Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 11:50 AM
To: David Swanson; James Mayer; info@pnhp.org; info@pdamerica.org; brian.melendez@usa.net; ollamhfaery@earthlink.net; sen.john.marty@senate.com; Working_Class_Study_and_Action@yahoogroups.com; roseaucountydfl@gmail.com; info@actionforjustice.org; info@pnhp.org; info@peoplestribune.org; info@jamesmayer.org; info@iowapeacenetwork.org; info@markdayton.org; info@wnpj.org; info@rnc8.org; bswenson@bemidjipioneer.com; amistad.nai@rcn.com; rep.bill.hilty@house.mn; rep.tony.sertich@house.mn; rep.tom.anzelc@house.mn; rep.patti.fritz@house.mn; rep.carlos.mariani@house.mn; rep.al.juhnke@house.mn; rep.maryellen.otremba@house.mn; rep.dave.olin@house.mn;'bob bergland'; judy_turenne@warroad.k12.mn.us
Subject: Re: Minnesota Health Act... it's "single-collector" not "single-payer"--- John Marty is a scam just like his legislation
Mr. David Swanson,
You continue to spread the lie that the proposed Minnesota Health Act legislation created by John Marty who is about as progressive as Barack Obama is “single-payer universal healthcare.”
Maybe you don’t understand the difference between “single-payer universal healthcare” and “single-collector.”
You are one of the few people still calling the Minnesota Health Act, “single-payer.” It is in fact “single-collector;” the state collects the premiums for the insurance companies who will underwrite this plan.
For you and others to continue portraying the Minnesota Health Act as “single-payer” does a grave disservice to the single-payer movement.
Please note that on the Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition’s (MUHCC) web site--- they, along with Senator John Marty, being the major backer of this legislation--- two things are lacking:
1. We are not told what the premiums will cost us.
2. There is no claim the insurance companies have been eliminated from healthcare with this legislation.
I would note that previously, MUHCC called for the elimination of the insurance industry from healthcare; if this legislation accomplishes this, why is no such claim being made?
I seriously doubt you have taken the time to read the entire legislation and YOU have a responsibility to do this before you go around the country promoting this legislation.
At the present time, the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party has the best single-payer universal healthcare resolution as part of its “Action Agenda;” I should know how good it is--- I wrote it, and it was approved and passed by 72% of the delegates to the MNDFL State Convention in 2006. You can read this resolution on the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party’s website under “Action Agenda.”
Your promotion of the Minnesota Health Act is contributing to a campaign in support of a resolution that will undermine the present single-payer resolution because you are contributing to a very powerful misinformation campaign for this new resolution being brought before the state convention--- I have suggested to people that we no longer bother to refute the lies about this legislation; that, instead we point our fingers at the perpetrators of these lies AFTERWARDS.
It is because of having to work with completely dishonest people to achieve a very simple and mild reform to a thoroughly corrupt and rotten healthcare system like we have at present and made worse by the recent passage of Obama’s and the Democrats’ legislation, that I will suggest to everyone I know that we not settle for anything short of the socialized healthcare systems which have been proven to work the best when properly funded--- like VA, the Indian Health Service and the National Public Health Service… the finest healthcare delivery services in the world all free of charge--- socialized healthcare for everyone.
For your information: The majority of Minnesota legislators who are supposedly “sponsors” of this legislation have told me in person they would never vote for this legislation… for, as Minnesota State Senator Rod Skoe, a sponsor told me when I asked him why he was a sponsor if he has made up his mind he will not vote for it if it ever gets to the Senate floor, exclaimed to me, “To get people like you off my back.”
I have placed a box with three great articles on my blog in the upper right-hand corner about the federal legislation that just passed; your opinion has not been included because you are not credible on healthcare issues because of your continued deceptive promotion of the Minnesota Health Act, which is not single-payer; but, rather, single-collector bolstering the profits of the insurance industry. You do, however, join with the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association and Wayne Newton and his quacking white duck hawking AFLACK in supporting this legislation--- quack, quack!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhWrABF4Yyo
Yours in struggle and solidarity,
Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council
58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell Phone: 651-587-5541
E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net
Please check out my blog:
http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/
Let’s talk about the politics and economics of livelihood for real change.
