THIS WAS WORTH GETTING UP AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING

The Picket the Profiteers Action in New York City

All this happened yesterday, Sunday, March 3rd. The setup group -- which included me -- was to meet at 10:30 in front of Pfizer headquarters, near the corner of 42nd St. and 2nd Avenue. Carol and I agreed that we were not going to attempt driving down there and back at one day -- the days when I could do that easily are well behind me. Yet to make it to Poughkeepsie and the Metro-North train that would get us there in time, we knew we had to get out of bed at 4 AM. 

For me, there was no question about going down. I had promised them that I would deliver 2 dozen posters that I had designed and printed; moreover, I had agreed to lead the chanting as part of the warm-up. There was no way I was going to renege on either. As I drove to the train station, I burst into song. Carol said, "you're in a good mood, this morning!" and I was. Carol was quieter.  I hadn't asked her to come with me because I didn't want her to feel obligated, but, angel as she is, she volunteered to accompany me, and I gladly accepted. It was not the first time in our marriage that we had done such a thing.  56 years earlier, we had driven down to Washington DC and were in the crowd that heard Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his immortal "I have a dream" speech. And -- 56 years later -- as I drove us both to the Poughkeepsie train station -- I silently wondered if the forthcoming demonstration might in some small way have some of the significance that the earlier event had.  As it turned out, I needn't have wondered: It did. 

We got there some 15 minutes early; we were the first there except for one photographer. But soon, there appeared, towing a rolling case, Bob Lederer, the leader of Picket the Profiteers. He withdrew from the case a pole and a small horn-shaped outdoor loudspeaker,  looking at both speculatively,  wondering how to set them up. I believe he mentioned that he had been loaned the equipment from a cosponsoring organization whose name, unfortunately,  I forget.  But he had plenty of cosponsoring groups to choose from. In his press notice released today, Bob writes:

Based out of the Campaign for New York Health, Picket the Profiteers is cosponsored by these cosponsoring organizations:

• ACT UP/NY
• Democratic Socialists of America
• Fight Back Bay Ridge
• Healthcare Equity Action League of New York
• International Action Center
• International Socialist Organization NYC
• Metro New York Health Care for All
• Peoples Power Assembly
• Physicians for a National Health Program – NY Metro
• Rise and Resist
• Students for a National Health Program
• Uptown Progressive Action

It shouldn't surprise anyone that there is a large community of activist groups in New York City, a  network doubtless known to Lederer, who is Executive Director of Physicians for a National Health Program - New York Metro Chapter. And, as it happened, the Students for a National Health Program had had an event at Columbia University the day prior. The date for our demonstration was set with the hope that many of these students might be interested in joining us the next day. It turned out that 50 or 60 of them did.  So, as Bob set up the audio equipment, the  demonstrators from all the groups listed above kept arriving, and arriving, and arriving -- in all amounting, according to Bob, to as much as 250! This seems a plausible number so far as I am concerned.

And the police were arriving, too. Bob pointed out to me the steel barriers that had been stacked against the building. "The police brought those to contain us," he said. "Our job is to evade them, if we can."  But the police had a point: Our occupying the entire depth of the sidewalk was illegal; for it blocked access to non-demonstrators who had their own pedestrian purposes for using the sidewalk. The barricades were supposed to guarantee them access, yet allow us to have our demonstration. Only one was deployed. 

One of the policemen wore double bars on his shoulders. I had never seen a police Captain before. He seemed a bit tense, as if he were wondering whether he'd have trouble controlling us -- or his own men, maybe? 

Then someone thrust a bull horn into my hand, and told me to start doing my thing, which was to bark out brief punchy slogans such as

Greedy Pharma kills!

Stop the profiteers!

and 

Down with Big Pharma!

Up with our health!

I gave it everything I had, with spark and passion I didn't know I could muster at any time -- let alone after having had a only a few hours of sleep. But assaulted as I had been -- along with everyone else -- with daily news of corruption and abuse, and feeling impotent to do anything that would make a difference, there I was doing something, and that sustained me --for a while. I'm sure the crowd felt the same way; they had plenty of passion too, and their fervor echoed mine.  I felt deeply linked to these people; we were all in this together. At the very end I ran out of strength, and handed off the bullhorn to a young woman who finished with a flourish. It was all I could do to keep standing.

After the rally at Pfizer, the crowd made its way up 42nd Street to a second rally at the New York Public Library. And we were accompanied by a squad of police officers escorting us,  walking with us or riding on motor scooters,  and it occurred to me that the police were there not only to control us  -- though we really didn't need controlling -- but also to protect us from traffic, or any other danger. I felt safe with them.

Yes, the speakers were inspiring, deeply moving, and I could go on and on about them. A couple of images stick in my mind: When we were crossing the street, a crew of  our marshals -- volunteers -- stood athwart the street with with arms extended to the sides, with each hand gripping that of the person on the side, to form a living wall to block traffic, and let us cross in safety (the Police were there, too!) It seemed to symbolize the sort of fellowship we were going to need in the future.  I wish I had taken a picture of it.

Somebody did take a picture starkly reinforcing the reason we were there in the first place. It was a message to Big Pharma, and to the health insurance industry in general:

And I had a flash: To those folks high up in their posh offices, we were nothing more than a herd of cows to keep milking while we had anything of value in us. But once there was nothing left in us to extract, we could be disposed of, so far as they were concerned, Bring on more warm bodies!

The whole event was too big for me to do justice to.  I didn't even try, knowing that Mike D'Elia made a video of virtually the whole thing.  The whole video does it justice, but I encourage you to pay attention to the speeches starting at 1:53 and at 33:54.

Picketing the Profiteers Action in New York 3/3/2019

When you click on the link you will see on the left Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried, who introduced this legislation in 1992 and has championed it ever since. With State Senator Gustavo Rivera, he is Co-Sponsor of it.  Gottfried arrived early, stayed late, and chanted with the rest of us. 

You'll see quite a few wearing white coats. These are authentic; the wearers are either in the medical profession, or training for it.

When it was all over, Carol and I made our way back to Grand Central station, and we saw clusters of family groups and other groups pursuing their pleasures, and it occurred to me that these folks were also involved in all this -- only they didn't know it. Probably they had never heard of the New York Health Act, nor for Medicare for All. That was our big task -- showing them, dramatizing to them what's at stake here. Only when the governing powers become aware that the once sleeping masses have awakened to their interest will the powers realize that it's to their interest to listen to them -- and act!

Best,

Dio

PS: If you'd like to leave a comment -- and I encourage you to do so -- simply click on the "number of comments" area, and share your thoughts in the "comment rectangle" that appears.


PPS: We know that there are plenty out there who have stories to tell -- stories of your trying to cope with our dysfunctional healthcare system. Trouble is, we don't know what these stories are! That's where you come in. If you have a story to tell, you can email me at indivisible12401@gmail.com. You can be as anonymous as you like. Thanks!

ACCORDING TO SPECTRUM,

SINGLE-PAYER MAY NOT PASS

EVEN WITH DEMOCRATS IN CONTROL

Just this morning, I got a link which you all should read:

Single-Payer May Not Pass Even With Democrats in Control

It lists 3 reasons -- (1) The cost, (2) The wariness of some unions, and (3) Cuomo's unwillingness to take risks.

The money figure -- $139 Billion -- in indeed formidable. But the article describes that cost as "just to establish the program" (implying that future costs might well be more), and a graphic is presented showing that $139 Billion virtually swallowing up the annual state budget (as if it would cost $139 Billion every year). The article's presentation so far, in my opinion, betrays its corporate slant, although it does concede that once implemented, the plan is expected to save taxpayers money, but finding the dollars for the initial startup could prove very challenging. The article does not mention how much money NYHA would save tax payers, which has been estimated in the billions. 

Granted, finding the start-up money will  be challenging, but that problem is not limitless; it is finite, which means it is possible to solve: Where there's a will, there's a way.

The wariness of some unions in endorsing NYHA is something we discussed in the previous post.  (If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to check it out). But I want to note here that the Spectrum camera shows the initial sponsor of the legislation, Gustavo Rivera, earnestly explaining that the latest version of the bill "is still being drafted. 'It's not ready yet,'"  It's hard to conceive that Rivera, the likely incoming Chair of the Senate Health Committee, would allow this bill to come to a vote if he thought it wouldn't pass. This is where the negotiations come in. We are going to find out that where there's a will, there's a way.

As for Cuomo, yes of course he's known to be cautious, but he is shown telling the Spectrum reporter that there would be a transition, there would be things he agreed with, things he disagreed with, "but one thing is for sure: we will make rapid, remarkable change."

How rapid? How remarkable? 

Well, here's my take on all this: The start-up cost, the union's reluctance, and Cuomo's caution -- each of these things will be brought up by members who in past years gladly got brownie points by voting for the bill, safe in the knowledge that with the conservative control of the Senate, it never would pass. But now that things are changed, these members will very likely remember the source of the money that got them elected -- much of it from corporate donors,  much in fact from the healthcare industry itself.  Indeed, the same can very likely be said of Cuomo himself. And his action, just as State lawmakers action, will depend on how much they see the electorate demanding it. 

That's where we come in, as activists, and as every day citizens. It's a call to action: We must work all the harder -- the feet of our lawmakers, and our Governor, must be held to the fire!

We must demonstrate  that for ALL our sakes, things can't go on the way they have been -- if for no other reason than its too wasteful of our treasure, not to mention our lives.  Let us raise up the general consciousness so  we can prove once again: 

IF WE HAVE THE WILL, THEY WILL FIND THE WAY.

Dio

PS: If you'd like to comment (and I encourage you to do so), click on the number of comments area, which will bring up a "comment rectangle" in which you can share your thoughts. Don't be afraid to teach me something! I'm learning all the time.

NOW COMES THE HARD -- AND MOST EXCITING PART!

Today -- Dec. 11. at 9:27 AM -- The Gothamist published an article titled  Powerful NY Unions Could Complicate Push For Single Payer Health Care. The link for it is below:

Possible Complications for Single Payer Healthcare

According to the article, there are two complications, actually: (1) Some unions, who have their own vested interests and concerns, and (2) A newly mobilized healthcare industry, which is now in overdrive spreading distortions and outright lies, which say that so-called "realities" of  Single-Payer are to be dreaded as causes of catastrophe.

For me, these developments are very exciting, because the growing intensity of Single-Payer's opposition indicates the increasing possibility of its enactment!

These two complications -- the diffidence of some unions, and the propaganda of the healthcare industry -- are too much to cover in one blog post. So I propose, in this post, first to deal with the unions:

The good news is that, as The Gothamist says,  The most powerful healthcare union in the state, 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a backer, as is the New York State Nurse Association (NYSNA), BUT two other pivotal statewide unions, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) have yet to endorse it.

Why this diffidence? In an article in Politico/New York, 

City unions say they dread impact of Single Payer in Albany

we read that the city unions fear that the coverage for their workers would be reduced, a concern that NYHA sponsors, Assemblyman Richard Gottfried and State Sen. Gustavo Rivera, say the bill is being revised to address. This concern is sensible and to be expected. But there's a second concern, which, from my point of view is much more fascinating: Up to now the union's membership has relied on their unions to negotiate healthcare benefits that are better than some others enjoy. But if all these benefits will be furnished by the NYHA, the importance of the unions would be diminished,  their collective bargaining leverage around health plans nullified, wiping out the city's roughly $1500-per-employee contribution to individual union funds.

As I see it, these unions' point of view seems to be that the more employees receive benefits outside the unions,  the less they need the unions. To union leaders this prospect may well seem  frightening.  These leaders may be struggling with the question: Which is more important -- prosperity of the workers, or prosperity of the unions?  For me the answer is embodied in what Gottfried says,
“As Gustavo and I keep telling them, this is what our parents raised us to do. We were not raised to screw city workers. Or any workers,” Gottfried said.

Another union leadership objection to NYHA, according to the Gothamist, is how will the Act treat Union members who work out of state? NYHA, as currently drafted, covers only people who make their dwelling in New York State. What happens to, say,  a member of a New York Electrical Union who does half his work in New York State, and the other half in New Jersey? The unions make a big deal of this. but one of the readers of the article had a simple answer: If you live or work in New York State, you pay taxes to it, because you receive benefits from it.  For this worker. as for many, the issues were simple, and what I found interesting was that virtually all the scores of comments were in favor of single-payer; the difficulties seem to be only in minds of the union leadership.

My take on all this? Let me just say that a few months ago, I had an email conversation with a congressional  candidate who was subsequently elected to the House. He said that he wasn't necessarily opposed to Single-Payer if, and only if, all the "stake-holders" could negotiate the required compromises. Since this was email, he couldn't see my snorting reaction: If by "stake-holders" he meant Big Insurance and Big Pharma, I could only retort that they had NO PLACE at the table! None whatever! Among my circle of friends, (all progressive Democrats), this Representative is what we call a "Corporate Democrat,"  and there is no doubt in my mind that the stake-holders he had in mind did indeed include Big Pharma and Big Insurance. But now, after reading this Gothamist article, I see that my Corporate Democrat was, in a sense, right!  The reality seems to be that we cannot move forward with NYHA unless we take into account the interests not only of the individual worker, but also of his or her union -- corporate-like though it may seem in the worker's eyes.  In this light we may view the comment of a reader:
Of course CSEA has yet to endorse it. They are the most corporation-like of all the unions that operate here in NYS.

Be that as it may, I wouldn't be surprised if there are many other perfectly legitimate entities who have a place at the negotiating table (and by legitimate, I mean NOT Big Pharma, and NOT Big Insurance)! 

Is all this getting complicated? Yes!

Should we therefore drop it? NO, NO, and NO!  (Did I remember to say no?)  Again, no. Rather, to strengthen our resolve, all we must do is think of the Hell which is our healthcare distribution system now. True, in our healthcare reform, the devil WILL BE in the details, and we must stay on top of them to make sure they're sorted right! 

And always, we must continue to show the Insurance and Pharmaceutical execs as the blood sucking Ghouls of Greed that they are, so that the public may be revolted by them! That's why I keep at this.

Dio

PS: I welcome comments. Just click on the number of  commnts area, and there will appear a "comment box" in which you can share your thoughts. Don't be afraid to teach me! From your comments, I'm learning all the time.