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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Northampton, MA
Donna Smith, featured in Michael Moore’s documentary SiCKO and a co-chair of PDA’s Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign, will appear at a single-payer rally at 11:00 a.m. on March 17. The rally is taking place outside the Regional Healthcare meeting sponsored by President Obama at the Davis Center, University of Vermont, in Burlington at noon.
“I represent the average American who has been devastated by an illness,” said Smith. “I was employed, owned a home, and had health insurance, but illness struck and I lost it all. I find no comfort in knowing there are millions of Americans just like me. Single-payer healthcare is the one option that will provide healthcare for everybody, economic stimulus, and sustainability while allowing doctors and patients to make decisions based on medical conditions instead of corporate bottom lines.”
Frustrated by the lack of consideration of single-payer as a viable option among the reforms being offered, single-payer advocates have planned actions at the remaining three meetings being held across the country in the next month.
Smith will also appear with Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), author of HR 676 The U.S. National Healthcare Act, at “Turning Hope Into Action,” a community forum on healthcare and the economy on Friday, March 20 at the Northampton High School auditorium, 320 Elm St. The forum will begin at 7:30 p.m. and admission is free to the public.
Also participating in the event will be Robert Pollin, professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts and co-director of the Political Economy Research Institute, Jackie Wolf, Ph.D., co-chair of MassCare, and Donna Smith, national co-chair of the Healthcare NOT Warfare Campaign. The forum will be moderated by John Nichols, political reporter for The Nation magazine. For more details and to register, click here .
Progressive Democrats of America is one of the nation's fastest-growing grassroots political organizations; it has active chapters in 45 states. PDA is dedicated to reviving the progressive tradition of the Democratic Party through grassroots organizing and working with elected Democrats to advance peace, justice and social, economic and environmental responsibility. More information is available at: http://pdamerica.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laura Bonham, PDA Communications Coordinator
Phone: 435-336-2123
Tim Carpenter, Executive Director
Toll Free: 877-239-2093
