My husband and I went to see it last night. The movie has a very convincing premise: our health care is broken, and it’s because of the for-profit system we are mired in…the only industrialized nation in the world with such a system. It goes over the facts about how America’s health care system is no where near the best in the world; tackles the myths about single payer system; and does so in a very entertaining and often poignant way. The stories of the so-called insured people in the film will tear your heart out. Join Jamie for this viewing and discussion about the issue. You truly won’t regret it.
Please share widely!
If I were in town I would go [I am out of town due to a death in my extended family, which took me to Michigan]Deb
I like this. I want to hear how the other candidates respond.
For a serious candidate, this is pretty silly. Does Jamie really think other candidates might really attend his party? Is it just about publicity? Who’s buying the popcorn?
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People familiar with the issue know the system is broken and needs to be fixed. I wish someone would explain to me that if single payer is the answer, why is Dennis Kucinich the only presidential candidate that backs it? What does Jamie know that John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Barack Obama do not?
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Please treat me like a grown up. I’m getting tired of the self righteousness and baiting of opponents. Remember, Jamie was the candidate who questioned Barry Finegold’s pro-choice credentials and then sent out a release defending him.
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It’s wearing a little thin on me. Back to the issues please.
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Will
You must be fully insured.
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Why are you so critical of creating an opportunity for people to see and discuss a challenging and controversial film about one of the most important issues facing this nation, an issue that truly separates the haves from the have-nots in ways that can both devastating and permanent?
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Geez, have a glass of wine and lighten up.
Really? You think that if it were a good idea, surely one of the major candidates would have endorsed it! Wow, that’s some terrific reasoning there.
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I can think of several million reasons why they wouldn’t.
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Oh, and here’s more:
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And even if, in their heart of hearts, our candidates are not bought off by the health insurance industry, they are surely aware of the immense political difficulty of cutting it out of the deal entirely, which changes their strategy.
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Will, you may find Jamie naive for fighting for single-payer, and that’s a discussion we should have; but he is surely no more naive than you, for thinking that ideas flourish merely on their own merit — in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
Will W, its obvious what Jamie knows that Biden, Obama and H. Clinton don’t know. Its how to stand up to insurance companies. Look at her donors. Those presidential candidates ran to the middle. Its really a shame and I won’t be voting for any of those candidates. I don’t like voting for the republican lights. People like Ron Paul and Mike Gravel can say the truth because the have nothing to lose. Marty Meehan is supporting HR676 that Jamie supports. Eileen admited it was the right move, but there was no leadership for it. Isnt that what Congressman are supposed to be? Niki is defending her HMO ties, fallon is the 4th largest insurer in the state and not a SMALL Healthplan.
Jamie also knows that he won’t have to do more than vote to back up his words. If Obama, Hillary, et al, come out for a government-run single-payer system, they have to plan, implement, and run it. If it comes out of a House plan, a freshman Congressman won’t be writing the bill…he’ll be lucky if he’s on a relevant committee. It’s easy to be a leader if you don’t have to lead.
If it were so easy for newly elected congresspeople to take stances with no ramifications, then why aren’t they all speaking out about universal healthcare?
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If there’s going to be a change of course on healthcare in America, it’s going to start with “young” legislators who have less to lose and trickle up to leadership only when they can no longer avoid the subject.
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I applaud Eldridge and anyone else willing to take a bold stance on this issue, regardless of congressional seniority.
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Believe it or not, there are plenty of people who don’t want the government to be making health care decisions. This may actually include people running for office. So some candidates aren’t going to promise something they want, and plenty of people running for Congress will be hobbled by such a promise. You think Heath Shuler would have been helped if he had made big health care promises? I realize that universal health care (which means different things to different people) and Jamie Eldridge are big parts of the current BMG canon, but I’m just pointing out that this is an easy promise for him to make — it’s equivalent to me promising to command a suicide mission if Mothra attacks Boston.
So is Eldridge, but on the other edge.
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Heath Shuler isn’t progressive; he isn’t even a moderate Dem. He’s a conservative Dem, which isn’t unreasonable given his CD.
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But, to throw Shuler in as your counterexample undercuts your point, which I think is a fair one. It’s easy to beat the drum for a populist cause when you know damn well you’ll have little influence on the policy when you get elected. That being said, primary/general election voters may hold him accountable if the situation gets worse, so he’s taking risk with his clamoring. Furthermore, its worth noting that when a candidate wins when trumpeting an issue, other candidates take notice… and before you know it, it can become a prominent national issue. We saw it in the 2004, 2006, 2008 congressional elections with the Iraq War. In 2004, there were few cries from credible candidates calling for a withdrawal. In 2006 we heard a number of candidates beat that drum, and some of them won… pushing the debate in that direction. Eldridge may well become one of those candidates who, with the help of others, may push the national health care debate in that direction.
he has more people show up at this shindig than showed up at the Parade in Chelmsford for him. His showing was anemic, given the supposed strength of his grass roots effort.
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Oh and really, did Jamie really think people were going to read that huge glossy magazine you were giving out. I’ve seen campaign literature before but a 16 or 24 page brochure for a parade, that seemed like over-kill.
None of the other candidates had anyone. So, if you are going to make that statement please be fair about it. Barry had a Chevy truck with signs..no volunteers (all staffers), Eileen had a few people and Niki had nothing but staffers. Also it is the 4th of July I dont know about you but I would prefer spending time with my family. So maybe that is where everyone was. Oh and since when is it wrong to give people information? Or is politics and our country about not telling anyone anything but generalities and going to D.C. with no expectations or plans. That being said the piece is alittle long.
Eileen had about 60 people not all staffers.
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Nikki had about 45 people not all staffers
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Barry Finegold had about 8 people, mostly staffers
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Ogonowski had about 70 people a mix of staffers and at least 60 volunteers (I was one)
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Jamie Eldridge had about 10-15 at the most.
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Some people (I included) did the parade in the morning to show our support for a candidate and then spent the afternoon with our families. Some volunteers did the parade with their families.
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I’ll post pictures to prove my point tomorrow. it’s late and I don’t want to spend time putting them on photobucket tonight.