May 7, 2012 Newsletter for our Bucks County Moveon/Penn Action Core Group

Newsletter for our Bucks County Moveon/Penn Action Core Group

Monday May 7, 2012

1.  NEXT Big Event – PLEASE help us get people to come!!

May 9  Action

99% Spring Bank Protest

Wednesday, 9 May 2012, 5:00 PM

Bank of America Fairless Hills (sidewalk in front)

503 S. Oxford Valley Rd

Fairless Hills, PA 19030

More info and RSVP-
http://pol.moveon.org/event/99springaction/129734

1. 2.    Voter ID Success!  Getting there —-

Report from Robin Stelly written on Thursday, the day after the County Commissioner’s meeting

If you were at the County Commissioners Meeting yesterday or saw the story in the paper today, you know

the good news that the Commissioners are considering a proposal from Commissioner Loughery to convene

a Bucks County Voter ID Educational Steering Committee.  It’s not exactly as we requested, but it’s not

too far off and it does give us an opportunity to be heard by the Commissioners if we keep working hard

to be heard.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/bucks-to-launch-voter-id-campaign/article_a6d4f6d6-a839-54ce-b916-c28970d2e85d.html

I wrote a rough transcription of Comm. Loughery’s comments during the meeting when he

made the proposal for the Steering Committee.  As you’ll see in the notes below, it seems as if he expects

groups like the NAACP to access the Steering Committee through the Human Relations Council.  It seems

as if he expects groups that advocate for the homeless, those in transition and those in recovery to access

the Steering Committee through the Mental Health and Developmental Program.  There were no express seats

described for representatives from the faith, youth or veteran communities.  You can hear Comm. Loughery’s

exact remarks at this audio link.   His comments regarding the Steering Committee proposal begin at 1:37:00.

http://buckscounty.org/government/publicMeetings/MeetingAudio2012/CMeeting-05-02-12.wav

Please make plans to attend the next Commissioners Meeting (May 16, details below) as this issue will be on the agenda and will be coming up for a vote.

We want to show the greatest amount of support for the Steering

Committee as possible.  And we have two weeks starting yesterday to reach out to the Commissioners with

our requests about the make-up of the Committee.  There are next step planning meetings happening soon.  They

are listed below.

This video chronicles some of the recent work that’s been done in the community

regarding the creation of a task force.  It’s pretty impressive to see your neighbors making the case for public

education to the County Commissioners and the wider community.  I am honored to know all of you.

Thanks – hope to see you at the planning meetings and on May 16 in Warminster!

Join us at the next County Commissioner’s Meeting!!

May 16, 2012 10:00 am

Archbishop Wood High School

655 York Road, Warminster, PA 18974

 

We want to support the creation of the Bucks County Photo ID Educational

Steering Committee.  The Commissioners are supposed to vote on it at this

meeting so the more the merrier.

****It is possible that we will be having lunch with the Doylestown supporters, and will do that instead of meeting back at Joan and Sally’s house at 1pm on the 16^th. ****

1. 3.    Report from Robin on the AARP meeting in Hatboro today!

Mary Downing was great today in Hatboro.

She asked the Congressman some very good questions

about his support for the Ryan Budget and the damage that

it would do to seniors – particularly Medicare – while giving

away TRILLIONS to the super-rich in yet more tax cuts.

The Congressman answered and we didn’t interrupt but

if you listen to his response, you’ll see that he thinks that all

the country’s health care problems can be fixed through:

• repealing “Obamacare”
• tort reform
• injecting competition into the health care system “It’s your life.  It’s your health. It oughta be your choice.”

Apparently he thinks that even though he voted to privatize Medicare and make it more costly

for seniors in the future, if he keeps repeating “strengthen Medicare,” people won’t understand

the truth.  Mary does a good job following up his answer.  The moderator

rescued the Congressman from her question.

Lastly – you can hear Barb Stakes mention to the Congressman that the “cuts” to Medicare from

the Affordable Care Act were largely cuts to Medicare Advantage.  She’s right.  Here’s a chart you

can use to see where the pay-fors for “Obamacare” come from: http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/26066.html

The post below explains it.  The chart has been updated to show where exactly the cuts in Medicare

are made.  About 70% of them are reductions in fee for service rates and cuts to the wasteful Medicare

Advantage program.

Paying for the Affordable Care Act

March 26, 2010 at 9:34 pm

Austin Frakt

It’s clear to everyone that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is what we’re calling health reform now, right? Good.

Anyway, Ezra Klein pointed readers to a handy pie chart from The Tax Foundation that shows where the money will come from to pay for ACA goodies. I agree with Klein that it would have been terrific if the creators had broken out the Medicare savings.

Taking a peek at the CBO scoring document it looks like about 43% of the Medicare cuts are in reductions in updates to fee for service rates, mostly for hospital payments I believe. About 30% is cuts in Medicare Advantage payments. The rest is a grab bag of other stuff each piece of which is small.

 

1. 4.    Community Campaign for Voting Rights

Next meeting is Thursday May 10 at 6:30pm at the Annex in Bristol Twp of the Norton Ave First Baptist Church.  Good things are moving ahead, come and be a part of it!!

You are welcome to join us at events, and at our weekly planning meetings!

Our Core group meets every Wed. at 1pm at Joan and Sally’s house.  New Core members are always welcome.  This is where we plan, keep updated on news from Moveon and Penn Action, and share ideas.  email for directions sallykwitt@gmail.com.  

Getting Letters to the Editor, and Guest Opinions printed is so important.  Let us know if you are willing to write, or if you need help writing one.  Contact Frank Arcoleo Frank.Arcoleo@verizon.net or Bob Mason robmas1@verizon.net for ideas or help.  

Robin Stelly – Penn Action
Joan King, Sally Witt

Moveon.org Bucks County Coordinator -  Mike Sullivan

We are now doing a weekly newsletter for our larger group.  Sally Witt and Linda O’Connor will be managing the newsletter.  Questions, or suggestions can be sent to loc2000@aol.com or sallykwitt@gmail.com.