Healthcare NOT Warfare Protest in Northampton Overwhelms Neal's Voicemail
By Wendy Newton
April 27, 2009, Northampton, MA
More than 100 people turned out on a beautiful sunny Northampton Saturday to stand with PDA for single-payer healthcare. We were joined and supported by our allies—Mass-Care, Western Mass AFSC, Franklin Hampshire Healthcare Coalition, Massachusetts Nurses Association and other local groups.
Four hundred palm-sized leaflets were handed out in just one hour, urging passersby to take out their cell phones on the spot and leave messages directing Rep. Richard Neal to co-sponsor HR 676 as has his CD 1 colleague, Rep. John Olver. People loved the idea and stopped to make the call then and there. Resulting calls filled up at least three voicemail extensions at the congressman's Springfield office. The leaftlets carried ongoing instructions and phone numbers for phoning Neal's district and Washington offices daily in the coming week.
Signs stretched for two blocks and around the corner demanding Medicare For All and directing CD 2 Rep. Richard Neal to support John Conyers' single-payer bill, HR 676. PDA banners lined Main Street.
Two tables at either end of the demonstration provided packets of literature—-a summary of HR 676, a point-by-point comparison between HR 676 and the failed Massachusetts Plan, a document entitled “Top Ten Reasons for Single-Payer,” and a brochure explaining how single- payer can be financed. PDA's Healthcare NOT Warfare flyer was included in the kit.
We believe our action today reached out to at least 400 to 500 people, and we hope that the ripple will continue into next week. Thanks to all, especially to the folks who just happened to walk by, liked our pitch, and joined in to hand out flyers and offer their cell phones to passersby.
A standing ovation for the organizers, who got it together so quickly—bravo Jackie, Rufus, Suzy, Bob and Ben.
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