Sample Articles on Labor Issues

Nov. 12, 2008:

This is a sample letter to Sen. Edward Kennedy on offering single-payer as the model for planned healthcare legislation for the final session of the 110th Congress. You may cut, paste and edit this letter for your own use.

 This letter comes to us from the All Unions Committee for Single Payer Healthcare--HR 676. For more information on this topic, please contact Kay Tillow at Editor@unionsforsinglepayerhr676.org. 

--ILCA staff

November, 2008

Senator Ted Kennedy
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Kennedy,

We understand that you are currently working energetically on a
comprehensive health care reform bill to be introduced in the new session.

There are certain junctures in history when the obstacles of the past melt
in the heat of a rising popular demand for change.  This is one of those
times.

You once proudly described yourself as "an old single payer advocate."  We
urge you to return to that vision now when your tremendous influence could
make this truly just and practical plan a reality.

Please consider the simplicity, cost effectiveness and humanity of a
single payer plan which could be implemented comparatively easily as was
traditional Medicare.  Any plan that keeps the profit-making insurance
companies in the mix will add layers of bureaucracy, will not be able to
control costs, and will fail in the noble effort to bring good care to
all.

We ask that you introduce, in the Senate, legislation modeled on HR 676,
which has now gained the support of 94 representatives in the US House,
480 union bodies, 39 state AFL-CIO's, 117 Central Labor Councils, 20
international unions, the US Conference of Mayors, the Houses of
Representatives in Kentucky, New Hampshire and New York, and hundreds more
cities, counties, faith groups and organizations that express the great
hope and dire need of our people.

We urge you to be our Tommy Douglas, to lead the charge for nonprofit
single payer universal coverage.  The people will be with you.  Surely we
deserve the health benefits offered to the people of every other country
in the industrialized world—all medically necessary care and freedom from
the fear of economic ruin due to illness.  It is only by moving to single
payer that we can cut the waste while expanding the care.

We must not squander the opportunity of this momentous time.  With your
experience and stature in Congress and the nation, you are uniquely able
to ensure that generations to come will enjoy the legacy of health care as
a human right.  Please say "yes" to single payer.

Sincerely yours,