I've Been a Green All Along and Didn't Know It!

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I've joined the Four Lakes Chapter of the Green Party (4LGP). In order to symbolize my transition to becoming more politically active, I wore a T-shirt, to last Monday's 4LGP meeting, that I haven't worn since June of 1996.

The T-shirt has the logo of the Labor Party and the inscription, "History In The Making". It was the T-shirt that I wore at the founding convention of the Labor Party that was held in Cleveland, Ohio, in June of 1996.

While at the convention, I spoke with John Nichols. Recently I re-lived the convention when I re-read his article (which is now online) titled, Party hardly: Labor gets it together - sort of - Labor Party Founding Convention in Cleveland, OH, 1996. The article was originally published in the August, 1996 issue of The Progressive.

I recall the thunderous applause for Ralph Nader when he addressed the convention from the floor saying, "This is the birthplace convention of the new labor movement for the twentyfirst century--a movement to contain the wild excesses of corporations and to end their control over our politics, our culture, our very lives!"

In retrospect, Ralph Nader was wrong about the Labor Party being "a movement to contain the wild excesss of corporations and to end their control over our politics, our culture, our very lives!" The Labor Party was founded on moral principles and adopted a platform to live by, but never ran candidates for office.

I've been a a Green all along, but didn't know it!

Senior Centers Are Under Attack in Dane County

After limiting my activities, for years, to reasoned debate within the "system", I've decided to combine my reasoned approach with political activism. I recently joined the Four Lakes Green Party (4LGP) chapter of the U.S. Green Party in order to actively challenge the "system".

The Wisconsin Green Party is one of four recognized political parties in Wisconsin and stands for true social, economic, and environmental justice. The Green Party is attempting to build a democratic society in which human needs matter more than corporate profits.

Included among the commitments that the 4LGP stands for:

• A health care system that EVERYONE can access;

In my previous blog, I described the march and rally that I participated in on July 25, 2009 in support of "Health Care for All!" That was the start of my polictical activism to express my support of democratic principles.

Human needs matter more than corporate profits and matter more than Wisconsin's governmental agencies blindly supporting whatever administration, Democratic or Republican, that may be in power at any given point in time.

Dane County's system of Senior Centers provide services important to the health and wellbeing of seniors and disabled. The State of Wisconsin has mandated that Dane County move to "Family Care" and a system of Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) in the future and remove funding for case managers. I've copied an article from the August edition of McFarland Area Senior News written by Ingrid Thompson, Director of McFarland's Senior Outreach Program explaining the attack:

INGRID'S INSIGHTS

"Each Citizen $1.57 for Every Senior".

In Dane County, there are 16 "Focal Points" (better known by some as "Senior Centers"). Each Focal Point has case managers (i.e. social workers) who assist seniors with applications to receive services or financial assistance, connect seniors with agencies or people who can help them with various concerns or issues, refer seniors who are abused to local authorities, check on the most frail and vulnerable seniors, among other things. Lori and Sara are our case managers. About half of their salaries are paid by county dollars.

As Dane County prepares its 2010 budget, we want to be sure the county supervisors keep the funding for all case managers (including Lori and Sara). It costs each Dane Co. resident $1.57 to maintain the county case management program. We think that is so little to pay for so much.

If you agree with us, we ask you to contact our supervisor, Patrick Miles at 838-6866 or Dane Co. Executive Kathleen Falk at 266-4114. Let them know how you feel. We'd appreciate your support!

---Ingrid

A complete copy of the McFarland Area Senior News can be found at:

http://tiny.cc/s1jad

Health Care For All March and Rally - July 25, 2009

The march and rally, with two dozen supporting organizations, speakers, and over a thousand marchers, was inspiring. You could feel the energy of the crowd, united in spirit, for “Healthcare for All!” The experience was uplifting.

I picked up the 4 Lakes Green Party(4LGP)banner and sign at Larry’s house around 1:00 p.m. After giving some consideration as to where I should park my car, I decided to park close to the Capitol and walk down State Street to Library Mall where the march was to start. In retrospect, after walking down and then marching back up State Street and climbing the long stairway to stand with my 4LGP sign behind the speaker’s podium, I wished that I would have chosen to park closer to the Library Mall. Parking closer to the starting point of the march would have given me a fresher start.

It was crowded on the mall but Jeff and I met without difficulty. The march was led by Mama Digdown's Brass Band and the Raging Grannies were ahead of us. Jeff was able to hold both ends of the banner himself and position it so it could be seen by State Street patrons on the sidewalks along the side of the street. Soon after we started marching, Jeff’s daughter, Kate, joined the march and from that point, she and Jeff carried the banner. I carried and waved both the 4LGP sign and a smaller “Health Care for All!” sign.

After we reached the steps to the Capitol, I saw Jeff and his daughter climb the left side of the stairway and position the 4LGP banner at the level above the speaker’s podium. I climbed the stairway on the right side and stood on the first step of the stairway directly behind the speaker’s podium waving the 4LGP sign and smaller sign as I had done during the march.

The rally was dedicated to Dr. Linda Farley who died on June 9, 2009, at the age of 80. A commemorative plaque was presented to her husband Dr. Gene Farley. Dr. Linda Farley was an ardent champion of a single-payer health care system run by the government as a public good rather than by for-profit insurers. She would have loved to have been a part of the rally and the “Healthcare for All” debate that is now taking place.

The first speaker was the moderator and, among other concerns, spoke about her husband’s small business which because of the economic down-turn could no longer afford the high cost of insurance for its employees.

A farmer told of his insurance policy with a $10,000 deductible that won’t cover an injury to his right arm because of a pre-existing condition. At one point, he motioned toward the Capitol and said that we couldn’t expect anything to come out of that building!

A woman from Sun Prairie said that fighting with United Health Care during her treatment for cancer was worse than having cancer! Payments for mammograms were caught up in the insurance company’s interpretation whether they were “diagnostic” or “preventive”: one category is covered, the other is not.

A clergyman from Sun Prairie told of calling his parents and finding that they each recently had ten teeth pulled. His father had worked for General Motors which was cutting their vision and dental coverage so they needed to get all of the work done before the insurance coverage was cancelled.

A physician from U.W. spoke of a patient, in his thirties, with diabetes, who could not afford test strips for his glucose meter. The doctor knew that without glucose test strips to help the patient keep his diabetes under control, that he (the doctor) would soon see him back at the hospital. As the physician predicted, the patient soon returned for urgent care.

Representative Tammy Baldwin received a resounding ovation and crowd affirmation of her support for single-payer. Tammy led the crowd in cheering for health care for all and encouraged the crowd to let their voices be heard all the way to Washington. She named members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation who were not supportive of a public option.

Senator Kohl, although invited, declined to attend and his stance on “Healthcare for All!” brought boos from the crowd.

Dr. Gene Farley closed the rally with his wife’s favorite chant: Everybody In, Nobody Out! … Everybody In, Nobody Out! … Everybody In, Nobody Out!

- Fred