[Peace-discuss] FW: [IllinoisSinglePayer] what's up with Bernie Sanders and a Senate single-payer bill?

[Carl G. Estabrook]

It’s about time.


> On May 18, 2017, at 8:41 PM, David Johnson via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> From: IllinoisSinglePayer at yahoogroups.com [mailto:IllinoisSinglePayer at yahoogroups.com] 
> Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2017 6:56 PM
> To: IllinoisSinglePayer at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [IllinoisSinglePayer] what's up with Bernie Sanders and a Senate single-payer bill?
>    
> U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders
> Yesterday at 11:07am · 
> Congratulations to the New York State Assembly for moving forward on a single payer health care bill. At a time when the U.S. remains the only major nation on earth not to guarantee health care for all, New York can play an important role in leading us forward. I will soon be introducing Medicare for All single payer national legislation which is being supported by grass-roots organizations all across this country. Please don't forget. Health care is a right, not a privilege.
> <image001.jpg>
>  
> Single Payer Success in NY as Medicare-for-All Bill Passes State Assembly
> 'The New York State Assembly is leading the way with the only kind of healthcare bill that will put people before profits'
> COMMONDREAMS.ORG
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>  
> 
> On Thursday, May 18, 2017 2:53 PM, "Anne Scheetz annescheetz at gmail.com [IllinoisSinglePayer]" <IllinoisSinglePayer at yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>  
> Sanders can always choose to issue a public statement giving a date when he will introduce a bill.
>  
> I don't consider my phone calls a source of accurate information, rather as part of a campaign of pressure. I would argue that no one knows for sure what Sanders will do. We do know that he must be getting pressured against moving single-payer forward. It's up to us to exert pressure from our side, for what we want.
>  
> If the HC-N! folks give us reasons why any kind of demonstration will be harmful, I will listen to them. 
>  
> These are the practical difficulties I can think of with a demonstration:
> 	• Some of us will be inside, some outside; but we don't know yet exactly who will be going--some people who applied have not been accepted.
> 	• As Sonja points out, the venue doesn't lend itself to visibility, and I don't think we know what part of the facility the conference will use
> 	• We don't know when Sanders will speak; in fact, I don't think any of the schedule has been published
> 	• A note of thanks I got from HC-N! for a contribution included something about a "single-payer track" at the conference but we don't know any details
> 	• It's difficult to talk to people about a date and time when we don't know the schedule
>  
>  
> I am interested in opinions of all Illinois activists. 
>  
> Anne
>  
> On Thu, May 18, 2017 at 10:22 AM, Bill Bianchi pdachicago at gmail.com [IllinoisSinglePayer] <IllinoisSinglePayer@ yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>   
> Well it sounds like he won't introduce a bill before the summit.  I think it would be entirely appropriate to circulate flyers reminding everyone that Bernie promised to do so, and we're looking forward to it with great anticipation.  
> My two cents
> 
> Bill Bianchi
> Illinois Single Payer Coalition
> 773-636-1927 cell
> 773-935-3346
>  
> On Wed, May 17, 2017 at 3:15 PM, Anne Scheetz annescheetz at gmail.com [IllinoisSinglePayer] <IllinoisSinglePayer at yahoogrou ps.com> wrote:
>   
> There is some discussion going on among individuals over how to respond to the fact that Bernie Sanders has not yet introduced a Senate single-payer bill. (Emails as well as rumors about such a bill have been circulating since at least the end of March.) I believe this issue requires discussion by anyone who might  have an opinion. 
>  
> More specifically, about whether we should take any action, if he has neither introduced the bill nor committed to a date, by the People's Summit, June 9 to 11 in Chicago, at which he is scheduled to speak. We discussed this at the recent ISPC Chicago meeting. 
>  
> As you know, an email went out today asking people to call Sanders' office to say we want him to introduce a companion bill to HR 676. (Also to call our US representatives.) The same Take Action is posted here on the ISPC website. Two responses: 
>  
> Justine James authorized me to share this: 
> Just called Bernie Sanders office and was told, in an exasperated tone, that Senator Sanders will be introducing a counterpart to HR 676. Was told that no date for intro would be made public as "...wouldn't the pharmacy companies like to have that information."
>  
> I called today as well, and was told that Sanders will introduce a single-payer bill; it won't be a companion bill to HR 676 because Sanders "believes in a different way of writing legislation;" and they don't know when the bill will  be introduced "because the legislative calendar is private." This is the second time I have been told they don't know a date. 
>  
> Other people have information and opinions that I don't have permission to share, but that I hope they will contribute to this discussion.
>  
> It is too early to decide for sure what we will do at the June conference. (Some people will be inside and some will be outside.) But I believe we should be discussing it; it's only three weeks away. 
>  
> When we decided on April 1 on a campaign to persuade Dick Durbin to sign on as a co-sponsor to the Sanders bill and then work for it, we expected it to be introduced in May. That hasn't happened obviously. 
>  
> Anne
>  
>