Kerry's Healthcare for Kids Campaign

[welshTerrier2]

regardless of what you think of Kerry, I think we should all get behind his campaign to fight for healthcare for every kid in America ... here's an email I just received on the subject ... btw, if you call the number provided in the article, they ask for your input and not for a contribution ...

Dear welshTerrier2,

Our Put Kids First campaign is drawing national attention to the needs of the 11 million American children living without health insurance. This week, we take it to another level.

In less than 36 hours, President Bush will use his State of the Union speech to stampede the country into a false sense of crisis on Social Security, while ignoring the real and immediate crisis of 11 million American children waking up this morning without health insurance.

But, we won't accept the President's refusal to act as the final word on meeting the needs of our children. Not a chance. Last week, our Senate introduction of the Kids First Act of 2005 added even more energy to our drive for citizen co-sponsors for this vital legislation. Nearly 500,000 people have now signed on to our efforts.

When I laid out our plans in a national speech to Families USA last week, it stood in sharp contrast to the President's "no real answer" photo op on health care the same day in Ohio. And, this past Sunday, I continued carrying our message about covering every child to the national media on Meet the Press.

Here's what's next:

This week, I'm calling on the johnkerry.com community to "Give Voice to Our Values" by providing vocal support for our effort to provide every child in America with health care coverage. I need you to be a part of this effort.

Make Your Personal Call Right Now.

Call our "Give Voice to Your Values" project at 1-866-876-4490. At this toll-free number, you can record a message describing, in your own words, why it is so critical for America to Put Kids First.

If you have a personal story about a child living without health insurance, I hope you'll see it in your heart to share it. But, whatever your individual circumstance, it is essential that Americans from all walks of life give vocal support to our Put Kids First initiative.

All through the week, we'll be compiling recorded messages from across America. We'll put them on johnkerry.com, share them with local and national media outlets, and I will be delivering a copy of selected messages from across the nation to my colleagues in the Senate.

If we want to give full expression to the strong grassroots support for putting Kids First, we've got to create new tools for making our voices heard. That's exactly why we are today launching our "Give Voice to Our Values" advocacy line.

I urge you to use it. America's children are counting on us.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

P.S. We need to make voices all across America heard. Please call right now - and take a moment to forward this message to a friend.

[Sandpiper]

1. How about Health Care for everyone?

Not that health care for kids is a bad idea, but are adults less worthy of health care?

[welshTerrier2]

2. well, i agree ...

i'm not absolutely sure what the basis of focussing on kids first is ...

but it seems to be the right political strategy ... with the tide against us and with the long history where we get labeled as big spenders and "here come the Democrats with another massive federal program", advocating for kids seems a little more insulated from attack ...

during the campaign, Kerry had some good ideas (i'm not a big Kerry supporter btw) on healthcare ... i'm confident he would support the idea of providing healthcare for all ...

putting the "kids" thing first seems like good politics to me ...

[pbartch]

6. Reason: UNHEALTHY KIDS = UNHEALTHY ADULTS for 50 years to come

think about it!!!!!!

[Gloria]

12. This was the keystone of his whole plan.....Teresa emphasized

this at the forum she held here and which I attended.

[karynnj]

3. Doing what may be feasible

Health care for kids is the cheapest (in the long run - it may have a positive payback) and the easiest to sell politically. Even so it may be an uphill battle to even get a discussion on the Senate floor. The technique of getting people to sign the "co-sponsor" petition is a way to build some momentum behind it.

Obviously, everyone should have health care (like in most civilized countries), but there is no way a bill to do that pushed by any Democrat would have a prayer.

[LittleClarkie]

5. Even if THIS bill doesn't have a chance either ...

the Repubs will look like ogres as they argue against it.

I think he will fight for this, and if he wins and it is passed, great. If he loses and it doesn't pass, it will be a club to hit the Repubs over the head with. The Repubs care about family values, but not enough to help a sick kid.

Yessss. Eeeeexcellent.

[Hippo_Tron]

10. You have to start somewhere

And healthcare for everybody is not a realistic goal with people in the white house who are not only not interested in new social programs, but are interested in dismantling every single one that we already have. Healthcare for children can be sold because everybody gets all emotional when you talk about children. It's also hard for those "they're poor because they're lazy" types to argue against it because children can't work and they can't choose to be born into a family with money. Basically, Kerry is trying to realistically get something done.

[Orlandodem]

19. Change comes incrementally. We can't expect

universal healthcare over night. Many are skeptical. We must start slowly and starting with the kids is the easiest place to begin.

[welshTerrier2]

4. hmmmm ... isn't this important enough for some discussion ??

seems important to me ...

[LittleClarkie]

7. Perhaps they just don't like children

sniff.

Poor kids... nobody cares... not even the Dems...

Let's talk about who we're supporting in 2008 instead.

And it sure isn't going to be John Kerry, nosiree. Why I wouldn't even lift a finger sign this petition for him because I'm not supporting him in 2008. Nope. Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent.

Now if Barbara Boxer had a bill for children's health care, that would be different. Support the politician, not the action, that's what I say.

Never mind that our infant mortality rate is a disgrace.

[welshTerrier2]

8. well done, LC !!

you know, i don't have kids ... and here i am supporting this thing ...

you know, i'm not a big Kerry supporter ... and here i am supporting Kerry on this important program ...

and if i don't see another 2008 thread until 2008 that would be fine with me ...

we really need to do better on DU ...

if Democrats can't even get support to get better healthcare for kids, what the hell is the point of doing anything ... if we can't get this done, then we can't get anything done ...

[kerrygoddess]

9. Thank you for saying this!

Supporting this - Kids Come First - is absolutely NOT about supporting John Kerry, it is about trying to make a difference for the kids of our country, for the future of our country.

I applaud you, WT2 for supporting this although you don't have kids. I do, we have no healthcare, so this is very personal for me!

I would like to see more people here on DU get on with the business of making a difference and as you said less talking about 2008.

From LUTD Blog about Kerry's email:

John Kerry ended his email saying, “If we want to give full expression to the strong grassroots support for putting Kids First, we've got to create new tools for making our voices heard.” LightUpTheDarkness.org launched the “We’ve Got Your Back” campaign on January 27th to do just that.

Please join our effort by sending letters to your local Senators urging them to Co-Sponsor “Kids Come First” and if you have a website or blog please save our “We’ve Got Your Back” graphic to your server and upload it on to your website to show your support of this very important issue. As grassroots activists, we have all learned that our actions can make a difference, so let’s make a difference for the kids of America.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=309

Let's show the friggin Repubs we mean business. Let's show them we know how to organize and we are not going to lay down and take their crap anymore. Uniting behind this is a start.

[welshTerrier2]

14. really appreciate that, kerrygoddess

please stop by this thread and add you insights: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1555517&mesg_id=1555517

i've posted an article that was very critical about how Kerry ran his campaign ... i'd be very interested to hear your take ... keep in mind that the point of the post was absolutely not to bash Kerry ... it was to look ahead to future campaigns and make them as effective as possible ...

[Gloria]

11. I made the call... it's a pretty cool setup....so do it!

Even though I'm ambivalent about Kerry, you have to put these issues before any other feelings. And he did keep this promise of introducing this legislation...

[kerrygoddess]

15. Write your Senators and ask them to support this...

We set up an action alert on CAPWIZ to make it easy to write Senators and ask them to Co-Sponsor Kids Come First...

Help us out and take a moment to support this (You can use the text below to send your letter through the action alert link):

There is absolutely no reason why children in our country should be without healthcare coverage. Our children are the future of this country. As a Senator of the United States, it is your duty to stand up and help families who cannot afford healthcare coverage meet their parental obligation and responsibility to get their children insured. The Kids Come First Act will provide health insurance for every child in America.

With your support in the Senate of this Bill, you can do the right thing for the children of this country. I know that you are aware of the number of children in this country who have no healthcare coverage and the toll this takes on their parents and their parent’s employers. Ultimately, the Kids Come First Act will help the economy because healthy kids mean parents miss less work.

President Bush has expressed that he looks forward to bridging the gap between the political parties in our country. By co-sponsoring this Bill, you can begin that effort, today. America’s children should not suffer due to partisan politics. Please co-sponsor Senate Bill S.114.

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=6859361&content_dir=ua_congressorg&mailid=custom

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. I agree.

n/t

[eridani]

16. So use the number to ask for universal health care

John, I was a healthy little rug rat who was raised by parents with serious health problems. They couldn't get insurance at any price due to 'pre-existing conditions' (an expression which is utterly without meaning in the rest of the industrialized world), so our household budget went from comfortable for small town 50s America to below welfare allotment levels very frequently. There is a reason why flight attendants tell you to put your own oxygen mask on before you help your kids.

Kids aged 2-18 are our healthiest demographic. Why not go big and ask for real universal health care for everyone, and have your Put Kids First plan as a backup consolation prize? (If we can't get universal health care, anything we can get will help.) John, I want a pony, but I'll take a kitten if I can't get the pony.

[LittleClarkie]

17. Why not use the number for that which it was intended

And use his Senate office number for your own slightly off topic questions.

This is not what the phone number is for. It's for the Kid's First Bill. It doesn't need to be flooded or spammed with messages that are off the point. The Kid's First Bill S114 is not going to suddenly morph into a universal bill. This is what we've got. Do you or do you not support the bill as written? Will you, or will you not lend a hand for the bill that is, not the bill you wish it that it was?

[eridani]

18. I support it only as a consolation prize

I think Kerry needs to hear from people about universal health care, the only real solution.

[CWebster]

20. That's nice, but

I wish they would point all the big guns on the social security scam.