The Bus Came By, So Let's Get On!

ROAD TRIP!!!!

Here's a chance to support Melanie's Marchers. They've arranged for buses to ferry supporters to join the marchers for the last mile or so of the trip. If you can take a day and get your butt to Philadelphia or Pittsburgh on Wednesday, the 24th, you can join the last leg of Melanies March and come to the 2:00 event on Captiol Hill with Senators Casey and Specter.

For information on catching the Philadelphia bus, go here; to ride the Pittsburgh bus, go here.

Can't make the bus, there's more that you can do from home, check it out.

GET ON THE BUS!

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Support Melanie's March for Health Insurance Reform

A couple of days ago, a group of activist citizens set out from Philadelphia on foot. Their destination is Washington, DC, where they hope to arrive and lead a rally for health insurance reform on the day before President Obama's Health Insurance Reform Summit. They've named their march "Melanie's March to the Finish Line", in honor of Melanie Shouse. Melanie lost a long battle with breast cancer. She died after not being able to obtain critical health care because she couldn't obtain affordable insurance.

Melanie was a tireless worked on President Obama's campaign and an advocate for health insurance reform. All of the marchers in Melanie's March have similar personal stories driving their advocacy.

• You can support their efforts in a few ways. You can join them for portions of their march (find out how here).
• You can attend one of the events they are sponsoring along the way (more on that here).
• Donations are always helpful and appreciated, in any amount. Donate here.
• Help promote the event with these flyers.
• Sign up to call congress.
• Participate in a virtual march.
  

I can't make it any easier for you . These marchers are pushing themselves phsyically and mentally to help make things better for you -- can't you take a few moments to help them right from your home, right now?

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Marching to the Finish Line for Melanie, While Kanjo Marches Backwards

Kanjo owes his career to unprincipled pandering for votes. He spent last year obfuscating his position on health insurance reform. Almost daily one would find Kanjo flipping or hawing on support for reform, depending on which donor or voting group to which he was speaking.

Now, facing a challenge from his younger doppelganger, Corey Who'brien? (also willing to say anything, even if it sounds like nothing, to get a vote or a dollar) in the Demo primary, Kanjo is not only backing off his ultimate support for health insurance reform, but blaming the White House for his own lack of leadership on the issue -- as if the White House was responsible for unprincipled hacks like Kanjo stalling progress on the measure while they covered their ample political asses. Here's the take-away that a local Wilkes-Barre editorial board offered after their sit-down with Kanjo:

[Kanjo] blamed the Obama administration's inflexibility in veering from the health care debate and Democratic leaders' inability to overcome infighting and political grandstanding for a logjam . . . .

The Citizen's Voice, 2/18/2010

Not sure if Kanjo is the Pot or the Kettle here, but his butt is definitely singed . . . .

And he waddles back from his ultimate support for health insurance reform and high praise for the leadership, citizens of Pennsylvania are struggling through cold and snowy streets, challenging their own bodies to challenge the Democrats to grow a pair,and show the leadership we need for pass health insurance reform now. Kanjo can do with both. One might expect Kanjo's disappointing display might be disheartening to the dedicated souls trekking from Philadelphia to Washington DC for the cause of health insurance reform. But the men and women in Melanie's March to the Finish Line are not easily dissuaded by the gutless likes of Kanjo.

Nor are those working tirelessly behind the scenes of the movement for health insurance reform, like the indefatigable Katy W. (our newest fan), who we hear is just doing a bang-up job as Healthcare Navigator at PUP.

These marchers, and the men and women behind the cause, are trying to make a difference. Kanjo, he's just trying to keep his job.

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"Melanie's March" on Washington Leaves from Philly Today

From PHAN in today's inbox:

Health Care Reform Activists to Walk
From Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.

Eight-Day March Will Stop In Delaware, Maryland, Washington.
Marchers Will Deliver Message to Congress: People Are Dying. No More Delays.

Philadelphia, PA - At noon on Wednesday, February 17, hundreds of health care reform activists and supporters will kick off "March to the Finish Line for Melanie" - an eight-day walk from Philadelphia to Washington, DC to call on Congress to finish the job on health care reform.

The march will honor one health reform advocate who recently lost her battle with breast cancer after her insurance company refused to pay for the treatment her doctors said she needed.

During her illness, Melanie Shouse was a tireless campaigner for health care reform for all Americans, and the marchers will be bringing Melanie's message to Congress that not one more person should have to suffer or die for lack of health care in our country.

The "March to the Finish Line for Melanie" group will arrive in Washington, DC the day before President Obama's Health Care Summit. As the summit is set to begin, the marchers - and supporters expected to number in the hundreds - will be there to tell lawmakers enough is enough!

They will deliver the message that Members of Congress have had plenty of time to discuss and debate health care over the past year, and now it's their job to make it happen. It's time to get it done and get it done right. Congress must deliver the change people voted for.

The March starts on Wednesday, February 17 with a noon rally at the Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia and proceeds through University City and Southwest Philadelphia, ending the first day with a vigil at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park. The group will hold rallies in Wilmington and Baltimore and host meet-ups for local residents in small towns along the way. Supporters and press can track the walk online at http://melaniesmarch.com/.

Members of the press are invited to join the group at any point along the route and interview walkers - some of whom have personal stories about the difficulty of securing access to affordable health care in America today. They will be accompanied by an RV with Internet access.

WHAT: "March to the Finish Line for Melanie" - A Walk from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. for Health Care Reform

WHO: Pennsylvannia citizens and activists from Health Care For America Now, Families USA, SEIU, Catholics United, The AME Church, Health Rights Organizing Project, Interfaith Worker Justice, National Physicians Alliance, Pennsylvania Health Access Network, Philadelphia Unemployment Project, UFCW, and Raising Women's Voices (List in formation).

WHEN: TODAY, February 17, 2010 to 2 p.m. (Walk will end in D.C. at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24).

WHERE: Starting point is Mother Bethel AME Church, 419 S. 6th St., Philadelphia

For more information: www.melaniesmarch.com.

The Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PHAN) is a coalition of 50 groups from across the Commonwealth working to improve access to quality health care through the expansion of health insurance coverage. PHAN organizes health care consumers, works to raise public awareness of the need for health system reform, and supports public policy proposals that will provide affordable access to quality health care for all Pennsylvanians. To learn more, go to www.pahealthaccess.org.

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