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There are two ways to help with Backbone imagery tomorrow, Thursday 9/3 in Seattle. In the morning we'll have Lady Justice at the Rally to protest Judge Bybee. Jay Bybee, a key player on the Bush/Cheney torture team, was rewarded for justifying torture with a lifetime appointment to the federal bench. Bybee issued the 2002 torture memo which authorized torture including waterboarding, walling, sleep deprivation and other horrific techniques. The rally is at 5th and Madison from 10am-12:30. Help getting Lady Justice set-up (9ish) would be greatly appreciated!
Later, at 4pm - we'll be leading our own piece of political theater outside the Seattle Regence Insurance offices with Count Bleed-Ya-Dry, as a warm up for the "health insurance reform"rally at Westlake Park 6pm.
I've been assured by the organizers of the "Health Insurance Reform" rally that they are not backing down on "insurance reforms'" counterpart, a strong and meaningful public option. Honestly, the only public option I REALLY like is the one that reforms insurance companies into the dustbin, i.e. Single Payer. (Check out PDA's awesome Healthcare Reform Report Card) That said, Single Payer supporters will be at this rally in strength, and Backbone Campaign will be there with them.
SO - For some REAL FUN, meet us before the rally at the corner of 9th and Howell where Count Bleed-Ya-Dry will be sucking the blood of Uncle Sam and stuffing the pockets of Insurance Executives. We'll be gathering by 3:30 and starting our skit by 4pm. We'll finish by 5pm and head to Westlake Park (4th Ave & Pine St).
Yes, Backbone Campaign is going on the attack, not against politicians or people who aren't as resolved as we are, but against the corporations that addle Americans' minds with lies in the main stream media, and bait and hobble our elected representatives with campaign contributions. Insurance industry has recently been spending $$ like it grows on trees in order to stop real reform from taking hold. One estimate is $1.6 million dollars a day to protect the status quo, or better yet - to funnel yet more money their way by getting the Govt. to subsidize people joining their plans, rather than creating a public one. It is essential therefore that progressives counter attack with clever efforts to undermine industry's pull on our elected representatives. See Regence's investment in elected officials at OpenSecrets.org
Backbone Campaign maintains that the commodification of our health is unacceptable. We don't need insurance - we need healthcare! The private market is no place to entrust the publics' health. And the insurance industry is by its very nature incapable of delivering universal access to what we hold to be a human right. Foolish government mandates to buy insurance will only enrich these corporations and further bleed our country dry. Only a bullet-proof public option with strict limitations on behavior of insurance industry is even worth discussing, and only after the public have had the opportunity to get the truth about Single-Payer.
Call if you can make it and would like to join the skit! 206-356-9980.
In collaboration,
Bill Moyer Backbone Campaign
PS - Thanks to your generosity, Count Bleed-Ya-Dry may be hitting the road! Today, a 2001 Subaru wagon was donated to Backbone Campaign by some generous friends of friends in California, and nearly $2,000 have been donated toward crew expenses. We need about $4,000 more, so if you haven't given, please help with what you can TODAY.
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