[Sosfbay-discuss] Carol Brouillet featured in 'Democrats and Republicans Downplay Health Care Crisis'!!!

Tue Sep 12 01:13:54 PDT 2006

Check out this awesome recent GPUS press release that features some
really juicy comments by our very own candidate Carol Brouillet for
congress!

A Million Votes for Peace!

Drew

http://gp.org/press/pr_2006_08_24.shtml

Press Release

Democrats and Republicans Downplay Health Care Crisis

Green Party of the United States
www.gp.org

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty at greens.org 
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene at greens.org 

Green candidates call single-payer national health insurance as the
lone solution to 45 million Americans without coverage

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green candidates across the U.S. have made health
care for all a top campaign issue, demanding single-payer national
health insurance, and accusing Democrats and Republicans alike of
sweeping the health care crisis under the rug while accepting major
insurance company contributions.

"Greens are calling health care a national emergency, while many
Democratic and Republican candidates are talking about it as little as
possible," said Bob Levis, Wisconsin Green candidate for the U.S. House
(5th District) <http://www.boblevis.org>. 

Mr. Levis is running against incumbent F. James Sensenbrenner, who owns
over three million in pharmaceutical stock and has voted against
reforms such as the patients' bill of rights. "More than 45 million
Americans, including 9 million children, have no health coverage.
Millions of other Americans have inadequate coverage. The U.S. leads in
medical technology, but the worst access to health care among
industrial nations."

"The only solution to the crisis is single-payer national health
insurance, which will cover every American, regardless of age, income,
residence, or prior medical condition, with quality coverage," added
Mr. Levis. "Single-payer national health insurance will cost working
Americans far less than they now pay for private coverage. Single-payer
also takes the burden off businesses to provide health coverage for
employees, and creates a lot less paperwork and aggravation for
hospitals, physicians, and other health professionals."

"Many people believe that 'government inefficiency' would make national
health insurance more expensive than private insurance, when the facts
indicate the opposite," said Art Myatt, Michigan Green candidate for
the U.S. House (12th District). "Medicare delivers 98 cents to health
care providers out of every dollar of Medicare income. The private
insurance industry does well to deliver 70 cents. National health
insurance would actually lower the total amount that society spends on
health care."

Greens note that the Democratic Party removed national health insurance
from its national platform during the Clinton-Gore Administration.
President Clinton introduced a complex 'managed care' plan, which would
have placed coverage under the control of a few giant insurance firms.
Even though the Clinton plan failed, most Democrats continue to favor
reforms that leave powerful HMO and insurance corporations in control
of health care. None of these plans will solve the health care crisis,
say Greens, because HMO and insurance corporations are the root of the
problem -- they don't want to cover Americans who are old or poor or
have prior medical conditions that may interfere with profits.

"While Greens accept no corporate contributions, Democratic and
Republican politicians receive millions from corporate health lobbies
that don't want single-payer national health insurance," said Carol
Brouillet, Green congressional candidate in California's 14th District
<http://www.carolforcongress.org>.

"Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) is the top 2006 recipient in Congress of
contributions from the insurance industry, according to the Center for
Responsive Politics <http://www.opensecrets.org>. Both Democrats and
Republicans are listed among the top recipients of money from the
insurance and pharmaceutical industry." (Green candidate Howie Hawkins
is challenging Sen. Clinton for her Senate seat
<http://www.hawkinsforsenate.org>.)

One exception among Democrats is Rep. John Conyers (Mich.), who each
year introduces legislation for single-payer national health insurance
in the U.S. House. The Green Party has consistently supported the
Conyers bills.

Corporate pharmaceutical lobbies also made sure that Congress passed
its prescription drug 'reform' bill in 2003 -- which benefited drug
companies but did little to help older Americans who need their
prescription medicines. Under single-payer, all seniors will have full
access to their prescription medicines at zero or minimal cost.

Some states, such as California, have been considering state-wide
single-payer plans. Greens in these states have supported such
proposals. The chief obstacles have been Democratic and Republican
politicians who, under the influence of corporate lobbies, work to
obstruct single-payer, and advertising by HMOs and insurance companies
that misleads the public.

In Tennessee, Green gubernatorial candidate Howard Switzer
<http://www.h4gov.com> is challenging incumbent Phil Bredesen (D), who
has been dismantling one of the nation's few state provided health care
systems, dropping 330,000 (many of them in need of care) from
TennCare's rolls during the past year. Mr. Switzer's campaign slogan is
"Healthcare for All."

"Americans will win universal coverage and quality health care under a
single-payer plan when voters elect candidates who are on the side of
Americans who need health care, not on the side of corporate lobbies,"
said Jeff Kravitz, Green candidate for the U.S. House in California's
5th District <http://www.kravitzforcongress.org>. "The health care
crisis and the demand for single-payer national health insurance are at
the top of the list of reasons why America needs the Green Party."

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org 
1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

Green campaign listings, news, photos, and web sites
http://www.gp.org/2006elections 
Database of 2006 Green candidates http://www.greens.org/elections 
Video clips of Green candidates
http://www.gp.org/2006elections/media.shtml 

Physicians for a National Health Program http://www.pnhp.org 

Take Action Now!
Green Party Action: Voice Your Support for Real Universal Health Care

JamBoi
Jammy The Sacred Cows Slayer

"Live humbly, laugh often and love unconditionally" (anon)
http://dailyJam.blogspot.com

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