State Rep. Brian Kelsey

Nashville – Representative Brian Kelsey announced yesterday that he will introduce the “Health Care Choice Act” in an effort to lower health insurance costs and provide choice to Tennesseans. The legislation would allow Tennesseans to purchase health insurance plans from companies in other states, a practice that is currently prohibited.

“Americans want and deserve health care reform but not the government-run health care that is being discussed in Washington. This legislation is health care reform at the state level that will lower heath insurance costs and provide more choices to Tennesseans,” said Representative Kelsey.

The Health Care Choice Act will expand the number of health care plans available for purchase from 127 in Tennessee to potentially more than 5,000 plans nationwide¹.

“The goal is to lower costs by offering more choices,” continued Kelsey. “With this legislation, Tennesseans will have more access to affordable health care insurance.”

Co-sponsor Representative Joey Hensley, MD, the only physician in the General Assembly, stated, “It’s important that people have the option to be able to purchase affordable insurance plans without the limitations of individual state mandates. As a physician I have seen first hand the problems people have obtaining reasonably priced insurance and this would expand the pool from which people have to choose insurance plans. Competition in the market place will lower prices and increase the quality of their choices.”

At least 5 other states have introduced similar legislation, including New Jersey, Colorado, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washington. A bill introduced on the federal level aims to allow states to enter into an interstate compact to sell health insurance over state lines. The Washington Post recently reported that Tennessee’s own Senator Bob Corker is pursuing legislation on the federal level to allow a new insurance exchange, allowing companies to compete across state lines nationwide.

Co-sponsor Representative Bob Ramsey, a dentist, added, “My constituents are disappointed and frustrated with Washington’s current discussions on healthcare reform. I feel compelled to examine and offer a more efficient and rational solution. I am proud to join my House colleagues in this alternativeBo endeavor.”

“It’s time for state legislatures to weigh in on this national debate and take a stand against government-run health care,” said Kelsey. “I look forward to having this discussion with my colleagues, so that we can work together to make health insurance more affordable for more Tennesseans,” he concluded.

1According to eHealthInsurance.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

The event is sponsored by Healthcare-NOW, Physicians for a National Healthcare Program, National Nurses Organizing Committee, Nashville Peace and Justice Center, Nashville Peace Coalition, Green Party of Middle Tennessee, & others.

For information contact Warren Duzak, 292-5608

Health, Money, & Fear

Produced by an emergency physician (Paul Hochfeld), “Health, Money and Fear” answers three questions about our broken health care non-system. Why does is cost so much? What does it say about us? What can we do about it? While Congress is more focused on the symptom, lack of Universal Coverage, they are ignoring the underlying problem.

COST! Unless they address the perverse incentives that drive up cost, the “reform” we are going to get will be more government subsidies so the insurance industry can continue to thrive being central to a dysfunctional health care system that is better at producing profits than health.

The elements of the solution must address the elements of the problem: technology, the fear of liability, mass marketing of prescription drugs, the profit motive, chaos in medical records, unrealistic expectatiions, and the multitude of insurance companies that add substantially to cost without contributing anything to health.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Car-a-Van route

Meet the doctors

He recently did this video essay on the Health Care debate.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“As President, I will need the help of all Americans to meet the challenges that lie ahead,” Obama said in a video message e-mailed to supporters. “That’s why I’m asking people like you who fought for change during the campaign to continue fighting for change in your communities.”

Since we currently are not in the campaign mode where we will operate under the name Clarksville for Obama we have been tasked to join the rest of the grass roots organizations across the nation in organizing in our communities under our new advocacy organizational name “Clarksville Community Organizers” (CCO).

Clarksville Community Organizers will operate under the umbrella of Organizing for America and will help to support the president’s agenda when called upon. Right now millions of organizers are mobilizing throughout their communities, across the state of Tennessee and throughout the rest of America to help assure that the Health Care Reform Bill is passed once Congress returns from their summer recess. Clarksville needs to be involved in this movement Right Now!

Since CCO is the formation of a new organization we will need volunteers to chair the group and fill other executive positions. There is a special need for progressive people with organizational skills and computer knowledge. But all are welcome to join for support team member’s and people who want change! I encourage you all too please attend the following meeting.

Clarksville Community Organizers organizational planning meeting

When: Friday, August 14, 2009
Place: Harbor Café Restaurant, 2131 Lowes Drive
Time: 7:00 p.m.

Please bring your laptop computer if you have one.

Thanks for your time and Support!
Terry McMoore

As early voting opened in Tennessee to heavy turnouts, Senator McCain’s promised thumping of Senator Obama didn’t materialize. Groups gathered at both local Republican and Democratic party headquarters to watch the debate, discuss their preferences and hear the candidates present their proposals.

The final candidates debate of the 2008 presidential election season was a much anticipated showcase of America’s choices for leadership for the next four years. The debate’s focus was to be on domestic policy, with the recent upheaval in the financial markets to be a focal point. The level of negative ads has increased to  near crescendo as McCain’s campaign unleashed new charges and the Obama campaign refuted falsehoods and returned the fire to McCain. The debate was supposed to offer a clear demonstration of McCain’s superiority to Obama. Sadly, for McCain, the smear adhesive didn’t stick.

Viewers were treated to a consistent presentation of proposals and ideas from Obama as he responded to  McCain’s attempts to hang negatives.

Obama noted that McCain’s own campaign said publicly last week that, “if we keep on talking about the economic crisis, we lose, so we need to change the subject.” Such was the tone for the course of the evening.

The differences in economic stimulation and health care coverage ideas made for strong contrasts.  McCain did not deny that under his health care reforms, employer-based health care coverage would be taxed to the employee, a first in the U.S. He stated that his $5000 tax credit would allow taxpayers to purchase insurance on their own. He suggested that this would afford taxpayers typical coverage, except for such extravagances as cosmetic surgery and transplants. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has stated annual health care premiums average $12,000. McCain had no answer for how that shortfall would be addressed. Senator McCain opposes any tax increases, instead proposing to further President’s Bush’s tax cuts and make them permanent. He says that  Obama would raise taxes on the middle class taxpayer and small businesses. He, however, doesn’t want to raise taxes for anyone.

Obama was reasoned in his calm presentation of his proposals for the American people. He stated under his health care reform, employer-based health care coverage would not be taxed, those with such coverage could keep it and see their premiums lowered; and those without coverage would be offered a coverage plan much like one that he and  McCain enjoy as members of Congress, with no exclusions for pre-existing conditions.  Obama stated that under McCain’s plan, employer-based health care could actually disappear altogether. He based this on a finding released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a traditionally conservative, non-Democrat, business advocate. Additionally, Obama would use the discount-buying power of the federal government, as a consumer, to purchase drugs at a lower cost from the drug companies.

Obama has proposed a tax plan where ninety-five percent of taxpayers will not see an increase, but rather a tax cut. Obama noted that small businesses typically earn under $200,000 dollars a year. Under his plan, small businesses which earn $250,000 dollars or less a year would also see a tax cut. Obama stated that McCain’s approach would give an additional tax break of $200 billion dollars to some of the wealthiest corporations in the nation. He cited Exxon-Mobil and the oil industry as a whole, would receive an additional $4 billion in tax breaks. McCain did not deny either of these charges.

On foreign oil dependence, the candidates had differences as well. McCain supported immediate offshore drilling, as well as drilling in ANWR, to provide short-term relief to our energy situation. He said this would give us time to develop more nuclear energy plants, support alternative energy programs for wind, solar, natural gas, tide and flex-fuels to cut our dependence on foreign oil. He claimed this will make the U.S. independent of foreign oil.

Obama corrected him that our oil reserves only total three percent of the world’s total oil reserves and we annually consume twenty-five percent of the world’s oil supply. “We can’t drill our way out of this.” He further pointed out that U.S. oil companies already hold leases on sixty-eight million acres of offshore oil drill sites which they are not developing. He proposed they either drill in these areas or lose them to other developers. He also said he is not opposed to nuclear energy development, but we must also pursue alternative energy in wind, solar, geothermal and bio-diesel and high fuel-efficient vehicles to truly reduce our dependence on foreign oil and reinvigorate the American economy. Energy development can play a major role in revitalizing our economy with job creation and retention. Creation and manufacture of high fuel-efficient vehicles in the United States can serve as a revival of the nation’s economic manufacturing segment and thereby give new vitality to the U.S. auto industry. Realigning our energy perspective can give us the ability to realign so many other segments of the American system- adjusting our education system, focusing on preventive health care measures to reduce later demands on Medicare and Medicaid.

When asked if the federal budget can be balanced in four years,  McCain answered, “Sure, …we can do it with this kind of job creation of energy independence.” He offered to implement an across-the-board spending freeze. However he would not declare what cuts he would impose beyond eliminating the marketing assistance program and some ethanol subsidies. Regarding the fine tuning of specific programs being eliminated, he never quite responded with those details.  Obama suggested that it would take ten years to reach a balanced budget. He suggested starting with eliminating the $750 billion dollars in subsidies to the insurance companies, that doesn’t provide seniors with coverage nor improve the Medicaid/Medicare programs. He also insisted that he would require proper structure of the $750 billion dollar rescue package passed by Congress. He stressed that he has been a strong proponent of pay-as-you-go spending. Every spending bill he has proposed has included financial offsets so that they did not add to the federal deficit.

There were additional questions on education reforms, Supreme Court nominees, suitability of opposing vice presidential running mates, negative characterizations of opponents, NAFTA considerations, and support for human rights. The full transcript of the debate is available at the CNN website.

There is plenty of campaign follow-up activity by both parties. Tonight, the College Republicans and Democrats will hold a debate at the APSU Library. On Saturday, October 18,there will be a Voters Rally at Veterans Plaza, starting at 10 a/m. At the conclusion, voters will proceed to the Election commission to cast their votes. On October 29th, the chairpersons of each political party will hold a debate in the Morgan Center Ballroom on APSU. This event will start at 2 p.m. Both parties offer volunteer opportunities for any persons wishing to support their respective candidates.

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