Mn-prog-events Mailing List: Progressive Calendar 05.07.09

[David Shove (shove001]

             P R O G R E S S I V E   C A L E N D A R   05.07.09

1. Mpls city charter  5.07 6:30pm
2. Miles/torture docs 5.07 7:30pm

3. Vs eviction        5.08 9am
4. Wilpf benefit      5.08 6pm
5. Moon/trees         5.08 7pm
6. Moyers/$$$politics 5.08 9pm

7. Dave Bicking - 46th St redevelopment - letter to Mpls council members
8. Alan Muller  - UofM students building house powered entirely by sun
9. Ralph Nader  - Single payer disruption of Congress?
10. Joel Albers - Disruption of Congress
11. Kevin Zeese - Why we were arrested at the Senate Finance Comm hearings
12. Healthcare-NOW! - Single-payer activists arrested!
13. Michael Munk - Baucus orders single payer advocates arrested
14. ed          - kumquattery  (new old saying)

--------1 of 14--------

From: Ian Stade <ianstade [at] gmail.com>
Subject: Mpls city charter 5.07 6:30pm

The Charter Commission has public hearings about the proposed changes to
the City Charter by city councilmembers Ostrow, Remington and Samuels.
The elimination of the park board, the board of estimate and the creation
of a city administrator are all being proposed.  Please show up and give
us your opinion.

Thursday, May 7, 2009 - 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
St. Joan of Arc Church (lower level)
4500 Clinton Ave S
Minneapolis  MN  55419
Phone:  612-823-8205


--------2 of 14--------

From: Women Against Military Madness <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Miles/torture docs 5.07 7:30pm

Dr. Steven Miles: Oath Betrayed: America's Torture Doctors
Thursday, May 7, 7:30 p.m. Magers and Quinn Booksellers. 3038 Hennepin
Avenue South, Minneapolis.

The news that the United States tortured
prisoners in the war on terror has brought shame to the nation, yet little
has been written about the doctors and psychologists at these prisons. In
Oath Betrayed, medical ethics expert and physician Steven H. Miles tells
how doctors, psychologists, and medics cleared prisoners for
interrogation, advised and monitored abuse, falsified documents -
including death certificates - and were largely silent as the scandal
unfolded. This updated and expanded paperback edition gives newly
uncovered details about the policies that engage clinicians in torture. It
discusses the ongoing furor over psychologists' participating in
interrogations. Most explosively this new edition shows how interrogation
psychologists may have moved from information-gathering to coercive
experiments, warning all of us about a new direction in U.S. policy and
military medicine - a direction that not so long ago was unthinkable.

Endorsed by: the WAMM Tackling Torture at the Top (T3) Committee. FFI:
Contact David Unowsky at 612-822-4611 or davidu [at] magersandquinn.com.


--------3 of 14--------

From: Women Against Military Madness <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Vs eviction 5.08 9am

Minneapolis City Council Meeting: Resolution Calling on Mortgage Holders
to Allow People to Stay in their Homes
Friday, May 8, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Minneapolis City Hall, Room 317, 350
South 5th Street, Minneapolis.

The Minneapolis City Council will consider a resolution calling on
mortgage holders to allow people to stay in their homes. The resolution
urges mortgage holders to adopt a policy of maintaining foreclosed
homeowners and tenants in foreclosed property, similar to what Fannie Mae
and Freddie Mac have adopted, thereby helping to protect our families, our
neighborhoods, our housing stock and the public interest through these
difficult economic times. Sponsored by: the Minnesota Coalition for a
People's Bailout. WAMM is a member of the Minnesota Coalition for a
People's Bailout. FFI and Updates: Call 612-822-8020 or visit
www.mn-peoples-bailout.org.


--------4 of 14--------

From: Erin Parrish <erin [at] mnwomen.org>
Subject: Wilpf benefit 5.08 6pm

May 8:  Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Arts Committee
evening of entertainment that includes a sale of artwork that is 6" x 6"
(or smaller) for $66 each, live music, desserts and beverages to benefit
Women & Water Rights: Rivers of Regeneration, an exhibition and related
programs at the UMN Katherine E. Nash Gallery scheduled for February 23 -
March 25, 2010. 6 - 9:30 PM at First Floor Gallery, 801 Washington Avenue
North, Minneapolis. More information.


--------5 of 14--------

From: Sue Ann <mart1408 [at] umn.edu>
Subject: Moon/trees 5.08 7pm

h  o  n  o  r  i  n  g
the TREES of COLDWATER
Full  Moon  Walk
Friday, May 8, 2009
7 pm  at  Coldwater Spring

Directions: From Hwy 55/Hiawatha in south Minneapolis, turn East (toward
the Mississippi) at 54th Street, take an immediate right (South) 1/2-mile
past the parking meters, through the cul-de-sac and the gates. Follow the
curvy road left & then right down to the pond, next to the great willow
tree.

Sunset 8:27 pm - Moonrise 8:33 pm (moment of full moon 11:01 pm - East
Coast full moon is next day)
Info: www.friendsofcoldwater.org


--------6 of 14--------

From: t r u t h o u t <messenger [at] truthout.org>
Subject: Moyers/$$$politics 5.08 9pm

Bill Moyers Journal | The Politics of Big Money
http://www.truthout.org/050609V?n

Bill Moyers Journal: "As the banking stress-test results come in, the
Journal takes a closer look at money's stranglehold on politics. Bill
Moyers speaks with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) - who declared last week
that banks "are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill."


--------7 of 14--------

Date: Thu, 07 May 2009 13:51:35 -0500
From: Dave Bicking <dave [at] colorstudy.com>
Subject: 46th St. redevelopment - forward letter written to council members

I just sent this note to Council members Cam Gordon (because he may be an
ally), Gary Schiff (chair of Zoning and Planning Committee - and the guy
I'm running against), and Sandra Colvin Roy (12th ward, where this is).
All are members of the Zoning and Planning Committee, which met last
Thursday, and unanimously passed the measure, though they did exempt Dairy
Queen from the pedestrian overlay.  Final action tomorrow morning at City
Council.  Just thought you might be interested in the follow-up.
 -Dave Bicking

FWD:
Council members Gordon, Schiff, and Colvin Roy,

I am writing about the action before you tomorrow regarding the Zoning
Code Map Amendment for the 46th St. LRT station area.  (Item 4 on the Z&P
agenda)

The primary concern I wish to address is the "finding" that it is
impractical to contact the 42 owners of properties within 100 feet of the
rezoned properties.  I think that this is an unjustified, and possibly
illegal, end-run around the state law, and around the intent of that law,
which is to insure consent of affected neighbors.

[ I have considerable concerns regarding other aspects of this plan:  It
seems geared to driving out some existing successful small businesses (for
instance, it creates an additional one block gap in the pedestrian overlay
along Hiawatha for existing businesses to relocate to, which is of little
help to those businesses who don't have the money to build or buy new
facilities).  It seems that many nearby homeowners are concerned about
much larger buildings in their residential neighborhoods.  The proposed
developments seem out of touch with our current economy and glut of
condos.  The process of public hearings seemed to ignore the concerns of
the Dairy Queen owner, who even got 2500 signatures on her petition. Etc.
   But the city seems determined to move ahead, and I honestly don't know
how most of the neighbors feel, or what is best for the area - I haven't
attended the hearings or followed this closely. ]

I have read the staff report and listened to the Z&P Committee meeting. I
am glad that Council members Gordon and Colvin Roy at least asked for more
information about the finding and about the state law.  In particular,
Colvin Roy asked the essential question:  "What are we missing?"

It is unfortunate that the answers given by the staff were incorrect
and/or misleading.  As Council member Schiff pointed out, the process has
been "robust" in notifying neighbors and holding public hearings and open
houses.  But what is missing is something entirely different from
notification and input:  CONSENT.

Consent is an important step, which is not guaranteed by notification and
input.  I have been to a number of public hearings and open houses where
the attendees have given their input - and then been ignored in the
further development of the policy.  For example, during the development of
the Community Engagement Process and the Framework for the Future, there
was good notification and many opportunities for input.  At the meetings I
attended, the opposition was unanimous.  But the plan kept coming back in
essentially unchanged form, and was passed by the Council in spite of
unanimous opposition at the last public hearing.

The requirement of consent signatures in the state law is a protection
against that kind of process.  Without it, the city can go through the
motions of notifying and consulting neighbors, then pass whatever they
please without any regard for the opinions expressed.

Is that what has happened here?  I don't know, but I suspect it is.  If
the Council thinks that they ARE acting in conformance with the desires of
the neighbors of these properties, let them prove it - by obtaining the
consent signatures as required by the state law.

In addition, declaring a "finding" doesn't make it so.  As an exception to
the normal process of consent signatures, the state law, in certain
instances, allows a waiver if it is impractical to obtain those signatures
due to the number of property owners involved.  Note that the law
specifies that it BE impractical, not just that the city "finds" it to be
impractical.

In this case, it is simply wrong to say it is impractical to contact those
42 property owners, using any reasonable definition of the term
impractical.  The process that has led up to this Council action has been
extensive, involving, as was noted, notification of hundreds of residents
and several public meetings, as well as extensive staff work on maps and
planning.  By contrast, contacting these 42 people for their signature is
a minimal effort.  The addresses are all known, and the city has a record
of the contact information for all owners.

Impractical??  Are you serious?  42 people to contact?

I know a freelance reporter who is considering taking on this
"impractical" task.  The results could be interesting.

I'd be willing to bet that the real reason the city does not even make an
effort to contact and ask these people, is that you doubt that you would
get the required 2/3 consent.  That is the very worst reason for not
asking!

I ask that you NOT pass this item; that the "finding" of impracticality
not be made, and that this item be reconsidered only after the city has
obtained the required 2/3 consent of the property owners, should they
decide to give that consent.

The details:

I am not a lawyer, and I don't have city staff to help, but I found it
quick and easy to locate the relevant state law:  462.357 OFFICIAL
CONTROLS: ZONING ORDINANCE.  The full section is here:
https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=462.357&year=2008

The relevant subdivision is subdivision 5:

Subd. 5.Amendment; certain cities of the first class.

The provisions of this subdivision apply to the adoption or amendment of
any portion of a zoning ordinance which changes all or part of the
existing classification of a zoning district from residential to either
commercial or industrial of a property located in a city of the first
class, except a city of the first class in which a different process is
provided through the operation of the city's home rule charter. In a city
to which this subdivision applies, amendments to a zoning ordinance shall
be made in conformance with this section but only after there shall have
been filed in the office of the city clerk a written consent of the owners
of two-thirds of the several descriptions of real estate situate within
100 feet of the total contiguous descriptions of real estate held by the
same owner or any party purchasing any such contiguous property within one
year preceding the request, and after the affirmative vote in favor
thereof by a majority of the members of the governing body of any such
city. The governing body of such city may, by a two-thirds vote of its
members, after hearing, adopt a new zoning ordinance without such written
consent whenever the planning commission or planning board of such city
shall have made a survey of the whole area of the city or of an area of
not less than 40 acres, within which the new ordinance or the amendments
or alterations of the existing ordinance would take effect when adopted,
and shall have considered whether the number of descriptions of real
estate affected by such changes and alterations renders the obtaining of
such written consent impractical, and such planning commission or planning
board shall report in writing as to whether in its opinion the proposals
of the governing body in any case are reasonably related to the overall
needs of the community, to existing land use, or to a plan for future land
use, and shall have conducted a public hearing on such proposed ordinance,
changes or alterations, of which hearing published notice shall have been
given in a daily newspaper of general circulation at least once each week
for three successive weeks prior to such hearing, which notice shall state
the time, place and purpose of such hearing, and shall have reported to
the governing body of the city its findings and recommendations in
writing. -------------------------------------------------

Again, I am not a lawyer, but the meaning is pretty clear.  Written
consent of 2/3 of the neighboring property owners is required before a
majority of the council can pass a zoning amendment from residential to
commercial or industrial.  OR, if that is impractical, the council can
pass the zoning amendment by 2/3 vote after following a process of
hearings, etc., but only if it is impractical to contact the neighbors (42
property owners in this case).  I have not yet seen tomorrow's agenda, but
I assume that it will note that a 2/3 vote of the council members is
necessary, indicating that the maker of the agenda is aware of this law.

Did you note that one staff member said that this waiver is done, and
intended, only for unusual and rare cases; but another staff member said
that the city used this waiver for all rezoning that is initiated by the
city?  The law makes absolutely no distinction, for the purpose of this
requirement, between rezoning initiated by the city, versus that initiated
by the property owner.

One staff member, either ignorantly or deviously, said that the signatures
are not for consent to the substance or the merits of the rezoning, but
are merely a gatekeeping measure, as to whether the matter should proceed
to public hearings.  This is a confusion, innocent or not, with the
provisions of Subdivision 4 of the same law:

Subd. 4.Amendments.  An amendment to a zoning ordinance may be initiated
by the governing body, the planning agency, or by petition of affected
property owners as defined in the zoning ordinance. An amendment not
initiated by the planning agency shall be referred to the planning agency,
if there is one, for study and report and may not be acted upon by the
governing body until it has received the recommendation of the planning
agency on the proposed amendment or until 60 days have elapsed from the
date of reference of the amendment without a report by the planning
agency. ---------------------------------------

The petition referred to in the above subdivision is clearly not the
required consent that the council wishes to obtain a waiver from; it is an
optional way for property owners to initiate a rezoning request.

I am quite certain that one or more people in the Council chambers last
Thursday was aware of the actual state law, but remained quiet while
incorrect information was provided.  If no one else, at least Committee
Chair Schiff is (or should be) aware of a state law that sets out how the
city and this committee must proceed when amending zoning.

Passing this zoning amendment without the consent of the affected property
owners is ill-advised legally, as well as being a way to avoid listening
to the opinions and concerns of the neighbors.  Again, I am not a lawyer,
but it seems to me that the city runs at least a slight risk of legal
action by the affected property owners.

I am glad that the Dairy Queen and Greg's Automotive were removed from the
pedestrian overlay, but that does not change the underlying problems with
this rezoning.  Please reconsider and do this right.

Sincerely,
Dave Bicking 3211 22nd Ave. S. #1 Minneapolis, MN 55407 Ward 9
612-276-1213


--------8 of 14--------

From: Alan Muller <amuller [at] dca.net>
Subject: "U. Minnesota students building house powered entirely by sun"

U Minnesota students building house powered entirely by sun
-- Minnesota Daily/UWire

After 15 months of planning, University of Minnesota students are finally
getting to fire up their drills and saws to begin construction on a fully
functioning house powered exclusively by the sun.

The students are members of the University's solar decathlon team, which
will be taking its completed house to the National Mall in Washington,
D.C., in October to compete against 19 other schools in a biennial
national competition.

The Solar Decathlon competition, which is sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Energy, will last three weeks and will judge teams based on
all aspects of their house, from energy efficiency to interior design.

The University's solar decathlon team started preparing its proposal for
the competition in the fall of 2007, Ann Johnson, project manager and
director of the construction management program, said. In January, the
team was chosen as one of 20 participants and has been working on
designing and planning their house since.

Although initially hoping to have the house constructed by graduation,
Johnson said the team is now aiming to finish by July 1 so it can be put
up for display on the East Bank campus in August.

"We decided it was too stressful for us to try and rush," she said.  "We
didn't want to stress ourselves with having to make design decisions too
fast."

The house being built by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is
about two weeks from being completed, project manager Patrick Chapman
said, and the team will spend the rest of the summer calibrating and
repairing the house.

At the ReUse Center in Minneapolis Friday, where the house is being
constructed, about 10 students were on hand, unloading 800-pound pieces of
wood from supply trucks, installing insulation and working to finish the
house's base.

Construction management senior Bradley Fasbender, who was at the building
site Friday, said it took a while to get the construction rolling, but now
that it's underway and with summer around the corner, he said he expects
the pace to pick up.

Construction manager Craig Hohensee said when completed the house will
cover 800-square feet and will include a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen,
living room and porch. The house is being constructed in three modules to
make it easier to transport to Washington, he said.

After the competition, it will return to Minnesota and be placed at UMore
Park in Rosemount where it will be open for tours and educational visits.
Hohensee said he hopes someone will eventually be able to move into the
house and live there full time.

Working on designing the house and coordinating the efforts of the 150
students working on the project has been challenging, team president
Shengyin Xu said, but seeing the house start to take shape has been
rewarding, if a bit nerve-wracking.

"When it starts to come up it's exciting ... but it's also really
frightening that something you designed could be wrong, maybe it won't
stand," she said.

When designing the house, Johnson said the team focused on making the
solar house look like a regular residential home, she said, something that
many hi-tech solar houses fail to do.

"It's not a new age, space age, Star Trek house," she said. "It's really
meant to look like something you might see in a neighborhood, something
that would blend in."

Also helping make the house unique will be how it incorporates the solar
panels into the design of the house, electrical engineering graduate
student Brian Henke said.

Because the team is building the house from the ground up, Henke said the
team has been able to build the panels into the roof instead of mounting
them on brackets.

"The roof system is the solar system," he said.

The house will also use solar energy to provide hot water and solar panels
will be integrated into the windows to provide further energy efficiency.

When all the costs associated with building the house are added up,
Johnson estimated the project will cost a total of $400,000 to construct.

Many of the materials used in construction were either donated or bought
at a reduced price, Johnson said, and seed grants from the Department of
Energy and the University's Institute on Renewable Energy and the
Environment have also helped defray costs.

The IREE decided to support the project because to bring together students
from varying disciplines to collaborate on a project relating to solar
energy, an important resource IREE director Richard Hemmingsen called
"underutilized and underappreciated."

The project will help demonstrate the effectiveness of solar energy, he
said, and students will get a chance to work with and find new
applications for cutting edge technology.


--------9 of 14--------

From: Ralph Nader <action [at] singlepayeraction.org>
Subject: Disruption of Congress?

Yesterday morning, eight doctors, lawyers and other activists stood up to
Senator Max Baucus.

And the private health insurance industry.

And the corporate liberals in Congress.

The eight activists demanded that single payer - everybody in, nobody
out, free choice of doctor and hospital - be put on the table.

And as a result they were arrested.

And charged with a so-called "disruption of Congress."

The Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Politico, Democracy Now and
National Public Radio all carried stories about the protest.

C-Span carried it live.

And it was widely disseminated on the Internet.

Baucus crafted a hearing to kick off the health care debate in the Senate
yesterday where 15 witnesses would be at the table to discuss health care
reform.10 Excellent Reasons for National Health Care

The insurance industry was at the table.

The Business Roundtable was at the table.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was at the table.

Blue Cross Blue Shield was at the table.

The Heritage Foundation was at the table.

And corporate liberals like Andy Stern, Ron Pollack, and AARP were at the
table.

But not one person who stood for what the majority of Americans, doctors,
nurses, and health economists want - single payer - was at the table.

Not one.

When I heard about this corporate line-up last week, I called the office
of Senator Baucus.

And politely asked that, as a matter of fairness, a single payer doctor
be allowed to testify.

I was told -  no way, Ralph.

The deal is done.

So, yesterday, at 10 a.m., the Baucus Eight, led by Single Payer Action
and other single payer groups, took to the Senate Finance Committee.

And directly and respectfully confronted a room full of corporate
lobbyists.

And corporate controlled Senators.

And again asked that a group of doctors who were in the room to support
Medicare for all be allowed to testify.

The answer again - no, no, and no.

Remember what Senator Richard Durbin said last week?

Durbin said that the banks "own" the Congress.

To which we might add - the health insurance industry and the drug
industry own the Senate.

Faxing, writing, and e-mailing is not getting it done.

Enough is enough.

Time for action.

This is a winnable issue.

But the American people need to focus on 535 members of Congress.

And get mobilized.

Single Payer Action is at your service to get the job done.

So, donate now -- $8, $18, $80, or $800.

To honor the Baucus Eight - who all wore black yesterday in memory of the
more than 20,000 Americans who - according to the Institute of Medicine -
die every year from lack of health insurance.

And to fuel a citizen action movement that will deliver single payer to
the American people - sooner not later.

Together, we can break the corporate stranglehold on Congress.

And deliver health care for all.

Single payer.

More comprehensive. More efficient. More humane. More peace of mind.

Let's get it done.

Onward to single payer,

Ralph Nader

Ralph Nader

PS: Remember, if you donate $100 or more by May 14, 2009, we will send
you two galvanizing books that concisely detail the case for single payer
in America.

 *  Health Care Meltdown by Robert LeBow, MD, revised and updated by Dr.
    C. Rocky White - a Republican doctor so fed up with the needless
    suffering caused by the insurance industry that he become a leading
    advocate for single payer.

    and

 *  Ten Excellent Reasons for National Health Care, Edited by Mary
    O'Brien and Martha Livingston.

This two-book offer ends 11:59 p.m. May 14, 2009.

So don't miss out. Donate now.

We're building one million Americans strong for single payer.

Please share this e-mail with friends and family.

Urge them to sign up and donate at singlepayeraction.org.


--------10 of 14--------

From: Joel Albers <joel [at] uhcan-mn.org>
Subject: Disruption of Congress

When elected and appointed officials are unaccountable to the public to
whom they supposedly represent, it is our right, and a very American one,
to turn to direct action. Let yesterday's direct action (disruption of
business as usual), of the Senate Finance Committee, and then forcing the
demand for single-payer, mark a turning point in the movement for
single-payer from a 100 year political movement (political meaning
electoral/legislative) to one that includes a direct action (aka civil
disobedience) movement. Employing a simple tactic hooked in the media
quickly to receive national media attention, (and by lawyers and doctors,
no less) !

Utilizing a variety of creative, non-violent, direct actions will create
space for a real, sustained national debate, and single-payer can become a
household word. We know from past experience that SPACE = social
transformation, so non-violent, creative, direct action is key. Act UP
showed this in the early 1980s at the height of the AIDS epidemic when
AZT, the first life-saving AIDS medication was marketed by Burroughs
Welcome at an unattainable $10,000/yr. Act Up held a die-in at the New
York Stock Exchange and the price of the life-saving drug plummeted
shortly thereafter. Persons with dis-abilities in Colorado laid themselves
out in the streets with wheelchairs and canes in front of buses, and
that's one reason why we have handicap accessible buses in the U.S.

As a follow-up action, Universal Health Care Action Network of MN has
already been planning our 4th annual demonstration at the heart of the
beast of HMOs, United Hold-up Group (United Health Group)  annual
shareholders meeting june 2 at corporate headquarters in Minneapolis.
These and similar demos should be held across the country at corporate HMO
headquarters and the like. If you are part of a citizen action, labor,
practitioner, senior, youth, AIDS, dis-ability, uninsured group and the
like, please contact UHCAN-MN at the number or email below if you are
interested in endorsing our demo, and hopefully turning people out to
United Hold-up Group.

Joel Albers Clinical Pharmacist, Health Economics Researcher Universal
Health Care Action Network - MN Community/University Collaborative
Research www.uhcan-mn.org email: joel [at] uhcan-mn.org phone: 612-384-0973
address: 3500 35th ave S Mpls, MN, 55406


--------11 of 14--------

Pay to Play Politics is Unacceptable for Health Care Reform
Why We Were Arrested at the Senate Finance Committee Hearings
By KEVIN ZEESE
May 6, 2009

Yesterday morning, eight doctors, lawyers and other activists stood up for
single payer health care. We stood up during a hearing before the Senate
Finance Committee. The hearing was only to hear from the insurance
industry, pharmaceutical companies, HMO's and business interests. They
did not want to hear about a real national health care plan.

I was one of the eight.

We stood up to the private health insurance industry, to the corporate
power in Congress and demanded a single payer national health care plan
where everybody is in and nobody is out. We want a plan that ensures the
peoples right to choose their own doctor, hospital and health care
treatment. We want a plan that will control costs - something that
cannot be done unless the insurance industry, HMO's and pharmaceutical
companies are challenged.

The Senate Finance Committee which has taken millions from the insurance
industry, HMO's, pharmaceutical industry - those that profit from
health care in America only scheduled their donors to speak. It was pay to
play on display in Washington, DC before the corrupt Senate Finance
Committee.

We stood up and told the truth. The Emperor Has No Clothes we said. We
were arrested and charged with "disruption of Congress" a euphemism
for telling the truth in Congress.

You can see the C-SPAN and other video on our new website
ProsperityAgenda.US. You can see the news reports from The Associated
Press, Wall Street Journal, Politico, Democracy Now and National Public
Radio which all carried stories about the protest. Prosperity Agenda is an
economic justice project of the Campaign for Fresh Air and Clean Politics.
You can help us develop an economy for all, including a health care system
for all, by participating - share your comments, ideas and strategies.
Join our effort.

Chairman Baucus, invited his major donors to the table: the health
insurance industry was there, so were the Chamber of Commerce, the right
wing Heritage Foundation, the Business Roundtable, Blue Cross Blue Shield
and corporate liberals who have sold out the people like Andy Stern, Ron
Pollack and AARP.

But the most popular and efficient health care reform was not at the
table. It was not mentioned even though it is the one favored by a
majority of doctors, nurses, economists and the American people. Only
those who paid to play were included.

For the last few weeks people have been calling and emailing Senator
Baucus and other Finance Committee members urging them to include single
payer advocates. We were told - no, no one for single payer would be
allowed to speak.

So, yesterday, at 10 a.m., the Baucus Eight, led by Prosperity Agenda and
other single payer advocates, took to the Senate Finance Committee. We
confronted the committee in front of a room filled with their campaign
donors, in front of the American people watching live on C-SPAN and we
told the truth. Three doctors joined us, spoke up and got arrested. The
effort was endorsed by Physicians for a National Health Program -
doctors are standing up for their patients saying "single payer now."

I focused on corporate corruption of the senate and told the senators we
need them to put the necessities of the people before the profits of their
donors. We do not need a pay to play Blogojevich committee with a
Blogojevich Chairman putting on phony hearings to fool the public.


Last week Senator Richard Durbin said the banks "own" the Congress. This
week it is evident, that when it comes to health care the health care
profiteers own Congress, especially the Senate Finance Committee. If we do
not put forward organized, aggressive, grass roots action we will see a
swindle of the American people. In the name of false health care reform
billions in tax payer dollars will go to campaign donors and the health
care problem will continue to worsen.

It is time for concerted action.

We have the power to ensure health care for all in a national single payer
health care program that ends the corruption of the health insurance
industry, the HMO's and the pharmaceutical industry.

We can do it . . . together.

Let's make it happen.

Kevin Zeese is the Executive Director of Campaign for Fresh Air and Clean
Politics whose Prosperity Agenda Project is advocating for an economy for
all, including health care for all.

to view video of arrest: _http://www.prosperityagenda.us/_


--------12 of 14--------

From: Healthcare-NOW! <email [at] healthcare-now.org>
Subject: Single-Payer Activists Arrested!

Doctors, Activists Arrested for Standing Up for Single-Payer
[dc_whitehouse_arrests_050409.gif] Doctors and other advocates of a
national single-payer systemalso known as Improved Medicare for
Alldirectly confronted Senators at the Senate Finance Committee roundtable
on health reform Tuesday.

The single-payer advocates wanted to know why single-payer experts were
being excluded from the roundtable of fifteen witnesses.

Why isnt single-payer at the table today? they asked.

The eight protesters were arrested as they stood up one at a time to
disrupt the roundtable discussion. "We're going to need more police,"
said Sen. Max Baucus.


--------13 of 14--------

From: Michael Munk [mailto:lastmarx [at] comcast.net]
Subject: Baucus orders single payer advocates arrested

Dr. Margaret Flowers and other single payer advocates took direct action
this morning and got carted off to jail. Fifteen of our allies demanded to
know why single payer ws not even allowed a seat at the table yesterday
during 'Mad Max" Baucus's Senate Finance Committee sham hearing on
insurance-company-friendly fake 'reform." Look
<http://www.health-justice.org/action-alerts/259-protester-delays-senate-com
mittee-opening.html>  at the video here:
http://www.1payer.net/action-alerts/259-protester-delays-senate-committee-op
ening.html

Notably, Baucus made mouth noises about the 'respect' he has for single
payer advocates. Apparently, his respect does not extend to allowing our
ideas to be heard in Congress. Meantime, his Senatorial colleagues were
joking and laughing about the protest, paying it no attention. Yet, the
clowns at the testimony table, including Karen Ignoble Ignani, were
accorded the greatest respect by the clowns at the hearing table.

Margaret and those who were with you - you are HEROES. You make us proud.
Each of us can take a lesson from you and each of us must do what we feel is
the most we can do. Without all of us acting together, more millions will
die through the mis-managed and neglectful health insurance driven
non-system.

Baucus, your hypocrisy makes me ill. Obama, you are complicit in this
crap. Journalists, your silence on single payer shows where your real
professional allegiance lies - in your pockets with the big business money
that lines them.

Here are the folks who were arrested this morning:

Katie Robbins
Russell Mokhiber
Kevin Zeese
Carol Paris
Margaret Flowers
Mark Dudzic
Jean Fox (?)
Adam Schneider

visit my website wwichaelmunk.com <http://www.ichaelmunk.com>


--------14 of 14--------

 How much kum could a kumquat quat
 If a kumquat could quat kum?


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

   - David Shove             shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu
   rhymes with clove         Progressive Calendar
                     over 2225 subscribers as of 12.19.02
              please send all messages in plain text no attachments

                          vote third party
                           for president
                           for congress
                          now and forever


                           Socialism YES
                           Capitalism NO


 To GO DIRECTLY to an item, eg
 --------8 of x--------
 do a find on
 --8