Dean's statement on Worker's Strikes over Health Care

[hedda_foil]

http://blog.deanforamerica.com/archives/001890.html#more

Thursday, October 16, 2003
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Statement by Dean on Workers' Strikes Over Health Care
WASHINGTON--Governor Howard Dean, M.D., issued the following statement today:

"The 83,000 UFCW members on strike in California, West Virginia, and Missouri as well as transit workers in L.A. are standing up for all American working families. The issue in these strikes is quality, affordable health care--and the increasing squeeze on working, middle class families trying to take care of their families.

"Under George Bush, 3.7 million more Americans now lack health insurance, bringing the total to 44 million-eighty percent of those are from working families. Even if you have a job, your benefits are being cut and more and more of the costs of health care are being shifted to your pocketbook.

"That's not fair. Our health care system is broken and has failed working families. And trying to fix it by putting more of the burden on working, middle-class families is just wrong.

"In effect, these tens of thousands of strikers have created a referendum on national health care. I welcome the debate on that referendum. In Vermont we have ensured that virtually every child under 18 and 91% of the adults have health insurance.

"I believe that we must fight for quality affordable health care for all Americans. My health care plan would stop the bargaining table squeeze on working families that these workers currently face, and it would stop every dollar in negotiations being eaten up by the ever-rising health care costs. In addition, my plan includes a provision to compel companies like Wal Mart to do the right thing and provide health care to their employees or risk losing their corporate tax benefits.

"These workers' fight is my fight, for it is but a single fight in the larger battle to fulfill Harry Truman's dream of health care for all Americans. Providing workers with quality health care is not something that can be contingent upon a company's bottom line--it is a fundamental necessity that we must achieve for all Americans."

[Pastiche423]

1. While this pleases me

immeasurably, I am not surprised.

Dean is on top of all of our country's major issues and let's everyone know where he stands!

[hedda_foil]

2. And he still does his own laundry!

[denverbill]

5. You outta read his economic speech in LBN.

Good stuff!

[Cha]

6. I don't see the Dean "economic speech" in LBN or

anywhere else..in fact it disappeared while I was reading it!
:shrug: Can anyone tell me Why!?

I then went to The http://www.deanforamerica.com and finished it.

Thanks! :)

[Cha]

7. Never Mind! I found it in "Politics and Campaigns"

Musta gotten moved! :)

[w13rd0]

3. Great...

...it's been pretty harsh here in Saint Louis, but we've refrained from crossing picket lines and have called management to encourage them to find a solution since we won't be shopping there till the strike has ended...

Support and encourage them if you can, because it's tough on everyone, but necessary. Too many corporations are now thinking it's a "buyers market" in regards to employment, and are trying to slash away at benefits and health care...

[Cha]

4. Go Unions!

And thank you, Dean, for caring enough to try and Do something about it!