The Hollywood Liberal

Going to Jail for Health Care
Dissent is alive and well in Los Angeles, with actions like sit-ins against health insurance companies showing a growing disapproval of the sorry state of the health care debate. Some activists are choosing to stay in jail in protest of insurers’ denial-of-coverage policies and in support of universal health care. —JCL. Mobilization for Health Care for All is a Los Angeles-based group that organizes protests in support of universal health care. MobilizeforHealthcare.org: Last Thursday, Sam Pullen joined dozens of courageous citizens who risked arrest in 9 cities across the country to challenge the insurance companies that are killing us and killing reform. Sam participated in the action to honor his mother’s own struggle to force Blue Cross to cover the bone marrow transplant that they originally denied and that ultimately extended her life for two years. He was arrested demanding that Blue Cross immediately approve all doctor-requested treatment for members with life-threatening conditions, and he committed to remain in police custody until they at least agreed to meet with him. In the last 5 days, Sam’s sacrifice has inspired an outpouring of messages of support on Facebook and via email, attracted journalists to interview him in jail and spread his story, and moved supporters all over America to step up and help lead our campaign. Each day he stayed in jail, our movement grew stronger. Finally, on Monday evening, without even being taken before a judge, a sheriff released Sam from the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles with no bail and no charges. Though Sam was forced to leave jail without his consent, it is a victory that the charges against him were dropped and the $5000 bail was removed. And even though Blue Cross never agreed to meet with Sam, his compelling story and courageous action helped expose their criminal practices and inspire many more Americans to join our fight to end them. And it confirmed again the great power of even just one person’s deep personal sacrifice for a just cause. Read more READ THE WHOLE ITEM

Dissent is alive and well in Los Angeles, with actions like sit-ins against health insurance companies showing a growing disapproval of the sorry state of the health care debate. Some activists are choosing to stay in jail in protest of insurers’ denial-of-coverage policies and in support of universal health care. —JCL.

Mobilization for Health Care for All is a Los Angeles-based group that organizes protests in support of universal health care.

MobilizeforHealthcare.org:

Last Thursday, Sam Pullen joined dozens of courageous citizens who risked arrest in 9 cities across the country to challenge the insurance companies that are killing us and killing reform. Sam participated in the action to honor his mother’s own struggle to force Blue Cross to cover the bone marrow transplant that they originally denied and that ultimately extended her life for two years. He was arrested demanding that Blue Cross immediately approve all doctor-requested treatment for members with life-threatening conditions, and he committed to remain in police custody until they at least agreed to meet with him.

In the last 5 days, Sam’s sacrifice has inspired an outpouring of messages of support on Facebook and via email, attracted journalists to interview him in jail and spread his story, and moved supporters all over America to step up and help lead our campaign. Each day he stayed in jail, our movement grew stronger. Finally, on Monday evening, without even being taken before a judge, a sheriff released Sam from the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles with no bail and no charges.

Though Sam was forced to leave jail without his consent, it is a victory that the charges against him were dropped and the $5000 bail was removed. And even though Blue Cross never agreed to meet with Sam, his compelling story and courageous action helped expose their criminal practices and inspire many more Americans to join our fight to end them. And it confirmed again the great power of even just one person’s deep personal sacrifice for a just cause.

Read more

READ THE WHOLE ITEM

Related Entries

• October 25, 2009 Once and for All
• October 20, 2009 When You’re Smiling
• October 19, 2009 Purple Finger
• October 19, 2009 Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
• October 15, 2009 Because

Rich Germans Want More Taxes
While America’s super rich are coping with bailouts and bonus envy, a group of well-to-do Germans, led by a brewery heir, has delivered a petition demanding a 5 percent wealth tax—on themselves. Imagine if Pete Coors demanded that the government spend more of his money on “ecology, education and social justice.”  Of course, America is not bereft of benevolent richies. Dieter Lehmkuhl would get a run for his money from the likes of George Soros and Warren Buffet, the billionaire who has famously said he doesn’t pay enough taxes. —PZS BBC: The group say they have more money than they need, and the extra revenue could fund economic and social programmes to aid Germany’s economic recovery. Germany could raise 100bn euros (£91bn) if the richest people paid a 5% wealth tax for two years, they say. Read more READ THE WHOLE ITEM

While America’s super rich are coping with bailouts and bonus envy, a group of well-to-do Germans, led by a brewery heir, has delivered a petition demanding a 5 percent wealth tax—on themselves. Imagine if Pete Coors demanded that the government spend more of his money on “ecology, education and social justice.”?

Of course, America is not bereft of benevolent richies. Dieter Lehmkuhl would get a run for his money from the likes of George Soros and Warren Buffet, the billionaire who has famously said he doesn’t pay enough taxes. —PZS

BBC:

The group say they have more money than they need, and the extra revenue could fund economic and social programmes to aid Germany’s economic recovery.

Germany could raise 100bn euros (£91bn) if the richest people paid a 5% wealth tax for two years, they say.

Read more

READ THE WHOLE ITEM

Related Entries

• October 25, 2009 Once and for All
• October 20, 2009 When You’re Smiling
• October 19, 2009 Purple Finger
• October 19, 2009 Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
• October 15, 2009 Because

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