Elizabeth Edwards' priority was always HEALTH CARE REFORM

[Withywindle]

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3652829/

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/health-care-reform/2009/07/on_the_hill_elizabeth_edwards.html

"A recent Harvard study concluded that at least 62 percent of bankruptcy debtors can trace at least part of their financial hardship to medical debt. Data from 2007 also indicate a 49 percent increase in medical bankruptcies as a proportion of all bankruptcy filings between 2001 and 2007. The total number of medical-related bankruptcies is likely higher; study data was compiled before the recession began last year.

Lawmakers met to review the medical bankruptcy study as their colleagues continue crafting legislation to overhaul the nation’s health care system.

“Successful health reform must not just make health insurance affordable, affordable health insurance has to make health care affordable,” Edwards told lawmakers at a morning hearing called by the House Judiciary subcommittee on commercial and administrative law." (bolding mine)



This was and is her heart and soul. A lot of us are mourning after the latest news about her. No, she's not dead yet, but I think it's actually nice for the terminally ill to be able to enjoy some of the nice things being said about them while they're still alive. Let's not be in denial. All indications point to her not being with us long.

I think she would want us to carry on the fight for health care reform. Not health INSURANCE reform (as piddly as that is)-I think the plan that passed under Obama is better than what we had before, in a tiny hairsplitting way, but considering how bad what we had before was, that's really not saying that much.

To honor Elizabeth, let's keep on her fight, on whatever level is possible for you. If you can march and do Civil Disobedience, please do. If you can donate to a health-care advocacy group or charity, please do. If you can write a letter to a Rep or Senator or newspaper, please do. If you see one of those sad little jars on the local grocery store counter looking for funds to help someone with medical bills and you can afford to put a little money in, please do. If you have connections to help someone who's in need hook up with a doctor or dentist who will do work pro bono or sliding scale, please do. If you have the opportunity to take some money from an insurance company that would otherwise be used for class-war propaganda, please do. If you have the opportunity to visit a sick or injured person and brighten up their day just a little, please do.

Every little bit helps. It's totally wrong that we're all reduced to "every little bit" and I am NOT saying that charity can ever equal a true government-wide recognition of need and prioritizing of that need. I'm saying that if you have a chance to do something small but useful, take it. For Elizabeth, who deserved better than what she got. For all the millions of people who deserve better than what they have.

[Withywindle]

1. self-kick

thanks for all the recs so far!

[Withywindle]

2. kick again.

Today, coming home from work at 6 PM, I was cursing all the SOBs in my neighborhood who don't bother to shovel, and let the snow melt and ice over and melt and ice over again until their little stretch of the block is nothing but slick lumpy glass that no biped can reasonably walk on.

Now more than ever. Because you know what I do have? Bad balance. You know what I don't have? Health insurance.

There is a direct link between random people not shovelling their walk, and my parents (700 miles away) potentially losing their house, because they would go all in to help me, no matter what, cause they're my family. They would do it against my wishes if I were unconscious.

I had a co-worker 15 years ago, who slipped on ice on her lunch break, totally randomly, and landed exactly wrong enough to break her back. She was in a brace for two years and was never the same afterward....but she did still have coverage at the time, so her family didn't lose everything.