News From The Campaign Trail: Working To Change Florida
Hey gang.
It’s been a busy month or so since I last wrote about working on a campaign this election season. Holiday Parades, meet-and-greets, and all the things that keep a campaign busy are in high gear. I have to say it’s more fun than I ever imagined. If you haven’t worked on a campaign before, you should give it a try. God knows Democrats throughout the land need help. If you are mad about Bush vetoing health care for kids then volunteer this year and make a change!
One of the best things about working on this campaign is getting to know the candidate himself. I have a low opinion of politicians. They deserve that opinion. They EARN that opinion. Most of my life political choice has come down to “The Lesser of Two Evils.” Not this time, at least in the Florida District 8 election. My candidate - Alan Grayson - is just what we hope when we elect a democrat. Progressive thought, progressive action and no need to water down his opinion to earn a job. It makes me want to get up in the morning and donate my precious hours to the cause. Another example of this happened yesterday when the Florida Civil Rights Association named Alan Humanitarian of the Year.
Yes a lawyer won Humanitarian of the Year. He’s that kind of guy.
I attached the press release at the bottom so you could read for yourself. There is no one else in the race for District 8 who can match Alan. Hopefully guys like me can help a guy like him do something good for this country soon. We sure do need it.
Congressional Candidate Alan Grayson
Honored as “Humanitarian of the Year”
Florida Civil Rights Association to present award tonight in Orlando
ORLANDO,
FL – The Florida Civil Rights Association (FCRA) has selected Alan Grayson to receive its 2007 “Humanitarian of the Year” award and will present it to Alan tonight at the group’s
annual Town Hall Meeting and Awards Ceremony at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Orlando.
The FCRA chose Alan “for inspiring change and demonstrating ongoing leadership in the advancement of government accountability, and the preservation of employee civil and human rights.”
“I am proud – very proud – to receive this high honor”,said Alan. “And I am proud to be associated with the noble cause of civilrights. I’m running for Congress for three fundamental reasons: justice, equality and peace. These are the causes that great civil rights leaders have advanced for decades.”
The FCRA was impressed not only with Alan’s well-known “one-man war against contractor fraud in Iraq”, as the Wall Street Journal put it, but also for the work that he has done on behalf of people of conscience - the whistleblowers who refuse to participate in crimes and fraud, and who face discrimination, demotion and discharge because of it. Last year Alan, a lawyer, won a $235,000 judgment on behalf of a Florida employee who was forced to quit his job because he wouldn’t participate in fraud. Alan also won a $1.4 million judgment on behalf of an Alabama subcontractor who was terminated, and not paid, because that subcontractor wouldn’t engage in fraud. Both of these decisions now are final judgments – towering monuments erected in the law, on behalf of employee rights.
Alan explained that “all too often, employees are judged not on the content of their character, but rather on their race, their religion, their union activities, and even their willingness to join management in breaking the law. This has to stop. I’ve fought it before, and won. I’ll fight it in Congress.”
To learn more about Alan, read the recent Vanity Fair profile of
Alan and visit Alan’s campaign website at www.graysonforcongress.com. To reach Alan’s campaign directly, send an email to
listeningtoyou@graysonforcongre
Stay tuned for future events and news with Alan Grayson, Congressional Candidate for District 8 in Central Florida. For more information, contact Carol Cox at 407.321.1919 or at media@graysonforcongress.com.
December 13th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Tom Bush didn’t veto healthcare for kids.
The dems are the ones holding up this bill. The children that were getting it that actually do need were going to continue to get it but they have to be the snakes that they are and add on young adults and people who can afford private health Ins. all well knowing it would be vetoed just so they can say oh the poor children,Bus h doesn’t care about the poor children. Why can’t they just continue the bill with the added funding and then put through a separate bill for non poor families and so children up to 24 years old and see how many votes it gets.
Keep up the good fight though. Glad you found someone you can stand behind. Good luck!
December 13th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Well that’s spin worthy of Fox. Even a lot of Republicans support this bill. More and more kids are without healthcare and Bush wants to essentially “hold steady” Well ya can’t hold steady as more kids slip between the cracks.
This is a bill widely supported by the people in this country. The President has had 2 opportunities to help provide health care for more kids in this country. Instead he sided with the tobacco industry.
Funny how there is always money to be found for tax cuts, wars and waste but not for helping actual working class Americans live a better life.
December 13th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Oh yes and it SHOULD be noted that the health care industry, the pharma industry and the health insurance industry ALL supported this bill.
All of them.
December 13th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Of course the republicans are supporting it because alot of them are up for reelection. What else are they suppose to do when the media is controlled by liberals?
People have dropped their private coverage to get Schip . This has exceeded it’s intent like most government programs. t was meant for people 200 percent of the poverty level /if they pass this the way they want it it would enable familiesto 400 percent of the poverty level to qualify for it.
I am watching the debate now and the moderator is having a big love fest with the dems.
December 13th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Be honest - the “400 %” is in certain states like New York that says a family of 4 could go 4 times the abusrdely low poverty level and still qualify. Now I know that may seem so odd that a family of 4 who makes 4 times the POVERTY rate (which I dare someone to try and live on) could still have need help obtaining health insurance but that’s the reality of the situation. This is not middle class welfare (because we never get welfare - only rich people and big corporations get government handouts these days) it’s simple economics.
Also while it is true that people have “dropped private coverage: for Schip you are not representing it correctly. People who work at Wal-Mart have crappy insurance that costs more than they can afford and covers less than they need. Why wouldn’t they drop a BAD plan for a better one? No one is dropping a good plan for Schip.
The fact is this President has Vetoed the bill twice. The Republican in District 8 that Alan is running against has voted against children’s health care 3 straight times. He will probably do so again this time. America wants this fixed. America needs this fixed. Bush’s policies have failed and America is the worse for it.
December 13th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Try this test just for fun
http://www.vajoe.com/candidate_calculator.html
December 13th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
You can’t really keep track of who does and who doesn’t qualify for it so if there is going to be socialized medicine they should just get it over with raise taxes and give it to everyone.
December 13th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
We all know that Lisa only supports things that don’t cost her anything and has no particular feeling for anyone but herself.
December 14th, 2007 at 9:14 am
Lisa,
Socialised medicine is cheaper than your healthcare, per capita, and covers everyone. Why do you still support a failed system so strongly?
December 14th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Chris -We all know that Lisa only supports things that don’t cost her anything
You make me laugh. Not that it’s any of your business but I pay for my health care and my copays aren’t cheap but I prefer it to the government controlling it for me. At least if I get something serious I have the option of treatments instead of the government telling me Well you have no chance anyway so you will not be getting help from us or should I say “Our tax dollars”
If the economy is so bad Chris why would you opt for higher taxes? You must be one of those rich liberals who feel guilty.
December 14th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Yes I do actually care about others. Pity you don’t.
December 14th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Tom-
Just wanted to let you know how proud I am of your efforts in this election cycle. You’re doing more than just talking the talk, you’re jumping in to democracy with both feet moving.
Kudos to you my friend!
December 14th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Chris you have no idea about me so just because I prefer my healthcare to the failed UK plan that doesn’t mean I don’t care about people. I bet I volunteer to help people way more than you do. What do you do to help people?
December 14th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Lisa honestly I like you but lets be serious. You have no option for treatments other than what your provider and their bottom line say you have. If your provider thinks the procedure to be to high risk\low reward they will deny it. If they don’t like what your doctor wants to do they will deny it. You have ZERO choice in the matter. None. Ask yourself who controls your health care - its not you, its not your Doctor. It’s Aetna, Blue Cross, Kaiser etc.
This is the kind of rhetoric people trying to make reforms are up against. They have convinced you that they crap they sell is gold and you nod your head. The system is busted - but your fear of a single payer system makes you put up with skyrocketing costs and lousy ROI. Even when our friends from Canada and the UK tell you how they LIKE their system and how it works well, you still say act like they don’t know what they are talking about. Their system is LESS likely to deny care and more likely to cost less.
Why can’t you see reality here?
December 14th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Lisa quit saying the failed UK plan. Stop it. Paul is from the UK and he’s telling you it’s good. What are you basing it on? Study after study shows it’s working well. It costs less. You have no basis for this. None. Honestly girl, open your mind to the fact you’re getting screwed. You should be mad at our system not trashing the British one.
December 14th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Okay I will rephrase that “The Rationed UK Helath Plan”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=490233&in_page_id=1770
Someone I know family lives in the UK and his Dad needs a root canal and is in so much pain they won’t pull it because they say they will try to save it but he has to wait 6 months before they will do anyhting and a friend of theirs can barely make ends mee because of the high taxes: example
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=479572&in_page_id=1770
I am starting to agree with Hillary on Affordable Healthcare because even she knows socialized healthcare in this country would be a big failure.
December 14th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Oh and Tom ask Paul why he has to take out a private policy on top of the NHS if it’s so great.
December 14th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
I’m still waiting for Chris to tell me how he helps the poor besides spending other people’s money.
December 14th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Hey look what I found. Somehting Al Gore wouldn’t want publicized
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/images/stories/papers/reprint/UN_open_letter.pdf
December 14th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
not sure why you switched this to a Global Warming question but OK - 100 scientists write a letter saying they disagree with the UN on Global Warming. Fine - when they prove their point I’ll listen. Right now the thousands of scientists who have worked on the issue all are in agreement that somethign bad is happening. The evidence is pretty overwhelming to the vast majority of them, but if you want to take 100 over 1000 or 5000 or 10000 then go ahead.
Gee Lisa, health care isn’t a problem, global warming isn’t a problem, what is? Let me guess Islamic Jihadists around every corner and illegal immigrants?
December 14th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
I didn’t say it wasn’t a proble it’s just the way the democrats “pretend” how they want to fix everything.
And I never denied Global Warming but if you actually think that taxing the heck out of everyone is going to fix that is where I have a problem with it and the Kyoto treaty which is a big joke. see below and notice the date:
http://www.sepp.org/Archive/NewSEPP/kyotoprotocol.htm
December 14th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
Lisa,
You could always ask me yourself. The NHS is very good. I am currently getting treatment on it, rather than my insurance because it is good treatment. The reason I have private insurance is because it’s not perfect and I want to make sure I have as much coverage as possible in case I do get something serious.
The NHS works. It is not perfect. Never claimed it was. That’s why I’m taking out some extra cover (you see, even under socialised medicine you can get better insurance if you want to pay for it). But I know people who are working under your system and they would love to have treatment as good as I get at the cost I get it for on the NHS.
December 14th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Lisa
If our system is so superior ro others, why is it that no one in the rest of the world is clamoring for our system? By the way you do understand how insurance works. The theory is that you have a large group of people paying into a fund and only a small group have to use it at anyone time.
December 15th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Chris-
I know Tom hates when I post these because he doesn’t want to know about it,right Tom?
http://www.enterstageright.com/archive/articles/0903/0903cdnhealthcare.htm
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070929/premature_baby_070929/20070929?hub=Canada
http://onthefencefilms.com/video/brainsurgery.html