The Bandwagon Blog

The Purple Bus & the Purple Bus Lady are going into the shop!

2009-08-27T10:35:00.010-04:00

The Purple Bus pulled up lame after six months on the road when the transmission started slipping really badly. The good news is that I was able to shift out of second gear, and we made it home safely from Kentucky.

So the Purple Bus is about to go into the shop for a new transmission. The bad news is that it won’t be cheap. We could use your help to get the Bus out the shop and back onto the road! Please consider making a tax deductible donation to VoteHealthcare.org today! Click here to donate through our secure server.

I’m going into the shop, too. I am donating a kidney to my friend, Dan Krinsky, chef-owner of Tierra, a restaurant in my neighborhood. Shortly after hearing that Dan had developed polycystic kidney disease, I ran into him at our local taco stand. I could see instantly that he was deathly ill and needed a kidney transplant, and I told Dan then and there I would give him one of mine.

It took almost a year to complete the medical tests, but we are finally ready to go. Tomorrow, Dan and I will undergo the transplant surgery at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. I should be back up to speed and ready to hit the road in a few weeks. Dan’s recovery will take a little longer, but with his nearly new kidney, he should be feeling much better immediately.

26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease, and the number is growing. According to the National Kidney Foundation, demand for kidneys far outstrips supply. More than 80,000 people are waiting for a kidney, of which about 4,500 die each year. Living donation rates have declined recently, with only about 6,000 donations last year. For more info, go to http://www.kidney.org/.

Healthcare Industry and Congress: We're on to You, and We're Not Going to Take It Anymore

2009-07-11T12:03:00.003-04:00

This piece originally appeared in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Why would an otherwise sane Atlanta soccer mom brave hail, snow and tornadoes to drive across the nation inspiring others to petition lawmakers? What possessed throngs of Montanans to surround their U.S. senator's offices in protest? Why would thousands of Seattleites march through the streets, with one lady brandishing an "Inadequate Coverage" sign, clad in a hospital gown, buns exposed?

The answer is that people are desperate for real solutions to the soaring cost of healthcare. They grow increasingly frustrated as members of Congress emerge from their marble corridors for obligatory listening tours, only to offer timid, half-hearted measures. To borrow a word coined by our last president, politicians misunderestimate the will of the American people.

This troubling disconnect is the biggest lesson of my 20,000-mile journey across 30 states to the District of Columbia. I am THAT otherwise sane Atlanta mother. Never before politically active, I got off the sidelines when insurers refused to sell reasonably priced policies to my children because of their "pre-existing conditions." My son Chris, 27, suffers from Type 1 diabetes, and my daughter Caitlin, 25, has epilepsy. So my husband fixed up a little school bus we bought on eBay and painted it purple to represent a mixture of the red and blue factions that too often divide our country. Then I launched a real listening tour.

Folks in Austin, Los Angeles, South Bend and Des Moines greeted me like a hero. Omaha commuters jumped out of their cars to join our roadside rally. Some started calling me the "Purple Bus Lady" as they shared their despair over insurers charging premiums that exceed mortgage payments and using fine print to escape paying medical bills.

My reception inside the Beltway set quite a different tone. For starters, a law-abiding citizen cannot park her little bus anywhere near the great halls of democracy. Once in the Capitol, the frustration intensifies. Upon conveying our health care ordeals to the staff of Republican Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, our delegation received caring looks and bags of peanuts, but no solutions.

Senate Democrats seem just as tone deaf as they reel from sticker shock at the price of their private insurance-based reform proposals. We the people don't need the Congressional Budget Office to tell us that a system geared towards maximizing insurance and pharmaceutical profits is unaffordable.

What politicians fail to grasp is that voters are wise to these insatiable Cookie Monsters who, according to the Washington Post, are paying lobbyists $1.4 million each day to defeat meaningful reform. Like the throngs surrounding the Montana offices of Sen. Max Baucus, people everywhere are outraged that their representatives accept millions of dollars from insurance and pharmaceutical interests but refuse to consider a quality, affordable public health insurance option.

The overwhelming majority of us want a robust public plan option because we know it's the only way to keep private insurers honest and make them compete for our business. Every single person I met along my journey is willing to pay his or her fair share. But when our elected representatives show no fortitude to rein in these voracious corporate interests, our anger grows. My journey outside the Beltway shows that lawmakers should no longer assume
people will quietly take their lumps and resign themselves to spaghetti suppers to pay off back-breaking medical debts. The ground is shifting.

This week as Congress reconvenes to hammer out the details of health reform, I invite Republicans and Democrats alike to ride in my Purple Bus. Come talk to people whose health insurance premiums exceed their mortgage payments. Then try telling us our nation can't afford to fix health care.

Believers are everywhere.

2009-06-10T22:35:00.011-04:00

A reporter asked me recently if I ever got lonely traveling in the Purple Bus. My response was not often, and that's the truth. When you're driving the Purple Bus, people aren't shy about asking questions, and before you know it, they've told you their life story.

I was bone tired when I arrived at the Lazy R Campground in Sheridan, Wyoming, late Tuesday evening. I had driven four hours that day (and had for days on end), making stops in Bozeman and Billings, Montana.

I was still exhausted when I got up early the next morning so I could arrive on time at my next stop. It was raining and chilly. No NPR because my radio is broken. No one stirring in the campground. I must confess to feeling a little down and very alone.

I dragged through my departure checklist -- drawers latched shut, curtains pulled, clutter stashed, and all movable objects battened down for blast-off -- when I heard a knock at the door. There stood the man in this photograph. His name is Cleve, and he was my next door neighbor.

Cleve told me that he and his wife, Barbara (who wasn't dressed yet) were thrilled to awaken to find a "magic bus" parked next door. They got on the internet to take a look at our website. Cleve said they wanted to make a donation, and he handed me a $20 bill. About then, Barbara opened a window to say they loved the magic bus and believed in healthcare for all.

I thanked them both. The clouds lifted. I cranked the magic bus, and we found our way to the next stop down the road.

Those Profiteers Bearing Gifts -- NOT!

2009-05-15T17:06:00.004-04:00

The "promise" was a big one: $2 trillion in 10 years. Officers from six health industry lobbying organizations stood behind the President, proudly nodding their heads up and down as he proclaimed their agreement to voluntarily reduce costs by 1.5 percentage points each year for 10 years.

It's all there in this video. The White House website posted red-white-and-blue charts illustrating the savings.

But now we learn that they had their fingers crossed, according to the New York Times. The President of the American Hospital Association was in the dog house big time when he went back to the office and began fielding calls from irate members. Another officer of that organization issued a statement clarifying: "No such reform plan exists at this time." [Outright denial by officer running for cover].

Karen M. Ignagni, president of America’s Health Insurance Plans, told the New York Times that "the savings would 'ramp up' gradually as the growth of health spending slowed" [hedge, hedge by lobbyist experienced in double-talk]. David H. Nexon, senior executive vice president of the Advanced Medical Technology Association, a trade group for makers of medical devices, said the lower growth rate was a "target over a 10-year period,” [fudge, fudge by another lobbyist accustomed to "reframing" the truth] according to the New York Times.

I was pretty disappointed when I heard that the White House was rolling out the red carpet for lobbyists and trumpeting these supposed voluntary "promises" as game changers. Mr. President, you got burned.

Rachel Maddow on the Players in the Healthcare Power Struggle

2009-05-12T11:55:00.004-04:00

Rachel Maddow gives the 411 on Rick Scott, Founder of Conservatives for Patients Rights, and interviews Howard Dean on the healthcare reform fight, including the exclusion of single-payer advocates from the negotiating table.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Beware of Health Industry Profiteers Bearing Gifts

2009-05-10T23:13:00.005-04:00

[My comments in brackets.] The Associated Press reports tonight: "Industry reps offer $2 TRILLION in health savings." [Geez, that's a lot of money to give up... They must really be making a bundle.]

The leaked report says: "Top representatives of the health care industry plan to offer $2 trillion in cost reductions over 10 years in a bid to help pass President Barack Obama's health overhaul [yeah, right] a source familiar with the negotiations said Sunday." [I can't imagine who is leaking this information?]

"In a rare move before the administration has unveiled all the details of its proposal, the industry groups are trying to strike a deal now with Obama officials to help get coverage for all Americans [and who's going to make money on that?] in the hopes they can stave off legislation that would restrict their profitability in future years." [Something stinks around here.]

One Mother's Dream

2009-05-10T22:24:00.004-04:00

When I close my eyes and think about a mother’s love, the first memories that come to my mind are my mother’s rituals in caring for my two brothers and me when we were sick.

The main stays for our mother’s sick day love were ginger ale, saltine crackers, and chicken-and-rice soup. My brother, Tim, reminded me years ago after her death of the small kindness of ice chipped from cubes by hand with a spoon.

In case of a bad cough or cold, our mom fastened a Vicks Vapo-Rub poultice to our PJ’s and served up a cough elixir of few sips of bourbon mixed with sugar. When – God forbid – we had the throw-up bug, she always stood by ready with cool wet cloth to hold to our head, a glass of water to rinse our mouth, and hand on the lever to flush as needed.

As a footnote, I do remember two things about our mom's sick day rituals that I did not enjoy. No matter how sick we were, we always got a full scrubbing before going to the doctor. I say “full”, but that didn’t include washing our hair. Our mom believed that washing hair when sick could cause a “chill” that could make us sicker. I didn’t believe that part about the hair. I always felt sicker with dirty hair.

Our parents provided a comfortable life for me and my brothers, but we didn’t take many vacations and had few extras. Yet, I don’t recall a single time when my parents couldn't afford to take us to the doctor.

So when I had my two children, I readily adopted all of my mother’s sick day rituals, except the prohibition against hair washing. And, because we were blessed with sufficient resources, there was never a time when we were unable to afford to take them to the doctor.

On this Mother’s Day in America, moms of nine million children greeted the day knowing that they can’t afford to take their children to the doctor, hoping against hope that they will stay well.

We pray that they do stay well and that this Mother’s Day brings us closer to a time when every mother can rest assured that her children will get the care they need.

Moms, join me in making this dream a reality. It won’t happen if we don’t demand it.

A Cautionary Tale from the New Mexico Roundhouse

2009-05-01T20:31:00.014-04:00

Today, we welcome a guest blog from Roxane Spruce Bly, Executive Director of Health Action New Mexico.

New Mexico Legislature: The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same -- Roxane Spruce Bly

We had high expectations for health care reform leading into the 2009 New Mexico State legislative session. A special session in August 2008 had resulted in an appropriation of $30 million to ensure coverage for New Mexico’s children. The November 2008 elections had resulted in a significant increase in the number of progressive Democrats in both the state House and Senate. A more progressive Senate could challenge the existing Senate leadership and change its dynamics potentially allowing key progressive issues to pass the upper chamber where they have historically died in the Senate Finance Committee or failed during floor votes.

In early December 2008, our Governor, Bill Richardson, was nominated to a position on President Obama’s cabinet and our Lt. Governor, Diane Denish, was in line to take his place as New Mexico’s first female Governor. While health care reform had been a priority for Governor Richardson during his presidential run in early 2008, the Lt. Governor’s relationship with the state legislature was reportedly more collegial and potentially more likely to result in meaningful health care reform at the state level during the 2009 session.

When the session opened in mid-January, the state was facing a budget shortfall estimated to exceed $450 million due to plummeting oil and gas prices, the Governor abandoned his cabinet bid due to a federal grand jury investigation into alleged “pay to play” activities, and a failed challenge to the existing state Senate leadership revealed an alliance between conservative Democrats and Republicans inclined to protect the interests of the status quo. These factors did not bode well for health care reform and three bills designed to achieve universal coverage for New Mexicans stalled at various points in the legislative process.

The first, HB 267, the Health Care Authority Act, would have created an independent Health Care Authority to examine the underpinnings of our current health care system: cost, access, and quality. The comprehensive, independent analysis completed by subject matter experts with no vested interest in the status quo would have developed a plan for universal coverage by 2011. The second, HB 339 and SB 281, the Health Security Act, would create a citizen and consumer-oriented governing body to oversee the implementation of a plan to achieve universal coverage that shifting the role of private insurance in the state. The third, HB 779, the Health Care Partnership Act, would have created a partnership between six state agencies and entities tasked with many of the core functions of the Health Care Authority and developing a publicly funded health plan in addition to the existing private insurance-based system.

The Health Care Authority Act, sponsored by Rep. Mimi Stewart was introduced in the House and assigned to three committees – typically a sign that a bill has neither the support of the Speaker, Ben Lujan or Governor Richardson due to their close relationship. Despite the odds, the Health Care Authority Act had strong public and legislative support passing unanimously through every committee and the House floor by a vote of 60-2. When it reached the Senate it was assigned to two committees, passing through Senate Public Affairs and stalling in Senate Finance where it never received a hearing. The Health Security Act, sponsored by Rep. Bobby Gonzales on the House side and Sen. Carlos Cisneros on the Senate Side, was assigned to three committees in each chamber and stalled before reaching a floor vote in either of them. The Health Care Partnership Act, sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Ben Lujan, received fewer committee assignments, but narrowly passed the House by a 36-30 vote. Assigned to just one committee on the Senate side it too died in Senate Finance without being heard.

So what happened to reform in New Mexico? It died. Huge revenue shortfalls, a politically wounded Governor, and a failed legislative power shake-up ultimately killed progressive initiatives.

What’s the moral of the story? A Democratic majority in the state legislature and a Democratic Governor don’t guarantee health care reform. Nation: Beware.

Being Uninsured: An Epidemic Across the Southern States

2009-04-26T13:27:00.006-04:00

During my travels across the South and Southwest, I've seen faces of the uninsured firsthand. It's safe to say that being uninsured is reaching epidemic proportions from Alabama to Arizona with the numbers undoubtedly growing in tandem with rising unemployment.

You might be surprised to learn, like I was, that rates of uninsured are significantly worse in the Southwest, according to the Families USA report Americans at Risk. Texas takes the prize with 43.9% of adults under age 65 (9.3 million) going without coverage for all or part of 2007-08. New Mexico was a close second at 41.4% (.7 million), while Alabama's rate at 30.9% (1.2 million) was the lowest.

Who are the people that make up these statistics? A significant majority, approximately 80%, are working, but for low wages. Overwhelmingly, they are ethnic minorities, e.g., Latinos, African Americans, and "others" who describe themselves as a member of more than one group or American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander, Aleut or Eskimo. On the other hand, rates of uninsured whites range from 25.7 to 29.2%.

How Bad Must It Get Before We Fix Healthcare?

2009-04-19T23:11:00.010-04:00

You may have read the recent AP article by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, "USA's Uninsured Fail to Show Collective Power." Mr. A-Z is right when he says: “[G]oing without health insurance is seen as a personal issue, a misfortune for many and a choice for some.”

It’s certainly true that most Americans don’t consider themselves their brother’s keeper. That was the opinion of Birmingham talk show host, Matt Murphy, when he interviewed me recently. Mr. Murphy sees being uninsured as a personal failing. He believes people would have health coverage if they were smarter, worked harder, or planned better.

Like most people who have coverage, Mr. Murphy is ignorant of the fact that staying insured isn’t easy these days. If you lose your job, are self-employed, or have anything medically wrong with you, individual coverage is unaffordable or unavailable.

I suspect that more middle class Americans are worried about losing their insurance because our economy is hemorrhaging jobs, and with them, coverage. For every one percent increase in unemployment, an estimated 1.1 million people lose their insurance.

I believe that all of us would be better off if our country provided affordable coverage to everyone. Our productivity would improve, and it would level the playing field for businesses competing globally, because the majority of industrialized countries provide health care to all of their citizens. Not to mention, it’s the humane thing to do.

But most Americans can’t see that – yet. Sadly, it may take the current financial disaster for the majority to believe it’s in their self interest to support health reform. Maybe then, Congress will have the political will to enact guaranteed quality, affordable health care for every American.

Purple Bus Is Greensboro Bound!

2009-03-28T13:29:00.010-04:00

Everyone -

We asked for your help, and you did it! Thanks to your overwhelming response, we received an invitation to the White House Regional Forum in Greensboro, NC on March 31st! More than 1,000 people are expected to attend.

The Purple Bus Stop at the Greensboro Forum will be a big kick-off for our 2009 Tour. There's no better way to get this Tour rolling than by bending the ears of the senior White House policy officials who are moderating the Forum. I have a lot to say on behalf of the thousands of people who shared their personal health care predicaments with me during last year's Tour.

There's still time to send me your questions and concerns. Email them to me not later than Monday, March 30th, and I'll do my best to pass them along during the Forum. My email is purplebuslady@votehealthcare.org.

Look out for reports on Twitter during the Forum!

Thanks again,

Kathie McClure

The Purple Bus Lady Needs Your Help!

2009-03-21T11:16:00.007-04:00

On April 1st, the VoteHealthcare.org Purple Bus will hit the road for the second leg of our National Tour. We'll be crossing the country from April to July, rallying the cause for health care for all.

Lend us a few minutes of your time to make our Kick Off REALLY BIG! We want to kick off our Tour at President Obama's Healthcare Forum in Greensboro, North Carolina on March 31st, but we need a ticket to get in.

Help us convince the Obama Administration to invite the Purple Bus to Greensboro!

Go to http://www.healthreform.gov/
Click "Submit Your Question or Idea"
Check Greensboro, North Carolina, March 31st
Enter you name and email address
Tell President Obama to invite the Purple Bus Lady to Greensboro!!! Write your own message or paste this one into the message box:

President Obama: I am a supporter of healthcare reform and VoteHealthcare.org. Please invite the VoteHealthcare.org Purple Bus to the Greensboro Forum on March 31st. Here's a link to the Purple Bus Lady's video request for an invitation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN9zfWK3mBY Thanks!

Click "Submit" and you're done.

Time is growing short, so do it right now! Thanks for your help making our Tour Kick-Off a success!

Here's my You-Tube video request for an invitation to Greensboro:

Hit 'Em When They're Down

2009-02-11T11:30:00.008-05:00

We all know someone who is living with cancer or who has succumbed to it. My mom died from lymphoma in 1991. She spent a year in treatment and was never able to work again.

Back then, most coverage protected a cancer patient from financial ruin by covering most of the cost of treatment, and that was true for my mom. She was also lucky because she was able to go on temporary disability with her employer and maintain her coverage at a reasonable cost.

Those days are over. Today, most policies don't protect the cancer patient from financial ruin. Many jobs do not afford disability status, which means your employer can terminate you AND dump you into an expensive COBRA policy.

Undergoing treatment is bad enough -- but having to worry about bankruptcy and possible homelessness while living through chemo, radiation, etc is beyond imagination.

This video from the Kaiser Family Foundation tells the real story of cancer patients struggling to get and pay for the care they need. It's worth watching. We or someone we love could be standing in their shoes tomorrow. It's past time to do something about our broken health care system.

Can't Afford That Root Canal? You're Not Alone.

2009-02-04T08:02:00.007-05:00

There’s nothing worse than having a tooth ache and not having the money to go to the dentist. In tough economic times, dental care, eye exams and glasses are luxuries for a growing number of unemployed Americans.

Relief came to more than 1,000 people in Knoxville, TN this weekend at the Remote Area Medical free clinic where more than 1,000 teeth were pulled. Hundreds more received free eye exams, glasses, and medical screenings.

All services were donated by 350 volunteer health care professionals, students, the Tennessee State Guard and others. Lenscrafters donated the new eyeglasses.

Remote Area Medical – Pioneers of Free Health Care – operates free clinics across Appalachia throughout the year. For more information, go to www.ramusa.org.

Purple Bus Is Westward Ho!

2009-01-13T15:00:00.003-05:00

I founded VoteHealthcare.org because of my experience with my kids, who are chronically ill with Type I diabetes and epilepsy. I spent years working to keep them healthy -- with good coverage. And, I was disgusted by the plight of millions of Americans who aren't as fortunate and must scrape to afford the care they need.

I was inspired to speak out and get in the fight to bring quality, affordable health care to all. So, I gave up my day job as a trial attorney, bought a little school bus, painted it purple, and committed to a National Tour of all 50 states to raise awareness about the pressing need to fix our healthcare system.

Last year, we began our National Tour, driving our little Purple Bus through 13 states in the four months leading up to the Presidential election. Working with groups in the states, I spoke to thousands of working Americans about the state of our healthcare system and their personal healthcare experiences.

We're getting ready for the next leg of our Tour, and this time we are headed West! We'll depart Atlanta in early March going West across the southern states, North through California to Washington State, and then back to the East and South across the country and home to Atlanta. States on this leg are (and maybe a few others): AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, ID, KS, LA, MS, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, WA.

We'll continue our work educating Americans about federal legislative initiatives, and we'll be trying out some new ideas for motivating people to demand action from their elected representatives.

Join us! If you live in one of these states and want to get involved, email me at kathie@votehealthcare.org. Or click here to support our work by making an online donation in any amount through our secure server. Don't let the Purple Bus run out of gas!

Thanks, and we hope to see you on the road!

Gupta Gets Thumbs Down From Doc Org

2009-01-08T17:01:00.008-05:00

According to recent news reports, CNN's chief medical reporter, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is Mr. Obama's top contender for the next Surgeon General. Dr. Gupta is popular among CNN viewers, but are his communications skills and medical background the right fit for US Surgeon General?

The Surgeon General typically puts a public face on public health issues. America certainly could use leadership (and funding) for public health initiatives. Treatments for lifestyle-related chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes, consume more than 80% of our 2.2 trillion healthcare dollars. A public health campaign focused on encouraging healthy lifestyles could help turn the tide in the obesity wave engulfing our country.

Good communications skills and public appeal aren't good enough, say some critics who have likened Gupta's appointment to giving Judge Judy a seat on the Supreme Court. Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), a group of doctors that advocates a national health program is the solution to the crisis in American healthcare, agrees.

Consider PNHP's objections:

"1. [Gupta] has very little background in public health, preventive medicine or administration.

2. He has openly opposed progressive health reform, going so far as to cite false information to denigrate single payer (e.g. in his error-laden attack on Michael Moore's film "Sicko") and parroting the health insurance lobby's distortions of single payer.

3. As a media figure, [Gupta] has been disturbingly cozy with Big Pharma. He co-hosts Turner Private Networks' monthly show "Accent Health," which airs in doctors' offices around the country and which serves as a major conduit for targeted ads from the drug companies. Another example: In 2003, despite mounting evidence to the contrary, he publicly downplayed concerns about the dangers of Vioxx. It was removed from the market a year later by its manufacturer, Merck.

4. In the 2008 election campaign, [Gupta's] reporting on John McCain's health proposals was misleading and implicitly positive, giving undeserved credence to McCain's claims that buying private health insurance on the open market is a financially viable option for most Americans."

If you're troubled by Gupta's record and associations, consider posting an objection on the Transition Team website: http://change.gov/page/s/healthcare

Double Dose of Reality

2008-07-21T17:03:00.001-04:00

You may have heard that Phil Gramm, former Texas Senator and McCain economic adviser, scolded America as a "Nation of Whiners" suffering from a "mental" depression. I'd like to tell Mr. Gramm that he needs to get out among the people more often.

Everywhere I go, the price of a gallon of gas is THE topic. Today, I bought my third tank of diesel. It cost $115.37 - ouch! - even though I got a pretty good price at $4.69 a gallon.

But for many, high gas prices is just another chapter in a sad story that's been going on for a long time. When I filled up the other day, the clerk in the gas station convenience store, John (not his real name), was real interested in the purple health care bus. He nodded in agreement when I told him that we believe everyone should have access to affordable health care. John told me that he and his wife had a small business that went bust when his wife needed heart surgery. His new job at the convenience store offers insurance, but it cost more than $400 per month and is crappy coverage. So, John and his wife are uninsured right now, living in fear that his wife will get sick again.

As I left, John said, "It's the working people who are hurt by this." He's right. The American Dream is dying fast for millions of working Americans facing bankruptcy due to medical costs. Until we get some politicians in Washington who understand the pain of the people, it's only going to get worse.

On Community in Rough Economic Times

2008-11-23T09:44:00.008-05:00

Charity Woods is special. I met Charity in Atlanta, where she is coordinating advocacy for Health Care for America Now. Charity and I talked recently about our hopes for an increased sense of community in the new year, especially in light of the hard times that are upon us.

Charity told me that she looks out for a homeless man who lives on the porch of a house in her neighborhood. Charity bought him a winter coat and sleeping bag at the thrift store and picks up a few cans of beans every time she buys groceries. She pays him a few bucks for odd jobs.

Most people, including me, aren't brave enough to befriend the homeless. But Charity fears not. She just does.

Enjoy this feel-good video of Charity talking about community in bad times.

Have You Voted Yet?

2008-10-30T18:35:00.004-04:00

Fearing long lines on November 4th, I decided to vote early. Let me tell you, it wasn't easy. I waited more than three hours to cast my ballot. It took that long because a handful of poll workers were on duty to process ballots for hundreds of voters waiting in lines wrapping around and through the building. Tensions mounted as voters got tired of the wait.

I shot some video of voters' reactions, and here's what one voter had to say. This video has been viewed more than 34,000 times on CNN's iReport.com. When you hear this voter's complaint, you'll understand why.

Purple Bus Lady Says Vote Healthcare!

2008-10-28T10:20:00.003-04:00

Senator Kennedy's January Surprise

2008-10-24T16:54:00.006-04:00

The Washington Times reported today that Senator Kennedy has been secretly working with lobbyists and lawmakers from both parties since June on legistation for a health plan to provide affordable coverage to all Americans. Senator Kennedy's plan is to have the legislation ready to submit in January, 2009.

The Times article quotes Senator Kennedy's speech at the Democratic National Convention in August: "I pledge to you that I will be there next January on the floor of the United States Senate. This is the cause of my life, new hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American - north, south, east, west, young, old - will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege."

Talking Health Care and Bad Times in Tampa

2008-10-24T10:11:00.014-04:00

Hello from Tampa/St. Pete -

I was on Rob Lorei's show Radioactivity (WMNF 88.5FM Tampa) yesterday talking health care. Click here to listen.

There were two important news reports in the last few days that are canaries in the mine for the state of American health care.

First was the news that people scaled back on their medications in the first eight months of the year. (NY Times, 10/21). It's no wonder because medicines are ridiculously expensive. You don't need a crystal ball to predict that pharmaceutical sales are now plummeting. I'm not weeping for Big Pharma, but I am concerned that people get the medicines they need. The silver lining here may be that doctors will make a stronger effort to prescribe affordable generics when appropriate.

The second troubling report was that "Wal-Mart has noticed a spike in sales of baby formula when checks are issued at the beginning and the middle of the month — a trend that suggests consumers are rushing to buy basic necessities when they have cash." (Reuters, 10/22).

The Wall Street $700 billion bailout is going to look frivolous when compared to the human suffering that is about to occur as a result of unfettered Wall Street greed. The next President better be ready to reshape health care in 2009. Babies can't wait for their formula, nor diabetics their insulin.

Beware of Mama Bears

2008-10-18T13:18:00.029-04:00

With more than 75 million Americans going without the health care they need, you’d think that people would be marching in the streets, demanding a solution to the shameful state of American healthcare.

That we have not yet reached the tipping point speaks to our resignation to the powers that control our government, namely the special interests that are profiting from our $2.2 trillion health care system. Some call this the "Politics of Cynicism." Deny people hope, and sure enough, they’ll go along with the status quo.

I refuse to accept this view of our democracy – obviously – since I’ve given up my paying job to drive a little purple school bus around the country to educate and motivate people to speak up for health care. I refuse to believe that we, the people, are powerless to change this disastrous state of affairs. My reason is that I refuse to resign my children to a bleak future.

We moms are like that. I think of us as Mama Bears. We see the world through our children’s eyes. We are willing to fight for their safety and well-being, and, most importantly, for their future. We don’t give up easily.

I met another Mama Bear the first day of my journey. Sharon Utiss-Thomas would move heaven and earth to save her son, Branko, who has Aspergers Syndrome, a form of autism. Sharon lost her home to pay for Branko’s medicines, and she is working hard for change in North Carolina. Watch her video. I’m not the sentimental type, but I cried as I taped her story.

Stay tuned. I’ll be telling you about two more Mama Bears, Margaret Demko from Athens, Ohio, and Doreen Hodges from Washington, DC.

Every American should be fighting for change. I urge you to join the fight. Do it for yourself, for your family, and for the future of our country.

Health Coverage McDonald's Style

2008-10-16T13:03:00.007-04:00

While traveling America's highways and bi-ways, I never miss the opportunity to ask people about their health insurance coverage. I've spoken with several restaurant workers including Sandy, who was working at the McDonald's in Holland, Michigan, when I passed through last month.

Sandy is typical of the 30 million low-wage workers in our country. Like Sandy, two-thirds are white and female. Many have a high school education and are single parents supporting their children.

Believe it or not, Sandy took the job at McDonald's to get on the health plan. Her premium is $42 a week or $182 a month. The co-pay for non-generic medicines is $50. That's a lot of money when you make $7.00 an hour and have to fight for a full 40-hour work week.

But here's the real kicker. There aren't any local doctors on Sandy's plan. She had to drive more than 40 miles to see a doctor. Many low-wage workers don't own a car (because they can't afford it) and would be hard pressed to pay for the gas if they did.

So, despite her hopes, the coverage wasn't worth the cost. Sandy recently found another job paying twice as much and was planning to move on soon. Sandy is one of the lucky ones. There aren't career ladders for most low-wage jobs, and most never earn a median wage during their lifetime.

For more information on the challenges facing low-wage workers and their families, go to www.lowwagework.org sponsored by the Fairness Initiative on Low-Wage Work, a project funded by the Ford Foundation and the Nathan Cummings Foundation.

On the Road Again: Destination Nashville

2008-10-09T14:51:00.025-04:00

After a short break in Atlanta, we hit the road for Nashville to get in on the action surrounding the October 7th Presidential Debate. Health care is on voters' minds even in the midst of the economic crisis because health care is an economic issue -- It's unaffordable, particularly if you don't have a job!

We joined the Tennessee Health Care Campaign for their Cover America Now Rally and made it into the news. Check it out!

Channel 5 Nashville: Tennesseans Make Their Causes Heard On World Stage

France 24 - Click the Video "Belmont University Debate 08"

Here's our web album --