New Year's Wishes

The officers and members of the Greencastle Antrim Democratic Club wish one and all a very happy new year with hope for peace, good health and happiness.

The past year has been full of ups and downs. We will never forget the joy of the new year and the inauguration of our President Barack Obama. Who could have anticipated the stone wall of opposition that would greet him as he advanced his program? The opposition has rallied people with an anti-government rhetoric fueled by discontent and fear of change. The health care town meetings were a stunning display of that anger. We will have to overcome these impulses if we want to maintain our Democratic majority in the House and Senate. Let's hope our representatives vote with courage. That will assure their reelection far more than timid concessions to the right.

It's been a rocky road but we did pass a stimulus package, extended unemployment insurance, improved minimum wage, have health reform in the works, will pass reforms of the banking and financial system, placed Justice Sotomayor on the Supreme Court. These are not small gains. However, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan remain stumbling blocks to peace and prosperity. A full recovery with jobs for all who want them is far off. Let's hope our President and Congressional Leaders can rally supporters and stand up for the principles that elected them.

We hope you will attend Democratic Party events in 2010 as we prepare for the Congressional elections. Bring your ideas, your energy and your friends.

Senate Committee Finally Holds Hearing on Single Payer

There was a major breakthrough in the Pennsylvania legislature on December 16. The Senate Banking and Insurance committee, chaired by Republican Senator Don White, held a hearing on Senate bill 400 which provides for a Statewide comprehensive health care system. In light of the weak showing by Congress on health reform, it was a breath of fresh air.

Supporters of the measure, whose primary sponsor is Sen. Jim Ferlo testified first. Ferlo explained the need to look at different approaches rather than be tied to the usual failed insurance model. Among other attributes, he said that the state Single Payer plan would free employers from the onerous burden of skyrocketing health insurance costs by, instead, providing healthcare for everyone at far less cost.

Chuck Pennacchio, Executive Director of Healthcare for all PA set forth the particulars of the state-level, Single Payer approach, and how it represents values we can all embrace: freedom, choice, fiscal conservatism, personal responsibility, modeling solutions, constitutional federalism, fair-share taxation, efficiency, transparency, accountability, jobs creation, bureaucratic streamlining, investment and reinvestment, coordinated and comprehensive care, reduced rationing, restored patient-provider relationship, healthy outcomes, tort remedy, end bankruptcy fears, health care education, "medical home" data base, and more.

Patricia Eakin, RN from Philadelphia explained that she was a nurse in one of the busiest ERs in Pennsylvania at Temple and that she sees the problems of the lack of insurance on a daily basis. She gave some examples of the problems faced by people who have lack insurance. She noted how her hospital was losing money because they had to spend limited resources on billing personnel, and had to absorb, and/or pass along, financial losses on people without insurance or on Medicaid.

Dwight Michaels, MD, a Republican family practice doctor from Gettysburg, spoke about how his experience with private insurance bureaucrats had driven him to support the Single Payer Solution. He said it is increasingly difficult to practice medicine because his five-person practice struggles daily with 20 different insurance plans, all with different rules.

David Steil, a former Republican state legislator and head of a small manufacturing business was knew all of the Senators and broke the stereotype that all Single Payer supporters are Democrats on the left. Mr. Steil spoke about how he tries to run a business, but the cost and hassle of health insurance has made his company more vulnerable in an international market where his non-American competitors have far cheaper health costs.

Those opposed included the head of the Blues, the head of the PA Medical Society, a spokesman for the National Federation of Independent businesses, the Insurance Federation, the Pennsylvania Hospital Association. Their arguments included standard objections including fear of government monopolistic control of health care, but they frequently cited some of the same problems that the supporters of single payer raised. Ultimately the very respectful and excellent questions from the Senators spurred them to say: "we need to get together a discuss better reforms." Everyone agreed that the system was seriously broken and imperiled state finances.

The room was packed with supporters of Senate bill 400 including from our area Dan and Ruth Jordan and Jack and Kathy Hendricks. For further information check out the Health Care for All website.

Holiday Get Together at Casey's

Our October meeting at Casey's was a great success... Won't you join us for a December get together? Not a regular meeting but a great gab fest to review the triumphs and troubles of 2009 and reinvent ourselves for 2010!

Let us know if you can attend: Casey's 7pm, Friday December 18. Send an RSVP to the blog editor ruthjcommunications@comcast.net so we can reserve a spot for you. You can order from the menu anything from a cup of coffee to a full dinner or dessert.

Not a great election for local Democrats

Local candidates just couldn't overcome the overwhelming Republican registration. But we congratulate those who did run and vow to build a bigger base to support those who will run in the future.

Lively Meeting at Casey's

Lively meeting and good discussion about everything from health care reform to local politics. Don't miss the next alternative to the regular business meeting. Meanwhile DO come to the Monday, November 9th meeting at the Greencastle Presbyterian Church at 7 pm.

Car Pool to Harrisburg

Want to rally for single payer in Harrisburg on October 20? We're setting up a car pool for Greencastle Antrim folks to travel there. Call Ruth or Dan 717 685 8005.

Contact Pennsylvania Senators

It is still important to call our Senators again before Tuesday markup of the health care legislation and and among your requests for a public option, please urge them to support Sen. Blanche Lincoln's Finance Amendment D-3 which speaks to Medicare Reimbursement for Licensed Professional Counselors.

Chambersburg Dems Host Health Care Discussion

The US Health Care System -- how it works, who pays for it, etc. Five spokespersons representing the medical society, the Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce, the insurance federation, the hospitals and health care providers association and a professor of economics from Shippensburg University, will discuss the issues from their perspectives. October 1, 7:30 pm - 10 pm, 159 S. Main --Capitol Theater complex in Chambersburg. Ask the tough questions!

RALLY FOR SINGLE PAYER IN PENNSYLVANIA

Single payer may be "off the table" on Capitol Hill but we can still fight for it in the Pennsylvania state legislature. We're organizing a group to travel to a big rally on Tuesday, October 20 in Harrisburg. Call 717 685 8005 if you would like to take part. We have a chance to lead the way. For more information on the single payer legislation that has been introduced, check out the web site which details the bill and the supporters. http://www.healthcare4allpa.org/legis.htm

President's Speech Could be a Game Changer

President Obama appealed to the better nature of the American people and of his opponents in Congress tonight to put aside politics and work on behalf of the millions who have no health insurance, the tens of thousands who are denied proper care because they haven't "enough" insurance, and the tens of thousands who are cut off from care because of previous conditions. You can listen to the President's inspiring message by going to http://www.whitehouse.gov/ The speech and a discussion of the issues are featured. Then get on the phone, send an email and call your friends and families around the nation .... tell them to put pressure on their members of Congress to pass genuine health care reform this year!

Picnic Was Great Success

The Franklin County Democrats picnic was well attended with terrific speakers running for national and local positions, including two senatorial candidates: Joe Sestak and Bill Kortz. Sestak is a member of Congress and Kortz is a member of the state legislature.

Our new Franklin County chair is Bruce Hockersmith. Paul Politis now serving as vice chair handled the MC duties and our former chair Beth Shupp George was there to say thanks to all and to introduce baby Elle to the crowd...a real charmer.

Franklin County Dems to Elect New Chair

The monthly meeting of the Franklin County Democrats will be Thursday, August 13 at 6:30 pm at Headquarters on Main Street in Chambersburg. The agenda will include: final picnic preparations, November elections/candidates, and election of a new County Chair. Most of you know that Beth Shupp-George, our current chair has resigned. A replacement will be voted upon to fill her remaining term which expires in 2010.

Per the bylaws, any registered Democrat in the county can be nominated for the position. However, only current committee members can vote. Vice-chair Paul Politis is running for the chair position . If you want to nominate someone, please let me know and make sure you and the candidate are present at the meeting. We will take nominations from the floor. Please remember, only current Franklin County committee members can vote for elected officers of the County Committee. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call Bonnie Overholzer, 717 352-4933.

The executive committee thanks Beth Shupp-George for her leadership and contributions to the local party over the past years and appreciates her willingness to stay active in the party.

Paying for Health Care With Bake Sales

Here's a wonderful video from Maine about paying for health care by begging for pennies on behalf of sick children who have no coverage. We've seen it here in Greencastle too. Containers on counters instead of affordable, accessible care. Write your Senators, write your Congressman, have your families do the same where ever they live. We need health care reform.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nonFMjU-iU8

Food Bank Needs Your Help

The Greencastle Antrim Democratic Club meets at the Greencastle Presbyterian Church. That's also the site for an important food bank for our community. Recently your editor made a donation to the foodbank and was told that the number of people requesting assistance had doubled. But, unfortunately, food bank contributions are down. Can you help? Please bring contributions for the foodbank to our next meeting or to the August 15th picnic. Dollars or canned goods or packaged goods such as cereal and pasta are welcome. If you cannot attend either meeting you can leave the contributions in the church office. Our neighbors need us!

Summertime and a Picnic is in the Works

Democrats all over Franklin County have been actively involved with rallies for health care and monitoring visits from our new Democratic Senator Arlen Spector. Our big summer event will be the Franklin County picnic. Don't miss it!

Saturday, August 15, 2009, Noon to 4PM
Amvets Picnic Pavilion 750 Fifth Avenue, Chambersburg, PA
Admission $12.00 per Adult Kids under 12 are FREE

Lunch catered by the Amvets and served at 12:30
Lots of fun including a political trivia contest, Bingo, and our famous 50/50 raffle.
Desserts (and baked goods) will be sold by the Women’s Democratic Club
Meet Local and Statewide Democratic Officials and Judicial Candidates.

Reserve for the 2009 Summer Picnic by August 6 by sending a check for each person in your party. Let us know how many kids under 12 will be in your party. Make check payable to the Franklin County Democrats and please mail to:

Paul Politis
357 Bluebird Trail
Greencastle, PA 17225

That's What I Call a Rally!

More than 400 people from every county in Pennsylvania rallied in the rotunda of the State Capitol in Harrisburg for single payer health care for Pennsylvania. Check out the photos in our photos album courtesy of Jack Hendricks Fulton County Democrats.

Go to CSPAN to Hear Important Single Payer Testimony

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/06/10/HP/A/19615/HELP+Subcmte+Hearing+on+the+Single+Payer+Health+Care+Option.aspx

Single Payer Health Care Rally in Harrisburg

RALLY ON THE CAPITOL STEPS * HARRISBURG, PA.

JUNE 11, 2009 * 11 am – 12:30 pm
Entertainment begins at 11 am
Rally and Lobby Day For Pennsylvania Single-Payer Health Care

FILL THE CAPITOL STEPS ON THURSDAY, JUNE 11
(100 N. THIRD STREET)
SUPPORT SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE REFORM NOW!
Pa. House Bill: 1660 and Pa. Senate Bill: 400
Speakers will include Donna Smith (star of Michael Moore’s “SiCKO”); Bill George (President Pa. AFL-CIO); Walter Tsou (nationally recognized expert and consultant on public healthcare reform and former Philadelphia Health Commissioner); Chuck Pennacchio (Executive Director of HealthCare For ALLPA

Learn More at: http://www.healthcare4allpa.org/home.php

Antrim Township Supervisors Forum

Nearly 80 people attended the Antrim Township Supervisors forum sponsored by the Greencastle Atrim Democratic Club. The Club was congratulated for holding the forum despite the fact that all the candidates were Republicans. The local Republicans did not hold such a forum. The primary election will be held Tuesday, May 19. There are no Democrats on the ballot but if ten people write in a name that person can be on the November ballot.

State Democratic Party Welcomes Specter Switch

"The Pennsylvania Democratic Party welcomes Sen. Arlen Specter with open arms as he has been a tremendous influence on Pennsylvania and has always voted his conscience for the good of his constituents."

"It was the Republican Party that abandoned Arlen Specter, not the other way around. He has been good for the commonwealth and has taken courageous stands, such as supporting President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan that is already helping hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians."
"While the endorsement process is, obviously, a long time from now, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party has a long-standing practice of supporting Democratic incumbents."

EARTH DAY FUN

Members of the Greencastle Antrim Democrats celebrated Earth Day by weeding the garden planted by community beautification activist Marie Eshleman at the entrance to I81 on East Baltimore Street. We brought perennials from our gardens, planted and marked the new plantings. The Echo Pilot has run photos taken by Dan Jordan. Participants included Karin Johnson, Anne Larew, Shari Morgan, John Gamble, and Ruth Jordan. Marie Eshleman showed up to cheer us on as did a traveling employee of the State environmental protection agency who applauded our efforts. If you are separating plants and want to add hardy perennials or bulbs to the garden please send an email or phone our contact numbers.

Check out Democracy Now

Here's a worthwhile website where you'll find interesting discussions on politics, education and other issue.
http://www.democracynow.org/email/story/9858

President Obama -- Educator

Our President has been working nonstop to educate and activate the American people. He wants us to hear his position on the budget, education, health care, energy and jobs. We may not always agree 100 percent, but it sure is wonderful to have a president that is knowledgeable, clear in his language and ideas and able to communicate with the people. You can listen to the internet town hall meeting by going to the White House web site.

Successful Forum Draws a Crowd

The jointly sponsored GreencastleAntrim Democrats and Waynesboro Democrats forum was a great success. The forum was praised by the large audience and the participants. Waynesboro attorney Clint Barkdoll did a superb job as moderator. You can check out the debate by viewing the video posted by the Herald Mail.
http://www.herald-mail.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=218510&format=html

Gov. Ed Rendell Announces Web Site

You can track how Pennsylvania is spending its portion of the recovery package by logging on to a new website announced by the Governor. You can also sound off on proposed expenditures and recommend programs. You can also track when public hearings will be held on pending projects or programs.
http://www.recovery.pa.gov/portal/server.pt?

Excellent Outline of the President's Proposed Budget

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/

Public Opinion Asks About President's Speech

The Public Opinion (Feb. 26, 09) called Democrats to ask their opinion about the President's speech (your editor was included as well as Rev. Steven Harris.) You'll notice another article about Republicans watching the speech. The Republicans, in the main, chose not to watch. I can understand their frustration having often thought twice about watching former President Bush. But in the end I did, because you have to be informed in order to form an opinion. Hopefully Republicans will get over the shock of being in the minority and figure out ways to work with President Obama to rebuild the American economy.

SC 8th Grade Student to Sit with First Lady

Ty'Sheoma Bethea, an eighth-grade student at J.V. Martin Junior High School in Dillon, S.C., will sit with President Barack Obama's family Tuesday night when he delivers his first address to Congress. Ty'Sheoma was invited to sit in first lady Michelle Obama's mezzanine box in the House of Representatives, thanks to her letter imploring lawmakers to help her crumbling school, which was built in 1896. Ty'Sheoma's letter made its way to Obama, who campaigned at J.V. Martin in 2007.

Obama cited J.V. Martin two weeks ago in his first presidential news conference as a symbol of decaying schools that would be replaced by funds in his economic stimulus plan. "The president and first lady were moved by Ty'Sheoma's heartfelt letter and are looking forward to welcoming her to D.C.," said a White House spokeswoman. She walked to the Dillon town library to write her letter because her family doesn't have a computer.

"People are starting to see my school as a hopeless, uneducated school, which we are not," she wrote. "We finally want to prove to the world that we have a chance in life just like other schools, and we can feel good about what we are doing, because of the conditions we are in now we can not succeed in anything."

Keep Track of the Stimulus Bill Spending

This is a very good website posted by President Obama's office to track the funds and spending timeline of the recovery spending.
http://www.recovery.gov/

The White House Web Site

The White House website is full of important information and a terrific blog on the latest Obama Administration initiatives. Particularly don't miss the slide show on the work that went into passing the Stimulus Package. http://www.whitehouse.gov/slideshows/

Happy Valentine's Day

Call In For Single Payer Health Care Feb. 12, 2009

Our Fulton County friends, Jack and Kathie Hendricks, ask us to mark the national call in day for National Health Care, the single payer solution heading for Congress. we are being asked to call our congressman and the White House...the whole thing is nicely organized at this website: http://www.healthcare-now.org/campaigns/call/

Abraham Lincoln the Working Man Imagined Our Future

“It has so happened in all ages of the world, that some have labored and others have, without labor, enjoyed a large proportion of the fruits. This is wrong, and should not continue.”- “Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital; that, in fact, capital is the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed, that labor can exist without capital, but that capital could never have existed without labor. Hence…labor is the superior -- greatly the superior -- of capital.”... “I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country; corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the Money Power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people, until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the Republic is destroyed.” Abr. Lincoln

Photos from Inauguration Day?

Did you visit the mall? Did you party at home? Or, as your editor did on a moonlit beach in PR with a group of happy Democratic snowbirds. Please e mail photos of your experience on inauguration day to ruthjcommunications@comcast.net.

Editor Returns from a Long Swim

Your scuba loving editor has returned from Puerto Rico. Hope people are still reading this blog. Look for interesting updates later this week.

Visiting the District of Columbia for the Inaugural Festivities?

Check out this web site to find union restaurants and other highlights of DC's labor history
http://www.communitywalk.com/washington_dc/dc_labor_map/map/315109#0004;qAO