Pennsylvania NOW Convention just 3 Weeks Away with TWO Featured Speakers: Terry O'Neill and Sioban "Sam" Bennett

The Pennsylvania NOW Convention “United We Rise” is just three weeks away.  It will be held on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at Crowne Plaza‐Bucks County ♦ 4700 Street Rd ♦ Trevose, PA 19053.
 
PA NOW 2011 Convention Invitation BIG NEWS!  We now have confirmed two GREAT featured speakers! Our Featured Speakers will be Terry O’Neill, National NOW President and Siobhan “Sam” Bennett, President and CEO Women's Campaign Forum & 2008 PA Congressional candidate.

Sam will be our featured speaker at the PAC luncheon that starts at 11:35 am.  Siobhan "Sam" Bennett, President/CEO has served as the President and CEO of the Women’s Campaign Fund (WCF) and its affiliated programs The She Should Run Foundation and WCF PAC since March 2009. Under Sam’s leadership, WCF’s combined budget has more than doubled and the organization’s programmatic reach has expanded to every state in the country and been featured in national syndications, including USA Today and over 200 AP newspapers. Sam has lent her unique perspective as a candidate at the local and federal levels to broaden WCF’s impact on women leaders at all levels of government who support reproductive choices and options, and women who may run for office in the future. Cost for the luncheon is a minimum of $50/person.

Terry will be our featured speaker during the afternoon plenary.  Terry O'Neill, President, National Organization for Women is a feminist attorney, former law professor, and an activist for social justice. O'Neill oversees NOW's multi-issue agenda, which includes: advancing reproductive freedom, promoting diversity and ending racism, stopping violence against women, winning lesbian rights, ensuring economic justice, ending sex discrimination and achieving constitutional equality for women.

We also have a great line-up of workshops that include the following topics:

• Voting Rights, Removing Barriers to Voting, and the Elections process
• Caregiving Care for Caregiver
• Health Care issues including single-payer health care and reproductive health and justice
• Collaborating with other feminist organizations
• School Vouchers and Violence in Schools.

Please spread the word!

Cost for NOW members to attend the Convention is $50 with a sliding scale down to $0.00.  Non-members can register for the Convention for $70.00, which includes a one-year membership in NOW.

To register, you can download this registration form (see below). After completing the form, either mail or email the form with your check/credit card number to our Treasurer, Pamela Macklin.  If you want to pay online for the PAC and/or the luncheon you can do so by credit card at our main website.  Go to http://panow.org and click on the "Donate" button.  Then send the completed registration form to our treasurer at pmacfish@aol.com.
Registration Form for PA NOW Convention and PAC Luncheon
Note two deadlines.  The guaranteed reduced rate for hotel reservations ends on September 15 ($99/night + tax); call the hotel at 1‐215‐364‐2000  to make your reservation. People interested in the PAC luncheon need to reserve their seat at the luncheon by Friday, September 23.  You can either pre-register or register on-site for the convention plenaries, workshops, and cocktail party.  If you are putting your check in the mail for the PAC luncheon, please email our Treasuer at pmacfish@aol.com and let her know that you put the check in the mail to ensure she adds your name to the PAC luncheon.

And here are the directions to the hotel.
Direction Card Crowne Plaza

Again…

Join us at Pennsylvania NOW’s 40^th anniversary convention ON OCTOBER 1 and Please spread the word!

Thank you and see you on October 1.

United We Rise! Pennsylvania NOW Convention on October 1, 2011

We need and will rise to fight the War on Women that is currently being waged against women in the US and here in Pennsylvania. A war that includes: 1) women continuing to earn only 78% of men’s salaries, 2) Congress and the PA General Assembly’s attempts to take away our reproductive rights;  3) Threats to public education; 4) etc.

Join us at our biennial convention October 1, 2011 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Philadelphia Bucks County, 4700 Street Road, Trevose, PA 19053 (215-364-2000).  We will be focusing on this war on women and how, United, we can fight back.

Lodging is $99 + tax/night; deadline for this rate is September 15.  To receive this rate, contact the hotel and mention Pennsylvania NOW when you make your registration.

This all-day conference will include workshops focusing on reproductive rights attacks, school vouchers, single-payer health care, maternity care, and care giving, as well as working in coalitions, voting, and election work to make sure our united voice is heard. In addition, we will be electing new officers, holding a luncheon PAC fundraiser, voting on the proposed by-laws change, and hosting a cash-bar reception in the evening.

ELECTIONS

We will be holding elections for President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, & three At-Large Executive Committee members.  The four officers must run together as a slate.  If you are interested running for office, you must contact our Elections Committee. Chairing this committee will be Cindy Purvis (814-460-3568, cindypurvis@velocity.net). Lois Herr (717-371-5721, herrlk@me.com) and Irene Boyle (215- 913-0108) are the other two members of this committee.

PA NOW PAC FUNDRAISER

We have moved the traditional PAC fundraiser from Sunday to Saturday so that more people have a chance to attend if they are not staying overnight.  The keynote speaker at the PAC luncheon will be Siobhan “Sam” Bennett, President and CEO, Women’s Campaign Forum and 2008 NOW PAC-endorsed Congressional candidate from Allentown, PA.

The luncheon will also present current and past NOW PAC-endorsed candidates to the attendees.
This fundraiser will help get out our Voters’ Guide and to also support our endorsed candidates.  Cost is a minimum $50.00/person.  You can use the form below to send in your registration. You can also register online with your credit card for the luncheon at http://panow.org/PAC_file/PANOWPAC.htm.  Then follow-up the online payment with an email to Treasurer Pamela Macklin, pmacfish@aol.com, saying your PAC donation is for the PAC luncheon. Deadline for registering for the PAC luncheon is Friday, September 23.

REGISTRATION FEES

NOW member registration fee is $50.00; early registration by August 26 is $40 in honor of Pennsylvania NOW’s 40th anniversary.  Non-member registration, including a one-year membership is $70.00.  Current members can register and attend the convention on a sliding scale down to $0.00. 

Register online with your credit card at http://panow.org/contribution.htm.  Please follow-up all online payments with an email to pmacfish@aol.com,  saying your “donations” are for your registration and/or PAC luncheon.

You may also register by printing out and mailing in the registration form pictured below.  You can also contact us at panow@panow.org and we will email you a full-size copy of this registration form.

Registration Form for PA NOW Convention

Save Our State: Teach In on State Budget Crisis Scheduled for July 17

It looks like, once again, the PA General Assembly will be unable to pass the state budget by the June 30th deadline.  Currently, the House is calling for a combination of revenue "enhancers" and cuts to critical programs that support our most vulnerable citizens and our communities.  The Senate is calling for cuts alone.  Activists and organizations concerned about the effect of these cuts must For years, be involved in the search for a common sense solution to our state’s financial crisis. Our legislators

must make smart choices.

 

In light of this pending crisis, Health Care for All PA is organizing a state budgetary crisis teach-in on Saturday, July 17 from 1-4 pm at the ABC Brew Pub, 50 N. Cameron St, Harrisburg.  Individuals and organizations across the state are invited to the Save Our State Teach-In to effect positive and lasting change in Harrisburg through sharing your concerns and suggestions.

 
Here is the flyer for the Teach-In.  Please spread the word.
 

Spring Pennsylvania NOW Times and Voters Guide

Our semi-annual newsletter, the Pennsylvania NOW Times is now available.  Included in the newsletter are the following articles:

• New Executive Board Elected
• Voters' Guide
• Legislative Updates
• Fundraising Update
• National NOW PAC Endorses Lois Herr for 16th CD

To view the newsletter in pdf format, click here.

We Were Sold Down the River

Last night, the US House of Representative passed HR 3962, the so-called Health Care Reform bill. During the floor debate, Speaker Nancy Pelosi allowed a successful vote on Rep. Stupak's amendment to deny any woman access to abortion coverage.  This means that any woman will be denied abortion coverage in her health insurance plan if she either uses the "public option" OR if she receives any subsidy whatsoever to purchase health insurance from private insurers.  So now lower and middle-class women will ALL be completely denied access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care.  Which may also include access to emergency contraception and other forms of birth control.

Here is how the PA Congressional House delegation voted on this amendment.  Fourteen Pennsylvania Representatives, including 7 D's and all 7 R's, voted against women's reproductive health and only 5 D's stood up for women's rights.

Yes Votes (i.e., Votes for Stupak Amendment and AGAINST Women's Health)


Jason Altmire       (D) PA 4
Christopher Carney  (D) PA 10
Mike Doyle          (D) PA 14
Charlie Dent        (R) PA 15
Kathy Dahlkemper    (D) PA 3  (and co-sponsor of amendment)
Jim Gerlach         (R) PA 6
Tim Holden          (D) PA 17
Paul Kanjorski      (D) PA 11
John P. Murtha      (D) PA 12
Tim Murphy          (R) PA 18
Joe Pitts           (R) PA 16 (Primary Republican Co-sponsor)
Todd R. Platts      (R) PA 19
Bill Shuster        (R) PA 9
Glenn Thompson      (R) PA 5

NO VOTES (Votes in Support of Women's Reproductive Health)

Robert a. Brady     (D) PA 1
Chaka Fattah        (D) PA 2
Patrick J. Murphy   (D) PA 8
Allyson Y. Schwartz (D) PA 13
Joe Sestak          (D) PA 7

This was the third blow to what could have been true health care reform.  The first blow was a weakening of the public option to an insurance "exchange program" that continues to keep insurance companies in power over our health care.  The second blow was the removal of Kucinich's amendment allowing states to craft their own single-payer plan.  And now this!

WOMEN HAVE BEEN SOLD DOWN THE RIVER TO PASS THE FLAWED NON-HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL!

I just emailed the White House with this message:

Yesterday, the House passed HR 3962.  In the process, Pelosi allowed Stupak to offer his anti-abortion amendment knowing that the majority of the house is anti-woman and anti- comprehensive health care for women!

YOU SOLD US DOWN THE RIVER! We will no longer support this bill in its current format! Not only does it deny women access to full reproductive health care, it’s public option is weak, and there is no clause in it allowing states to create single-payer plans.

What could have been an excellent plan is now just a shill for the extreme right wing and the insurance industry!

Unless you come out and clearly state that you will keep your campaign promise and protect women’s reproductive rights by vetoing the entire bill if the Stupak amendment remains within the bill and call for a much stronger public option (NOT an “Exchange Program”), we will oppose this non-reform bill.

We must stand up for a truly comprehensive health care reform law.  One that includes single-payer, Medicare for All and that is truly comprehensive health care for all. One that includes full reproductive health care and doesn't deny coverage to anyone based on pre-existing conditions, evidence of domestic violence, age, sex, race, national origin, disability, immigrant status, or ability to pay.

This Isn't Health Care

Last week, a long-time NOW member and friend received an e-mail titled, “Women must have real health insurance reform now.” She forwarded it to me with the following comment:

“Insurance reform? Who’s drinking the (i)nsurance compan(ies)’ Kool- Aid? Health insurance reform is another name for a gigantic taxpayer donation to the health care insurance corporations like the taxpayer donation to the too-big-to-fail financial institutions.”

PA NOW agrees with our sister and disgrees with the subject line of the original emiail. We don't need health insurance reform. What we need is single-payer health care. This is the form of health care that the National Organization for Women has been advocating for since 1993 when NOW passed a national resolution supporting it.

I, like many people, am a victim and survivor of our broken health care system. I had to fight with my and my twin sister’s insurance companies to reverse a denial of transplant donor coverage in order for me to have a bone marrow transplant. Then I dealt with 30 companies rejecting me for health insurance coverage for a pre-existing condition. And whenever our family now refills my son’s asthma medication, the pharmacist fights with coordinating two health insurance companies to get them to fill the prescription because one requires generic and the other requires a brand name medication.

This isn’t health care. This is the Kool-Aid that the insurance companies are feeding us. Let’s get rid of this Kool-Aid in Pennsylvania and in the U.S. Pass HB 1660/SB 400 in the state and HR 676 in Congress so that we can have comprehensive single-payer coverage for all.

Call and write your legislators to support, sponsor and vote for a Medicare-for-All kind of bill.  In PA that's HB 1660 and SB 400.  In Congress that HR 676 as well as the amendment in the general health care bill that allows states to create their own single-payer system.

-Revised from a speech on Single-Payer Health Care given in the Capital Rotunda on Tuesday, October 20 in Harrisburg as part of the Health Care for All Rally.