June, 02 2011, 10:40am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Tim Carpenter, PDA National Director
Tim@pdamerica.org,
413-320-2015
Laura Bonham,PDA Communications Coordinator
Laura@pdamerica.org,
435-336-2123
U.S. Public Pushes Govt. for Healthcare, Not Warfare
WASHINGTON
A coalition of activist organizations led by Progressive Democrats of America is collecting thousands of signatures on a letter to the U.S. Senate Democratic Caucus asking it to support the positions taken by the Democratic National Committee in February. A Resolution passed by the DNC concluded with these words:
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party supports prioritizing job creation and a swift withdrawal of U.S. armed forces and military contractors in Afghanistan which must include a significant and sizable reduction no later than July 2011."
The letter also urges support for Senator Bernie Sanders' American Health Security Act of 2011 (S.915), which would create single-payer health coverage.
"Americans have had enough of war, and enough of watching other nations move out ahead of ours in life expectancy, infant mortality, and other measures of health," said Tim Carpenter, National Director of PDA. "We don't lack money. We lack representation in our government. We will continue pressing for what is needed until we have built the movement capable of compelling it."
Letter signers include Representative John Conyers, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep Raul Grijalva, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, Jim Hightower, Tom Hayden, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Mimi Kennedy, Thom Hartmann, John Nichols, Katie Robbins, Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign co-chairs Donna Smith and Norman Solomon, and many other prominent progressive leaders and peace and justice advocates.
Find the full text of the letter and links to background materials here.
The letter will be distributed to the members of the Senate Democratic Caucus on June 7, as part of a June 7 Rally and Lobby Day led by National Nurses United. The Day will include:
* A 10 a.m. demonstration at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at 1615 H St. NW, Washington, D.C., with speakers including Senator Bernie Sanders and Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
* A 12 p.m. Noon rally in Upper Senate Park.
* And 1:00-5:00 p.m. lobby visits at the Senate and House office buildings.
Rally and Lobby Day details here.
A benefit is planned for June 6:
Speakers include: John Nichols, author, columnist for the Nation, political commentator on Democracy NOW! and MSNBC; Donna Smith, co-chair of Progressive Democrats of America's Healthcare NOT Warfare Campaign, community organizer for California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.
8:00-8:30 p.m.: pre-event reception
8:30-10:00 p.m.: public event
Busboys and Poets restaurant at 2021 14th Street, at V. Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
Benefit details here.
Progressive Democrats of America was founded in 2004 to transform the Democratic Party and U.S. politics by working inside and outside of the party by working to elect empowered progressives and by building the progressive movement in solidarity with with peace, justice, civil rights, environmental, and other reform efforts. For more information about PDA, please see PDAmerica.org.
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