Healthcare@: News and Notes

Monday, December 16, 2013

News and Notes

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

ADA 2014 Membership

A number of important organizations defend various individual liberal causes, but Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) stands out for its unique role in pressing for the full range of progressive issues since its founding by Eleanor Roosevelt, Hubert Humphrey and other liberal giants in 1947.

In short, we're not afraid of the "L" word. ADA is a home for liberal activists, and we would be honored to have you in our family.

Our members are responsible for everything we do, including our ADA field program. In the last two months alone, our organizers have held rallies, press conferences and events on critical issues like the government shutdown, corporate tax loopholes, raising the minimum wage, and fair courts. We also added a new program in Illinois to help educate citizens on the environmental dangers of fracking.

Please consider joining or renewing your membership with ADA now!

ADA Briefing Call on the Affordable Care Act

While ADA continues its long-time support for a single-payer health care system, we think Americans should enroll in Obamacare, the only game in town. On Thursday, December 19th you're invited to join ADA members and leaders from around the country to learn more about the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

We will be joined by Matt Caffrey, an organizer with Enroll America's Get Covered America campaign in Ohio. He's an alumnus of the Ohio State University and a veteran of President Obama's reelection campaign as well as other progressive organizations and campaigns. Mr. Caffrey will update us on the current efforts at the state level and inform activists about ways to be helpful.

This is the first in a series of policy and action calls sponsored by ADA's Policy Action Teams. All ADA members are invited to join this informational conference call. Please RSVP for this call and we will contact you on Thursday with additional information to join this conference call.

Budget Deal - A Good Step, Yet A Missed Opportunity

Last week's budget deal was a good step in breaking away from the gridlock that has paralyzed this Congress. While we had some success in preventing new sequestration cuts, the overall harm was only reduced, not prevented.

We are incredibly disappointed that Congress seems to have listened to the corporate lobbyists instead of the people and the polls. Congress had the opportunity to reduce the deficit and reverse sequestration cuts by simply closing tax loopholes that corporations and wealthy individuals use to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Corporations and the 1% must stop dodging their responsibilities to society and pay their fair share.

If Congress had closed the tax loopholes, 1.3 million Americans would not be losing their long-term unemployment benefits during the holidays. If Congress had closed the tax loopholes, we could have protected the pensions of federal employees instead of hedge fund managers. And if Congress had closed the tax loopholes, we could have ended the tax breaks for companies that ship jobs and profits overseas.