SB810 DIES ON THE FLOOR OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY:
THE MOVEMENT GOES ON!

Dear PNHP California Activists,

I write to all of you who have ever tried to convince a stranger, friend, family member or colleague that improved Medicare for All is the right solution for this country’s health care crisis.

The California single-payer bill SB810, which had passed the state legislature twice before, died on the floor of the State Assembly two nights ago without coming to a final vote. This year’s bill, which had once again passed the State Senate and all necessary Assembly committees, needed only one more vote before going to the Governor’s desk. It never got the chance. Instead, the Democratic leadership made the decision to kill the bill through non-action, rather than risk perceived political repercussions in the upcoming November elections. Kudos to Senator Mark Leno for immediately promising to re-introduce the bill in next year’s legislative session.

The fear of political repercussions, real or imagined, says a lot about the success of the disinformation campaign that has been mounted against health care reform in this country. It also says a lot about the amount of work that lies before us to build the movement for single-payer here in California and nationwide.

PNHP California is already focused on the future. It is up to us to get the message across to hundreds of millions of Americans that truly universal, comprehensive and affordable health care can be available to us all through single-payer. We have to carry this message to every corner of California, and to every state legislator and to the next Governor of this great state, which so often leads the way for the rest of the nation.

That’s why I am asking you to take one simple, yet highly important next step – please convince one person you know to join PNHP California before the end of this year. Just visit www.pnhpcalifornia.org and click on Join.

Through PNHP California, you can learn how to effectively make meet face-to-face with your legislators, or speak to the media, or give effective presentations to your colleagues and the public, work in coalition, participate in rallies and lobby days, and do the vital work to help us grow the single-payer movement.

One thing is for sure in politics – the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Let’s see if together we can’t create a roar that will echo from Sacramento to Washington, DC.

Yours in the struggle,

Bill Skeen, MD/MPH
Executive Director
PNHP California