Global Warming is No Joke

Despite the nay sayers on the right wing radio shows, global warming is no joke. Former Vice President Al Gore has a wonderful oped piece in the NY Times (3/9/10). Here's an excerpt and you can click on the link below to read the entire clearly stated argument.

"Because ... (the) effects of global warming are distributed globally, they are difficult to identify and interpret in any particular location. For example, January was seen as unusually cold in much of the United States. Yet from a global perspective, it was the second-hottest January since surface temperatures were first measured 130 years ago.

Similarly, even though climate deniers have speciously argued for several years that there has been no warming in the last decade, scientists confirmed last month that the last 10 years were the hottest decade since modern records have been kept.

The heavy snowfalls this month have been used as fodder for ridicule by those who argue that global warming is a myth, yet scientists have long pointed out that warmer global temperatures have been increasing the rate of evaporation from the oceans, putting significantly more moisture into the atmosphere — thus causing heavier downfalls of both rain and snow in particular regions, including the Northeastern United States. Just as it’s important not to miss the forest for the trees, neither should we miss the climate for the snowstorm.
Here is what scientists have found is happening to our climate: man-made global-warming pollution traps heat from the sun and increases atmospheric temperatures. These pollutants — especially carbon dioxide — have been increasing rapidly with the growth in the burning of coal, oil, natural gas and forests, and temperatures have increased over the same period. Almost all of the ice-covered regions of the Earth are melting — and seas are rising. Hurricanes are predicted to grow stronger and more destructive, though their number is expected to decrease. Droughts are getting longer and deeper in many mid-continent regions, even as the severity of flooding increases. The seasonal predictability of rainfall and temperatures is being disrupted, posing serious threats to agriculture. The rate of species extinction is accelerating to dangerous levels.
Though there have been impressive efforts by many business leaders, hundreds of millions of individuals and families throughout the world and many national, regional and local governments, our civilization is still failing miserably to slow the rate at which these emissions are increasing — much less reduce them."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/opinion/28gore.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087&en=55fe31f6c9836d96&ex=1283317200

President Obama Needs Our Help

Check out this video to hear the President's call to arms on behalf of health care reform

http://my.barackobama.com/PresidentsMessage2?email=ruthjcommunications@comcast.net

Pa Dems Endorse Single Payer Bills Pending in House and Senate

Lancaster – The Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee unanimously endorsed a resolution calling for passage of single payer healthcare, Senate Bill 400 and House Bill 1660, also known as the "Family and Business Healthcare Security Act." The vote came at the Democratic State Committee Meeting here on Feb. 6.

Given the healthcare reform deadlock in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania’s nation-leading status in the battle for state-based “Medicare for All,” is all the more significant.

“Not only does Pennsylvania now have the Democratic Party on board with the Single Payer healthcare for all,” said Healthcare for All PA executive director Chuck Pennacchio, “we also have the promised signature of our governor and the active support of Republican and Democratic leaders in both the State Senate and State House.”

Added Pennacchio, “Pennsylvania is clearly ‘ground zero’ for cost-saving, life-enhancing, job-creating, quality, comprehensive, publicly-funded, privately-delivered, healthcare for all. Once PA adopts the proven single payer solution, our neighboring states will move rapidly to adopt the same answer, and congress will quickly follow suit.”

Presenting the resolution before the voting body of 301 Democratic State Committee members was Tom Herman, Chair of Berks County. Seconding the motion were Jon Fox of Lancaster County and James Burn of Allegheny County. The vote in support of House Bill 1660 and Senate Bill 400 was by unanimous consent.

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