LET'S KICK IT AGAIN!--Saturday update on Dr. Gurel's Walk For Health Care--Half way mark tomorrow!

[wndycty]

First and foremost THANK YOU ALL for your support of Dr. Ogan Gurel's Walk For Health Care. He will make it to Canton, OH, tomorrow which is the approximate half-way point between Chicago and Washington, DC.

Please be sure to visit http://www.walk4healthcare.org and to follow Dr. Gurel at http://www.twitter.com/walk4healthcare

Here is the most recent newspaper coverage. . .'

Health care inequities spark a 700-mile walk

By Kimberly Gasuras • Telegraph-Forum • July 10, 2009


BUCYRUS -- During his 700-mile walk from Chicago to Washington, D.C., Dr. Ogan Gurel has a mission.
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"I am gathering stories from people I meet along my journey. These are real stories of the hardships that people are facing due to our current healthcare system," Gurel said Thursday, as he walked along the Lincoln Highway between Bucyrus and Mansfield, an American flag fluttering from his backpack.

Gurel began his Walk for Healthcare on June 27.

"I think it is very symbolic for me to be walking on Lincoln Highway, the first constructed highway, a patchwork of roads that was created when Americans came together," Gurel said. "It serves the needs of American freedom, which is what we need to do in our healthcare system."
-snip-

http://www.bucyrustelegraphforum.com/article/20090710/NEWS01/907100304

[Luminous Animal]

1. And when you're done kicking, read this Moyers interview!

With ex-Cigna PR executive Wendell Potter.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/transcript2.html

BILL MOYERS: So what did you think when you saw that film (SiCKO)?

WENDELL POTTER: I thought that he hit the nail on the head with his movie. But the industry, from the moment that the industry learned that Michael Moore was taking on the health care industry, it was really concerned.

BILL MOYERS: What were they afraid of?

WENDELL POTTER: They were afraid that people would believe Michael Moore.

BILL MOYERS: We obtained a copy of the game plan that was adopted by the industry's trade association, AHIP. And it spells out the industry strategies in gold letters. It says, "Highlight horror stories of government-run systems." What was that about?

WENDELL POTTER: The industry has always tried to make Americans think that government-run systems are the worst thing that could possibly happen to them, that if you even consider that, you're heading down on the slippery slope towards socialism. So they have used scare tactics for years and years and years, to keep that from happening. If there were a broader program like our Medicare program, it could potentially reduce the profits of these big companies. So that is their biggest concern.

BILL MOYERS: And there was a political strategy. "Position Sicko as a threat to Democrats' larger agenda." What does that mean?

WENDELL POTTER: That means that part of the effort to discredit this film was to use lobbyists and their own staff to go onto Capitol Hill and say, "Look, you don't want to believe this movie. You don't want to talk about it. You don't want to endorse it. And if you do, we can make things tough for you."

BILL MOYERS: How?

WENDELL POTTER: By running ads, commercials in your home district when you're running for reelection, not contributing to your campaigns again, or contributing to your competitor.

BILL MOYERS: This is fascinating. You know, "Build awareness among centrist Democratic policy organizations--"

WENDELL POTTER: Right.

BILL MOYERS: "--including the Democratic Leadership Council."

[wndycty]

2. Thanks I heard about that last night

:kick: