Compromises will be made by our elected Representatives. We have to give them the public support to make the best compromise based on our needs and desires. This is not President Obama's fight - it is between us, the media and Congress - with a lot of misinformation supplied by the insurance industry and their defenders. In conference calls with aides for President Obama, we've been told that he is looking for us to clear the way and make it clear where the public wants him to go.

If you cannot bring yourself to call for single payer, then consider acting and asking for Expanded Medicare open to all. But I hope you will consider calling for Single Payer as a step towards the best plan.

Now for the goodies. I think that regardless of you "action levels" there is something in here that everyone can do.









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Join us for National Lobbying Day - Wed. May 13th

In the morning, Mike Farrell will introduce our TV ads to the press. At noon, we will march from the Washington Court Hotel a few blocks to the Upper Senate Park, where Mike Farrell and others will rally the crowd for single payer Medicare For All.

Then join everyone in lobbying Congress that afternoon.

When: Wednesday, May 13 at 12:00pm - 2:00pm

Where: Upper Senate Park, Washington DC (near Union Station Metro Stop)

Wednesday, May 13th, is the National Lobby Day and Rally for Single-Payer in Washington DC. Leading the charge is the California Nurses Association 500 nurses strong to lobby and rally for single-payer in the nation’s capital. Joined by the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care, we want to use this opportunity to make the single-payer message loud and strong for our legislators to hear. So mark your calendars and if at all possible, please join us! The rally is at noon, but if you would like to join a delegation to meet with your representative, please contact Katie Robbins asap - info@healthcare-now.org or 1-800-453-1305.

http://www.healthcare-now.org/...

If you can't be in D.C. plan on making calls after 1:00 Eastern. Put it on your task list now so you don't forget.

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May 30th: National Day of Action

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.

Contact: Katie Robbins - info[at]healthcare-now.org

Customizable Flyer: Word File (.doc)

Flyer: Image File (PNG)

Flyer: PDF

Demonstration Locations

Planning is happening in:

Albany, NY - May 27th

Atlana, GA - May 27th

Augusta, ME - May 30th

Austin, TX - May 30th

Indianapolis, IN - May 20th

Lawrence, KS - May 30th

Littleton, CO - May 30th

Louisville, KY - May 28th

New Albany, IN - May 30th

New York City, NY - May 30th

Philadelphia, PA - May 30th

Pittsburgh, PA - May 29th

Pontiac, MI - June 16th

Princeton, NJ - May 31st

Rochester, NY - May 30th

San Diego, CA - June 3rd

San Francisco, CA

Seattle, WA - May 30th

Topeka, KS - May 30th

Towson, MD - May 30th



Check for updates here. Your city or town not listed? Let us know that you'd like to organize an event on May 30th.

Sponsored by:

The Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care

Healthcare-NOW!

Progressive Democrats of America

CNA/National Nurses Organizing Committee

Physicians for a National Health Program

Americans for Democratic Action

If you live in a rural area or somewhere a group action is not planned, join us in a 'CyberMarch' - choose your avatar who will go to Washington for you on May 30.

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The Mike Farrell ad "Don't Sell Us Short" has started airing on national TV. Every time it runs there is a big spike in calls to our "Call the White House" 800 number (800-578-4171; you can call too.)

We have more ads - you can see them all here.

View them on YouTube and Rate Them Up - leave comments, too.

http://www.youtube.com/...

http://www.youtube.com/...

http://www.youtube.com/...

http://www.youtube.com/...

http://www.youtube.com/...

We need more donations to run the ads more frequently and pay for the 800 number. Please Donate and spread the word to help us raise some bucks.

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Fax Baucus and others on the Senate Finance committee - free and easy - the system sends the fax for you.

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Join Single Payer Action

What We Don't Do

* We don't do coalitions with front groups.

* We don't do inside the beltway politics.

* We will never compromise on single payer.

What We Do

* We do direct action.

* Face to face with the health insurance industry.

* In front of the home office of your member of Congress.

* In front of your member of Congress, wherever he or she may be.

* Until we get single payer.

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Join the "Million Letters for Health Care" Campaign

1 letter to 1 person 1 time per month by 1 million Americans

... each getting a reminder at the 1st-of-the-month to print a prepared, pre-addressed letter to Washington DC and to consider the reminders fresh list of ideas for adding value to the letter

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Guerrilla Marketing Ideas

Don't give up - Stay involved and take some action everyday.

One thing I did to make it very easy for me to do at least one thing a day was to buy some card stock for my printer and set up a post card template so I can print out 4 at a time.

They almost always have a big bold message on the front that simply reads "Support Single Payer Healthcare NOW" in big letters.

I generally leave the message side on the address side blank so I can write a personal note, but I also keep some with preprinted notes so all I have to do is address them to my target of the day if I am super busy on other things.

Postcards are relatively inexpensive to send and don't have to go through anthrax scanning so delivery is not delayed.

I also keep an "Action Box" in my car - a small file box full of self printed fliers, bookmarks and info so when I know I wind up in town or the city (I live in the middle of nowhere), I can alway leave something behind in waiting rooms or in books at the bookstore, etc. Guerrilla marketing.

Every book returned to my library has a single payer bookmark in it. I even got some of that do it yourself plastic wrap so I can cover them to make them last longer should people decide to keep them.

Last summer I made 100 based on the bookmarks from Healthcare Now!, printed on a really pretty card stock, wrapped them in plastic, went up to the school and borrowed a paper cutter to get nice clean even cuts and then went to the city for a regular shopping trip and spent an hour outside Barnes and Noble giving away bookmarks to customers as they left.

I've bought a bunch of cheap CDs and burned tons of info on them and left them in doctors offices.

And my sneakiest plan... I write letters to myself, carry them around so they get that worn look and then drop them in waiting rooms - people waiting will read all kinds of stuff they wouldn't otherwise and everyone loves "spying" - reading others' secrets even if they would never admit it themselves.

The opposition will sink to all kinds of lows with tons of money to keep the money in the hands of the insurance companies and care denied to many. I don't feel the least bit guilty at trying to do what little I can to circle behind and fight back.

Of course, I still do the real work of letters to the editor and calls to congress, but the Guerrilla stuff is kind of fun and does not take away from the other.

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Join The Daily Kos HealthCare Google Group.

It is not a discussion list - the purpose is only to share links to Health Care diaries published here at Daily Kos so that those interested in the issue can find them. Not everyone can be on Daily Kos all day. Anyone can share a link - to your own diary or someone else's. Join Here

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Healthcare-NOW! is always looking for volunteers and organizers who are committed to passing national, single-payer legislation in the US. As a national organization, we are connected to over 400 activists in all fifty states. Join us!

In the past, we have organized nationwide protests, vigils, teach-ins, and road shows that have garnered national attention.

So please, contact us if you’re interested. You can email us at info[at]healthcare-now.org or call 800-453-1305.

10 Ways to Take Action Now



* Call your congressional representatives and ask that they cosponsor and actively advocate for HR 676. Call toll free 1-66-338-1015

* Donate to Healthcare-NOW!

* Organize a Road Show event in your community or state. View our Road Show page for ideas on how to organize.

* Vote for candidates who support HR 676–find single-payer candidates at www.sickocure.org.

* Circulate a petition supporting HR 676 - Download the petition here

* Host a screening of SiCKO or other movies (see our recommended movie list) that highlight the U.S. healthcare crisis. Discuss the problem and the single-payer solution.

* Organize a Truth Hearing in your congressional district. Find out how on our Truth Hearing Page.

* Demonstrate in front of insurance companies. Find out how in our Protest Toolkit.

* Tell your story. If you or your loved ones have experienced a healthcare horror story, share it with the Healthcare-NOW.

* Read Death by Spreadsheet.

* Distribute information to your coworkers, friends, and family. Find great handouts on our Resources Page to share with anyone or order booklets and information from the Resources page.

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Send New Faxes and Send More Faxes

There is a new fax tool to send free faxes from 1payer.net to Congress and the President. Now you can write your own story. Write about how health insurance scams have ruined your life. Write about how loss of a job means loss of insurance means loss of health care. Write about the anger you feel at the scummy insurance company rules and tricks.

You can write your free fax, add your name and contact information and send it to any or all members of the Senate Finance Committee as well as to the President. Try it today. Congress needs to hear your story.

MORE FAXES NEEDED.

As of this morning, you have sent nearly 30 thousand faxes to Congress and the President. Yet somehow, the President and legislators don't seem to get the message that you want Medicare For All and that Health Insurance is NOT Health Care. So let's step up the pressure and let's make the message more obvious.

Now you can send a fax that tells the President how the insurance companies are trying to flimflam him and the Washington insiders. You can tell the President that you can see through the insurance companies' lies and ask him: Mr. President, you are a smart guy -- why does it look like you are buying the insurance companies' transparent ploys to wring more money out of our already empty pockets? Why do you let them get away with that crap? Why do you aid and abet them in getting away with these lies? Come on, Mr. President, be the Leader we thought you would be. Send your fax asking these questions today. It will go to the President and to all members of the Senate Finance and Senate Health Committee.

DONATIONS URGENTLY NEEDED -- YOU HAVE BEEN SO GENEROUS BUT WE ARE FACING THE BIG GUNS

Your faxes are overwhelming the Washington fax machines time and time again. We know they are getting through because today we received a bunch of them back (by mistake) from Rep. Rangel's office. We also know your phone calls are getting through because we have heard that Baucus' office simply hangs up whenever anyone says 'single payer." So the message is being delivered. Apparently, Washington insiders and Sen. 'K Street' Baucus are doing their best to pretend that they don't hear the message. They are shouting desperately "I don't hear you, I don't hear you" like little kids on a playground. SO MAKE MORE NOISE.

As you have heard, that means spend more money. We are sending so many faxes that we have had to buy another fax line at $70/month. We are sending so many phone calls to offices with our automated voicemail delivery that we have had to buy another thousand credits each day at $60/day. We can only keep sending your message with your continued help and your donations.

Please donate today.

If everyone donates $25, we will have enough for another couple of weeks of ads and faxes and phone calls. So let's see it -- $25 from each person who reads this message. And remember. 20% of your donations this week go to help the Baucus 8. So add a little bit for them too. Thanks,

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OK - that is all I have. Both Healthcare-Now! and the Physicians for a National Health Program maintain lists of regional organizations to help you gt involved locally. Check them out and if there is not an organization in your state/area, consider signing up to be a contact person.

Add your actions and info and ideas in the comments and I hope you will consider sharing this diary, rec'ing it and bookmarking it so you don't lose the links.

UPDATE 2: Don't miss saying thank you to these health care professionals in this diary:

5 More RNs, MDs Arrested at Baucus Finance Cmte. in Florence Nightingale Protest

Update 3: