News
Here's a video of our march and vigil, featuring a great rendition of Woody Guthrie's "All You Fascists" performed and recorded by KateFrances Hege.
El Dorado Progressives hosted a march and vigil in Placerville in solidarity with the people of #Charlottesville and a memorial for Heather Heyer on the 54th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream speech".
Music: Kate Hege doing her own rendition of "All You Fascists" by Woody Guthrie.
They're not having a hearing on SB 562 specifically, but a more general hearing on getting to universal health care, including single payer options or filling in the gaps in the current system. Here's Lara's response: http://sd33.senate.ca.gov/news/2017-08-24-statement-senator-ricardo-lara-assembly-speakers-creation-select-committee-universal (He's the original author of SB 562.)
Assemblymember Wood's statement is also worth looking at to see where some of the issues may be https://a02.asmdc.org/news/close-home-path-universal-health-care
Assemblymember Arambula didn't issue a statement, though he has spoken positively of single payer in the past.
At least they are all talking to each other . . .
Citing simplicity, fewer hassles with insurers and more stable coverage for patients, U.S. physicians increasingly support a single-payer healthcare system, new reports indicate.
Our guest speaker, Richard Kimball of Votesmart.org, will present "Facts Matter". What is an informed electorate? What are current trends in how candidates affect and motivate voters' choices? How can we get accurate information about a candidate? How can voters discern between facts and truth versus distortion and "fake news"?
EDP-ers will have the opportunity to sing along with and be serenaded by the New Freedom Choir of Placerville. Founded in 1991, the NFC is an amateur, community, recreational, and strictly secular women's chorus. The NFC specializes in singing songs about social issues, peace, justice, the environment, love, and equality.
With many thanks to those who submitted entries, our winner is Kristy McKay. You will see the logo begin to appear on posters, letters, email messages, the website, and more. Congratulations, Kristy!
El Dorado Progressives, along with the El Dorado Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (EDC CNPS) and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), hosted a workshop July 20th in Cameron Park on "Defending Our Public Lands," led by CBD's Public Lands Campaigner Ryan Beam.
Over 50 people attended the workshop, which included an overview of what constitutes "public land," what threats they face from the present administration and Congress in Washington DC, and particularly, what the role of Dist. 4 Congressional Rep. Tom McClintock is.
McClintock has been named "Public Lands Enemy #14" in CBD's Public Lands Enemies report. Indicative of making this list, McClintock recently introduced legislation to allow bikes and other mechanized transport into designated "foot only" wilderness areas.
As stated in the CBD report: "Despite the irreplaceable value these places hold, in recent years, a concerted effort has been driven forward by certain senators and U.S. representatives to seize, dismantle, destroy, and privatize our public lands. These lawmakers are backed by fossil fuel corporations and other extractive industries that already squeeze massive profits out of America’s public lands and only want more."
CBD is spearheading an ongoing campaign aimed at blunting these GOP-led efforts by asking people to send letters to the editor and opinion articles to local newspapers and to also send targeted letters and petitions expressing strong opposition to McClintock and the other "Dirty 15.” At this time, Sequoia National Monument is facing an immediate threat, with the boards of supervisors of two California counties siding with Trump and McClintock and proposing a two-thirds reduction in acreage for the monument. By shrinking it to less than 100,000 acres, approximately 200,000 acres of "big trees" would be made available to timber sales.
Other national monuments "under review" by Trump appointee Secretary of the Interior Zinke include Giant Sequoia, Bears Ears, Carrizo Plain, Basin and Range, Mojave Trails, and more. With almost half of El Dorado County being public lands, we have a lot at stake here in the foothills and mountains of El Dorado County. We all partake of their beauty and abundant resources for recreation, hunting and fishing, our livelihoods, the all-important water provision and protection, and natural habitat for native plants and animals. Our public lands are neither Red nor Blue, but an important legacy ALL of us share.
To become involved in the effort to protect and defend our public lands, sign-up with EDP's Environmental Working Group (contact: Frank Baker, fbhikku@gmail.com) and/or the CBD action network (http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/action/ or PublicLandsWorkshop@gmail.com).
The CA Disclose Act, AB249 (formerly AB14) has been disappointingly stalled in the Legislature. Even though we thought it would be an easy pass through the Assembly and Senate, due to the Dems’ Supermajority, that hasn’t happened. Instead, the bill has received significant opposition from labor unions. Though many rank-and-file members support disclosure and transparency, their leadership hasn’t. But there was great news last week. The Communications Workers of America District 9, representing 50,000 working families in California, endorsed the bill. The fight in the Legislature continues.
Locally, a small team of us has met with District 6 Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R) and he has expressed an open mind to the bill. We are hosting a neighborhood gathering on August 16th to meet with him to discuss our concerns. There is limited space since this is in a private home, but if you reside in Assembly District 6 and would like to attend, email lorraine.king@sbcglobal.net. (For reference, here is a map of District 6 boundaries.)
At the July MOP Work Group meeting we discussed options for further activity. We are exploring the Move to Amend (movetoamend.org) national organization to see if we might want to join up with them; they have re-chartered their Sacramento affiliate and might have a Roseville affiliate in the works. MTA is working toward reversing the Citizens United Supreme Court decision with a constitutional amendment, along with removing corporations’ "personhood" status.
As always, we invite Progressives to join us. Secret Money is the cancer underlying all Progressive issues and winning this fight will take each and every one of us to play a part.
Lorraine King, lorraine.king@sbcglobal.net.
We hope we can declare victory, for now...We will not let the Affordable Care Act be repealed.
Everyone's calls, rallies, emails, and tweets have had an important impact.
And, it is encouraging to hear there is now a bi-partisan group trying to shore up the ACA.
The California Single Payer Bill has become a two-year bill, but next year is not that far away. Work will be done to plan the financing for the bill and to educate our communities.
We took stock of our accomplishments at our last meeting and feel we have done well in the five months since we first met. We have a regular group of 20 people meeting monthly with lots of help. We are getting to know each other and have met like-minded people. Our focus is community education and engagement at the local, state, and federal levels.
We are close to publishing our "Teen Wallet Card" with local resources for free, confidential birth control services. We will need help distributing the wallet cards throughout our county. Please let us know if you know any teen groups and could help.
Next Healthcare Work Group Meeting: August 14th
We will be setting our goals for the second half of the year and planning more community education events. We meet the second Monday of the month, usually at the El Dorado County Office of Education at the intersection of Missouri Flat and Green Valley Rds., from 6:30 to 9 p.m. with potluck snacks.
We have a new EDPhealthcare website, part of the new EDP website. Check it out and learn more about us. And--you can join our group there!
Remember that this work is a marathon, not a sprint. Take care of yourself, get outside, and relax.
Working Together We Really Are Making a Difference
Rosie McNeilly of El Dorado Community Acupuncture, Shingle Springs showing off her clinic’s "All Are Welcome Here" poster.
Great news! Now, over 25 stores and businesses in the Placerville area have put up "All Are Welcome Here" - #HateHasNoBizHere posters in their windows. Thanks to the efforts of Tripp Mikich, Vicky Vail, and others, the list of businesses has grown from Sierra Rizing's first courageous posting to include (with requests coming from as far away as Mariposa for more!):
Sierra Rizing Bakery (Coloma)
The Crystal Ship
El Dorado Community Acupuncture (Shingle Springs)
Winterhill Olive Oil
Flowers on Main
G.E.M.
Lobos Del Mar
The Bookery
H'Art Lounge
One Love Soaps & Refill Station
Sol Sunday Farmers Market
Native Massage
Placerville Natural Foods Co-op
Chateau Davell Boutique Winery (Camino)
Body Basics
Shabby Rabbit
Haseya Wellness & Yoga
Delorree's Confections
De Dazzle Nails
New Morning Youth & Family Services
(Apologies to anyone we missed. Please let us know.)
Support our community businesses that have had the courage to say #HateHasNoBizHere. These business owners have put out a welcome mat to everyone who lives in or visits our community. If you want a poster to hang in your store or business window, contact Tripp Mikich at TrainingNonviolence@gmail.com or via FB. Let's line Main Street with them!