amount of energy SAVED through conservation alone. No noise or pollution, no resources wasted, no energy burned. Click the image to get the details, then be sure to share them with your city, county and state officials.

Stop Subsidies for Big Oil

Think oil companies should pay their fair share of taxes? So does President Obama. In his budget, the President has proposed cutting billions of dollars in special subsidies and tax loopholes for oil and gas companies.

But Big Oil is already fighting back. Like other corporate special interests, they're lobbying heavily to gut Obama's budget.

So we've got to be louder than Big Oil, and remind our elected representatives that they work for us, not ExxonMobil.

A compiled petition with your individual comment will be presented to your Senators and Representative.

"Obama seeks repeal of industry tax breaks, subsidies," Greenwire, February 26, 2009. http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51230&id=15729-10837019-fKHT3Px&t=5

"Exxon 2008 profit: A record $45 billion," CNNMoney.com, January 30, 2009. http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51231&id=15729-10837019-fKHT3Px&t=6

"Obama budget boosts green spending," CNNMoney.com, February 26, 2009. http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51233&id=15729-10837019-fKHT3Px&t=8