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From Jonathan Chenjeri, some good news! 

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https://www.npr.org/2023/12/08/1218212902/high-speed-rail-projects-federal-funding

 

High-speed rail projects get a $6 billion infusion of federal infrastructure money

The White House hopes to jumpstart high-speed rail in the U.S. with money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Much of the funding announced this week will go to projects in Nevada and California.

www.npr.org  

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More good news from Jonathan...

hhttps://wapo.st/3RAWg97tps://wapo.st/3RAWg97

 

Review | How to use the Constitution to rein in American oligarchs and save democracy

Liberals aren't using their best weapon against inequality, argue legal scholars Joseph Fishkin and William Forbath.

wapo.st

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Jonathan also passed on this article about libraries and book bans:

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/14/1219428691/librarians-will-be-watching-when-illinois-anti-book-ban-law-goes-into-effect

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Just today--this is a letter from Sen. Merkley about housing:

Dear Miriam,

The housing in our neighborhoods should be homes for families, not profit centers for Wall Street. Yet, in every corner of the country, giant financial corporations are buying up housing and driving up both rents and home prices–hurting ordinary people just so investors can get rich.  

Not only do these hedge funds and private equity firms outbid ordinary Americans looking to buy homes, they are also horrible landlords. Hedge fund landlords raise rents faster and are more likely to skimp on repairs, because their top priority is squeezing out as much profit as they can, no matter how it affects our communities. Wall Street continues to pour fuel on the fire of the affordable housing crisis that so much of Oregon and America is facing, leaving working families behind.  

It’s time to put an end to it.

I recently introduced the End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act, a bill aimed at ending Wall Street ownership of single-family residential housing.

It’s time for Congress to put in place commonsense guardrails that ensure all families have a fair chance to buy or rent a decent home in their community at a price they can afford. This bill is an important first step to bringing our housing market in balance and ensuring American families can afford a decent roof over their heads without being gouged by the wealthiest to further line their pockets. 

I won’t stop working to solve our housing affordability crisis and make our nation’s housing opportunities more equitable, available, and in reach for all Americans. 

All my best, 
Jeff 

Hear more from Jeff about his End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

An interesting proposal, from Jonathan Chenjeri...

https://jacobin.com/2023/12/nationalize-greyhound-infrastructure-transportation-inequality-air-travel

 

Nationalize Greyhound

A publicly owned intercity bus service with dedicated highway lanes could do for travelers what the US Postal Service does for letters and packages: let them criss-cross the country cheaply and quickly at their own convenience.

jacobin.com

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                  And a lovely end of year email from Rosa Colquitt, the State DPO! 

To Team DPO, Party Leaders and Community Friends,

 

With only a few days before the joyous event of welcoming in the new year, I think today is a good day to share some of my thoughts about all of the gifts I wish I could give to each of you. With your commitment to democracy and your hard work on behalf of our Democratic Party, these are my gifts for you, if only I could . . .  

 

🎁   All the time you need to do all the things you want to do

🎁   The apology you deserved in 2023, but never got

🎁   The ability to talk to animals (I wish I could! Would love to know what our fur babies are feeling & thinking.)

🎁   A feeling of peace so profound it makes you sleep through the night without waking up

🎁   Permission to be imperfect, to be exactly who you are!

🎁   Freedom from fear of war and rumors of war (and a few pair of socks without holes)

 

Hopefully, I did bring a smile to your face today and that you will do the same for others, if you can. I'm reminded as I experience the festive winter holidays of 2023, with the joy and love of family and friends, that not everyone is experiencing the same. Please let us not forget that the yuletide season, for far too many, is a time of aloneness, frustration, pain and even sorrow. Say hello, share a smile, a meal or dessert, a warm and reassuring laugh with someone who may need this outreach in a really big way! Thank you so much, everybody. I send my love and well wishes. ~Rosa❤️🌹

 

Rosa Colquitt, PhD

State Party Chair, Democratic Party of Oregon

Oregon Admin, National Coalition of Women for Biden-Harris 

email: rosa@dpo.org

T.H.I.S.:  Leave no vote behind! Democracy is on the ballot from the local office to the Oval office.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Town Hall January 13, 2024

(thank you, Christina, for your contribution)

 

Topic: Medicaid-Medicare and our Failing Healthcare

System. How this affects our hospitals, patients,

and providers.

 

When: Saturday, January 13, 2024. 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

 

Where: Corvallis-Benton County Library, Main Auditorium. Enter from Monroe Avenue.

If attending online, register here.

 

 

 

Speaker: Doug Boysen, President and CEO of Samaritan Health Services

(SHS) since 2018. SHS operates hospitals and provides other health services throughout Benton,

Linn, and Lincoln Counties. Mr. Boysen will report on the many challenges that

hospitals face and how we can protect our community hospitals.

 

Speaker: Angel Harris, MSN, RN has been a registered nurse for over 20 years. She has experience working in acute and long-term care settings. She currently works as a racial equity consultant and as adjunct nursing faculty at Bushnell University where she teaches Population Health/Community Health Nursing. Angel is also the past president of the Linn-Benton NAACP. She will address how our healthcare system affects all members of our community. She will offer solutions for discussion.

 

Speaker: Bruce Thomson MD, 

Retired Family Practice Doctor and former Benton County Public Health Officer. Dr. Thomson has been a long-time activist for health and social justice. He previously served as chair of the MVHCA Legislative Committee. Bruce will address how our healthcare system is being threatened in Oregon affects providers. and will offer solutions for discussion.

 

 

Moderator: Karen Christianson, Retired attorney, Co-chair of the MVHCA Legislative Committee, member of the Health Care for All Oregon Legislative Committee, past President of MVHCA.

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------AND-----------------------------------------------------------

Contact Congress today to pass H.R 6270:

"State-Based Universal Health Care Act."

 

 

 

We all know someone who has avoided healthcare for too long for fear of cost. We are all aware of people who struggle under crushing medical debt as they suffer prolonged illness or injury.

 

All other developed countries have universal healthcare systems with better health outcomes and much lower per capita costs. Their residents enjoy longer life expectancies, lower infant and maternal mortality rates, and no medical debt.

 

Everyone should have easy access to comprehensive health care. Several states are ready to create their own Universal, Simple, Affordable (USA) healthcare plans for all their residents.

 

State-by-state is likely the fastest route to our goal of a comprehensive national USA plan: Expanded and Improved Medicare for All. State-by-state is how women won the vote and how we won Social Security!

 

Now, Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17) has introduced the State-Based Universal Health Care Act (SBUHCA, HR 6270) with 26 original co-sponsors.

 

How H.R. 6270 moves us toward health care that is universal, simple, and affordable (USA):

• Allows states to get federal waivers for a universal, simple, and affordable (USA) plan.

• Mandates that participating states guarantee healthcare coverage for at least 95% of residents in the first 5 years.

• Requires any state-based plan to have benefits equal to or greater than those that the beneficiaries of federal healthcare programs now receive.

• Allows groups of states to come together for joint plans. Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) does not.

• Enables states to integrate Medicare funds into a state plan. Section 1332 does not.

• Gives access to an ERISA waiver to reduce legal challenges to a state plan. Section 1332 does not. This gives states more legal certainty in legislative efforts.

• Creates an HHS Secretary-appointed Independent Assessment Panel, composed of members recommended by political leaders of both parties, health care provider groups, and a patient advocate [see Section 2 (g) (4) of H.R. 6270]. This panel will review and provide the state and the Secretary recommendations regarding waiver approval or disapproval. By contrast, Section 1332 leaves the review process up to the HHS Secretary.

• Paves the way to nationally guaranteed universal, simple, affordable (USA), and equitable health care.

 

Take Action!

 

Sign our petition urging your Congressional Representative to co-sponsor and support the SBUCHA bill to make it easier for states to guarantee universal, simple and affordable (USA) healthcare for all their residents.

 

Click HERE to view the letter your Members of Congress will receive.

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