WE MADE THE 11 O'CLOCK NEWS!!!!

On Sep.2nd MoveOn.org organized more than 300 "We Can't Afford to Wait" vigils all around the country. Many of our members attended the vigil we held at Hournal Square in Jersey City, NJ. It was a truely remarkable event. It was our biggest event of the year, a scathing indictment of our broken health care system.

WWOR Channel 9, Mike Gilliam,a My9 News Reporter/Anchor and his crew did extensive interviews and filming at our vigil and then aired a very positive piece on the 11 o’clock news. Take a look:

To hear so many stories, see so many candles, stand shoulder to shoulder with so many other people who care so deeply about health care reform was truly moving.
Remember, it was only three or four weeks ago when it seemed a loud few would overpower the calls for reform from the many.
But throughout August, MoveOn members and other health care supporters turned out in droves to more than 700 town halls and meetings with members of Congress. By the end of the month, most public events were dominated by health care supporters, not the opposition.
And last night we shared stories of people bankrupted by medical bills and shut out by pre-existing conditions.

The New York Times wrote, "Under the banner of 'Can't Afford To Wait,' the vigils...put a human face on the need for" health care reform. Many local newspapers and TV stations prominently covered last night MoveOn vigils and last night they made it on to the front page of the Washington Post's website.
Next week, lawmakers will return to D.C. with these vigils fresh in their minds.

And for all who still have doubts about the necessity of a strong PUBLIC OPTION, I just want to quote here something Robert H. LeBow MD wrote at the end of his book "HEALTH CARE MELTDOWN":

"...Tonight ..... I want you to go to a quiet place and think about what would happen to your community if your local fire and police departments were converted to for-profit, fee-for-service industries. Imagine them being financed with a combination of poorly funded public support, depending heavily on fee-for-service reimbursemnet (or bribery) from people who may or may not have funds to afford their service. Think of the chaos, the inequality, the unnecessary loss of life, the injustice, and the potential for abuse. Think about entire neighborhoods of lower income individuals or remote rural areas with no fire or police protection at all, because they are deemed "unprofitables."

Privatization of those services is unconscionable!

Now think about our health care system. Why should medicine be any different?"