Health Care Campaign Launches in Springfield, Illinois

Springfield, along with 52 other cities across the country, took part in a national campaign launch for quality, affordable health care for all yesterday. Health Care For America NOW (HCFAN) wants to make sure that the next President and Congress pass legislation in 2009 that guarantees quality, affordable health care for all.

Check out this excerpt from the organization's "statement of common purpose":

We believe that all of us benefit from healthy communities, where we all have access to affordable, quality health care from a provider of our choice, at the time we need it, at a cost we can afford. Our mutual goal is affordable, quality health care for everyone in America and for our nation.

Our current health care system in America is not affordable for families, businesses or government. We need an American solution to secure our families’ health and a healthy economy. All of us, individuals, employers and government have a shared responsibility to realize comprehensive reforms in our health care system.

HCAN is an unprecedented coalition led by ACORN, AFSCME, Americans United for Change, Campaign for America's Future, Center for American Progress Action Fund, Center for Community Change, MoveOn.org, National Education Association, National Women's Law Center, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, SEIU, United Food and Commercial Workers, and USAction.

At the press conference, Planned Parenthood's Pam Sutherland had this to say:

"We can't be misled by health care proposals that leave women at an inherent disadvantage in the bureaucratic health insurance market. Tax credits proposals that cover only a fraction of our health insurance costs will cover even less of the regular health care women require. Women in Illinois and across America need the choice of a public plan to reduce the chance they will forgo medical care or rack up high medical debt."

Check out the website for more information and details on how to get involved with the campaign.

Technorati tags: tagname, Planned Parenthood, health care, HCAN

Group Argues for Censorship

A handful of folks calling themselves Concerned Families for Batavia is up in arms about a link on the Batavia Library website. The link, http://www.teenwire.com/, is Planned Parenthood's award-winning website which provides valuable and medically accurate health information for teens and parents. After appealing the decision made by the Library Board to keep the link, the group prompted a public hearing to discuss the situation further.

In today's Aurora Beacon News, columnist Jeffrey Ward discusses his feelings on the issue. Check it out here. His well-put comments expose this ridiculous ranting and raving for what it truly is: a politically-driven attack on Planned Parenthood.

From the column:

"Teenwire.com pales in comparison to real Internet dangers. It's every parent's responsibility to protect their children from those pitfalls, as well as teach them to discern falsehoods from the truth. May I respectfully suggest Ms. Knott [of Concerned Families for Batavia] and her ilk spend a little less time worrying about my family and a lot more time raising theirs."

As a trusted health care provider, Planned Parenthood understands the importance of educating young people so that they can make responsible decisions. They need to hear the truth in order to protect themselves. Teenwire.com provides young people with a safe place to ask questions and get truthful answers.

Check it out for yourself. Here's the teenwire link: http://www.teenwire.com/



Technorati tags: tagname, Planned Parenthood, teenwire, censorship, Batavia