The Voices

Real People, Real Stories

Young and Hopeless

I stay at home with my daughter now, and although my husband makes the average American income (40,000) - we still can't afford insurance. We don't have cable, have basic internet for my schooling, and are very frugal people. If we did have insurance, we couldn't pay for our medical bills. more »

Pre-Existing Condition

13 years ago I was fully covered by health insurance in California. I moved to Washington with a new job, not a single day of unemployment. I then got another insurance plan. Then about 6 weeks later I found out that I was pregnant. The current health plan said pre-existing condition. more »

Deductable Rules Our Operation

Last year I was diagnosed with a rotator cuff injury and scheduled for surgery. The deductable was prohibitive for us so I had to decline the surgery and wait a year until I can get on Medicare, meanwhile hoping my shoulder would not deteriorate beyond repair. more »

Health Care System Should be Bush's Priority

We are an upper income family, and we are being told to expect our health insurance premiums to increase 65-85% EVERY YEAR. My husband's business is forced to shop carriers annually, causing disruption and distress to all employees. The hourly workers want to drop their insurance altogether -- increasing the burden on our public hospitals. more »

Quotable Quotes

The Progressive Vision for Healthcare

- Senator Edward Kennedy
"An essential part of our progressive vision is an America where no citizen of any age fears the cost of health "

   12 January 2005 Source

Robert L. Borosage, Robert Loper et al. Straight Talk: Common Sense for the Common Good. http://ourfuture.org/straighttalk.

Instead of Funding Universal Healthcare, Dollars Become Insurance Company Profits

- Congressman Dennis Kucinich
"We’re already paying for universal coverage. We’re just not getting it. We’re pouring a large portion of every health care dollar into the waste of the private insurance companies, their executive salaries and stock options, their lobbying and advertising."

    Source

Robert L. Borosage, Robert Loper et al. Straight Talk: Common Sense for the Common Good. http://ourfuture.org/straighttalk.

Americans Deserve Better Healthcare and Results from Washington

- Reverend Jesse Jackson
"This is a program written by and for the insurance companies and the drug companies by Bush political appointees and GOP legislators...[It] shovels billions in subsidies to the insurance companies…[But] seniors are paying the price in confusion, catastrophic drug cutoffs and escalating drug prices."

   4 January 2006 Source

Robert L. Borosage, Robert Loper et al. Straight Talk: Common Sense for the Common Good. http://ourfuture.org/straighttalk.

Spitzer on Children's Healthcare

- Governor Elliot Spitzer - New York
""To deny coverage to these children is not only morally wrong, it is profoundly bad public policy. Denying children health coverage during their formative years leaves them far more vulnerable to preventable diseases, which costs patients, government and taxpayers far more to treat in the future... "

   

Progressive Opinion

Bernie Horn's picture

CAF STAFF

How Progressives Can Be Making Sense in 2008

Making Sense 2008A large group of Americans favor both progressive policy and conservative philosophy. As a result, they can be persuaded to side with either progressives or conservatives, depending on how a political question is framed. The "Making Sense 2008" project is producing and distributing research-based talking points on a variety of issues that can be used to reach these persuadable voters.. more »

Universal Health Care or John Care

truthout.org — The reform of the country's health care system is not only essential for ensuring people have access to high quality health care, it is also increasingly important for the country's economic well-being. The inefficiency of the health care system is imposing an ever-greater strain on the economy.

Read Full Article »

The Oily Truth About America’s Foreign Policy

Related Topics:

ft.com — With the oil price heading upwards and President George W. Bush heading for Saudi Arabia, as part of a Middle Eastern tour, it is time to accept the truth. The pursuit of oil is fundamental to US foreign policy.

Read Full Article »

Health Care As the New Terrorist to Fear

Related Topics:

smirkingchimp.com — Thanks to America's health care system, today was a very stressful day for me. My story is so typical as to be boring -- which is a really sad commentary.

Read Full Article »

The Return of the Granny Bashers: More Attacks on Social Security and Medicare

truthout.org — If health care costs in the United States were brought in line with costs in other wealthy countries then we would not be looking at scary budget projections 20 or 30 years down the road. This suggests the urgency of fixing the U.S. health care system. Health care reform is not only necessary to extend health care coverage to the uninsured, it is also essential for preventing our health care system from strangling the economy. Reform will require overcoming the opposition of extremely powerful lobbies, such as the pharmaceutical and insurance industries, but there really is no alternative.

Read Full Article »