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GRITtv: Homestretch for Healthcare Reform
After nearly a year's worth of fighting over health care reform, Congress is finally perceived to be in the final stretch. Of course, that means more fighting, more grandstanding from legislators on all sides, and last-ditch efforts to include a public option or keep alive the hope of single payer. Joining us to discuss what happens if the bill passes--and the consequences should it fail--are Dr. Anne Davis of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, Enzo Pastore, health care policy specialist with the Progressive States Network, and Chris Meyer, Executive Vice President, External Affairs with Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports.
Email this pageGRITtv: Mar 11 2010
After nearly a year's worth of fighting over health care reform, Congress is finally perceived to be in the final stretch. Of course, that means more fighting, more grandstanding from legislators on all sides, and last-ditch efforts to include a public option or keep alive the hope of single payer. Joining us to discuss what happens if the bill passes--and the consequences should it fail--are Dr. Anne Davis of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, Enzo Pastore, health care policy specialist with the Progressive States Network, and Chris Meyer, Executive Vice President, External Affairs with Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports.
The latest campaign from Brave New Foundation focuses on the nastiest undercurrent to the tea party and right wing movements in this country: the racism. This video looks at some examples and offers a way for you to get involved in calling out racism when you see it. Continuing our coverage of the March 4 student protests, we see students and supporters in Oakland rallying for financial aid and education support and against war and prisons. Thanks to New America Media for the video.
The Friends of the Israel Defense Force held a fancy fundraiser in Manhattan last night, but hundreds of Palestine solidarity activists gathered outside to protest. Jews Say No!, a Jewish anti-occupation group, called the protest, which was co-sponsored by over 20 activist groups, including Adalah-NY, American Jews for a Just Peace, Jewish Voice for Peace, and the National Lawyers Guild NY Chapter, and was endorsed by two Palestinian groups from the village of Bil?in and four Israeli groups.
Amer Shurrab, a Middlebury College graduate from Khan Yunis in Gaza, whose father and two brothers were killed in Operation Cast Lead, and Dorothy Zellner, founding member of Jews Say No!, join us to talk about the protests, Joe Biden's condemnation of Israeli settlement building, and more.
Twitter and other social media have made it easier to reach groups of people at a time, a tactic that our friends at Tactical Technology Collective note allows activists to use collective intelligence in their work.
Finally, Laura challenges the media to stand up to the Cheney clan's terror tactics.
GRITtv: One Last Push for Health Care
President Obama revealed his health care plan this week, and activists across the country are gearing up to push for actually passing health care reform. In this video from Ramblin' Man Films, we check in with protesters in Los Angeles outside of Anthem Blue Cross's office, angered by a 39% rate hike by the insurer.
GRITtv: The F Word: Public Option Activists Deserve a Pat on the Back
Now some good news. The public option's alive and kicking -- it may not be what you dreamed of -- but it's worth a cheer that it's not plain dead. Majority Leader Harry Reid announced yesterday that he would bring a bill to the Senate floor with a public option in it. Though he said that he would include a provision that would allow states to opt out of the public plan, when it comes to progressive victories, this one can fairly count. Let's remember, public support for a public option survived months of frothing protest at town-hall meetings and even Obama's drive for compromise; it survived a trigger proposal that would've kept the health care status quo largely intact and it beat back a bad case of Democratic bipartisanitis. It wasn't Congressional leadership or the president that kept the idea of a non-profit public option alive. It was tireless work by progressives who organized, made phone calls, spent money and protested and even blogged about it.
