Thursday, June 28, 2012

Democrats State Convention

The Michigan Democratic Party State Convention will take place on September 8 & 9, 2012 at the Lansing Center in Lansing. At this Convention, we will officially nominate our three candidates for Michigan Supreme Court - Connie Marie Kelley, Shelia Johnson, and Bridget Mary McCormack, as well as our eight candidates for Education Boards, and our Presidential Electors. We will also be adopting the Party Platform and Resolutions for 2012.

Supreme Court Upholds Health Reform

By

Huffington Post
GET UPDATES FROM Linda Bergthold
The Supreme Court UPHOLDS Health Reform -- What Does It Mean for You?
Posted: 06/25/2012 10:31 pm

In a surprise decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010. You will hear a lot of commentary from legal and policy experts in the next few weeks about this decision, but this post is about what the Court action means for YOU personally.
The outcry from the right will be deafening, and there will be attempts by the House Republicans between now and November to take out sections of the law, although the Senate Democratic majority is not likely to approve any of those actions. Obviously, if the Republicans win the Presidency and the Senate in November, the ACA may not survive to its full 2014 implementation date. Now is the time to acquaint yourself with what the health reform law really means to you -- while you still have it.
1. If you are employed and enjoy health insurance as part of your work benefit package -

The Affordable Care Act does not currently have a large impact on large self-insured companies; however, as the law is fully implemented in 2014 and beyond, there is a chance that your employer may determine that employees can get cheaper coverage through a state exchange and over time some employers may drop employer-sponsored coverage. If you work for one of those companies, you may actually have more choice of plans through an exchange and depending on whether or not the employer subsidizes you or you are eligible for a federal subsidy, you may pay less than you do now. Until that time, you will see a few benefits of the ACA -- no lifetime limits on your benefits; restrictions on annual limits; preventive services without copays; and adult children allowed to stay on parents' plans until age 26.

2. If you are lucky enough to be on Medicare -

The Affordable Care Act has brought seniors a number of significant benefits already. The doughnut hole in prescription drug coverage is being closed every year and will disappear by 2020. In 2011 alone, 3.6 million seniors saved $2.1 billion on their prescription drugs because of health reform. Another benefit for seniors is the preventive services that are available without copays and the 4% reduction in premiums for seniors enrolled in managed care Medicare plans (called Medicare Advantage) in 2012.
However, looming on the horizon if there is a Republican sweep in November are big changes to Medicare, including a potential rollback of the ACA benefits and a switch to a voucher system which would give you a fixed amount to buy a plan without any guarantee that the amount would be sufficient to cover what you currently have.

3. If you are self employed and have an individual insurance policy for yourself and your family -
Try to keep your policy if you can continue to afford it. Don't let it lag because we do not know the outcome of the November elections, and if the Act is overturned, you will be on the streets again, trying to get coverage as an individual and potentially being turned down for pre-existing conditions.
4. If you are uninsured but are hoping to be able to get it through the Affordable Care Act and a State Exchange -
The good news about the fact that the Court upheld the entire law is that you will still have the option to buy insurance through an Exchange in your state and if your state does not offer one, through a federal exchange. And you will get help affording that premium via a federal subsidy that will allow you to earn up to 400% of the federal poverty level before the subsidy phases out. For those who have a pre-existing condition, the law still guarantees that insurers must accept you starting in 2014.
Again, the election in November will determine whether or not the positive features of the ACA will survive.

5. If you are a small employer and were hoping to be able to help your employees get health insurance at a reasonable rate through the state exchanges -
There will still be options for you and your employees. The state exchanges will be open to individuals and small business, offering a variety of plan options at a variety of prices, much like the Massachusetts exchange. Up to now, small businesses have found it very expensive to insure their employees, particularly if any of them have been sick.
If Republicans sweep the November elections, it won't matter how the Supreme Court has ruled. The entire Affordable Care Act will be repealed and the Republicans have no plan to replace it with a plan that could make health care more affordable. Don't forget that the Republican plan for health reform has only three or four main provisions -- protect doctors with malpractice reform; allow fly-by-night insurers to sell their "hospital gown" plans (looks good in the front but is bare in the back) across state plans; and make you, the consumer "more accountable" for your health care costs (translation: you pay more). There are many benefits of the Affordable Care Act. Educate yourself and fight to keep them.
Follow Linda Bergthold on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lab08

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Corporations are People ? Really ?


From : Briggs Johnson tasmania.aus@wildblue.net

Hello Alcona Progressive Alliance members and Friends.

Upcoming


- 1 July, Sunday.
Gathering at Dave & Theresa Green's home, 2731 N Lakeshore Dr (3 miles north of US 23 and Lakeshore Drive intersection, west side of road), 6:30 pm- 8:00.  Purpose: (1) Presentation to Haynes Township residents about the need  to amend the US Constitution to limit personhood to human beings, and to declare money is not speech and can be regulated.  (2) Recruit Haynes Township residents to attend the 11 July Haynes Township board meeting at which we will present for the board's adoption a resolution stating such.     A social mixer will be held from 6:30 to 7:00 with the presentation beginning at 7:00 pm.


- 10 July, Tuesday.  APA meeting at Harrisville Holistic Center 7:00 pm to finalize the presentation of the resolution to the board.


- 11 July, Wednesday.  Haynes Township board meeting.  3930 E McNeill Rd, Lincoln, 7:00 pm.  Be there or be square.

For the water the land the people

Bailey FOR 101st State House

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Fight Pettalia's Pension Tax - Elect Ken Hubbard on November 6th - 106th State House Representative

Alpena County Dems Host a Candidate Forum ...

Thankyou to Todd L. Koss, Corresponding Secretary, Alpena County Democratic Party for the following :

The Alpena County Democratic Party will be holding its June 2012 Monthly Meeting on Thursday June 21 beginning at 7pm with a brief business meeting, followed by a candidates forum at our Party Headquarters in the Thunder Bay Shopping Center. Refreshments will be available.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Michigan Looks to Pass Nation's Most Anti-Abortion Law

Kate Sheppard

Reporter
Kate Sheppard is a staff reporter Mother Jones' Washington bureau.

In what the ACLU of Michigan has called the "greatest assault on reproductive rights" in the state's history, Michigan lawmakers are pushing a slew of anti-abortion measures they've rolled into a single legislative package.
The controversial legislation combines several bills, including GOP Rep. Deb Shaughnessy's House Bill 5713, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks gestation, and House Bill 5711, from Rep. Bruce Rendon (R), which would impose multiple new regulations on abortion providers.
Shaughnessy's proposal is modeled after bills that have passed in six states around the country already, and it only includes an exception if the woman's life is at stake. Rendon's bill requires abortion providers to meet the same standards as "ambulatory surgical centers." Abortion rights groups in the state say this law, often referred to as "targeted regulation of abortion providers" (or TRAP), would likely shut down all abortion providers in the state. Other provisions of the bill require a doctor to be physically present to dispense abortion drugs (which would basically outlaw the use of telemedicine abortions). The proposal also implements new procedures for disposal of fetal remains that, instead of treating them like other forms of medical waste, would require them to be treated like the body of a dead person.
Lawmakers are considering the bills together, and a House committee approved them this week. Over at RH Reality Check, writer Angi Becker Stevens notes that this anti-abortion "super bill" threatens "to create in one fell swoop serious barriers for both women in need of abortion care and abortion providers."



Friday, June 1, 2012


Ken Hubbard

Democrat

Candidate For The 106th State House District


Former Alpena Fire Chief Ken Hubbard has a proven track record of being a tough, fair and independent advocate for taxpayers. As a firefighter and paramedic, he dedicated his career to protecting our loved ones. As our next state representative, Ken will be dedicated to fighting for northeastern Michigan’s middle-class families, seniors and children.


Born into a military family, Ken grew up moving from city to city for the first decade of his life. At the age of 11, Ken’s father, a career Navy Seabee, passed away from cancer caused by workplace radiation. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Ken started working to support his family. His mother took on seamstress jobs and fought to secure a pension from her husband’s untimely death.


The family eventually settled in California for Ken’s high school years. He worked summers on a farm in Colorado to save enough money to attend college and then worked in a tire shop while he attended San Diego State University where he earned his bachelor’s degree.


Ken’s roots in northeastern Michigan go back to a fateful vacation more than 40 years ago when he came to Alpena to visit a college roommate. Ken soon found a job working in construction and decided to stay and raise his family in Alpena. Ken has two adult daughters, both of whom are college graduates.


After nearly a decade in the construction business, Ken was laid off due to an economic downturn. He quickly rebounded by joining the Alpena Fire Department, where he would rise to lieutenant, then deputy chief and eventually chief of the department. After 30 years with the department, Ken retired in 2010.


In addition to his service as a paramedic with the fire department, Ken has served his community as a five term Alpena County Commissioner since 1994.


Ken will work hard to reform Lansing, so that it works for us, for a change. He will fight to support NORTHEASTERN MICHIGAN’s villages, farms and small businesses that create jobs so northeastern Michigan remains a place where families can live and work for generations to come.

Attention Democrats & Independents in the 106th !!!



Here's Ken's new web page. Lets all visit it and help him in this fight against Rep. Peter Pettalia !

I've met Ken and he has his sleeves rolled up and is ready to tackle this campaign - and win !


GDH