05/06/2017
Dear Fellow Physicians,
We all deeply care about our patients and nation, and so many have worked so hard the last few months to keep this nightmare of a moral outrage from passing a chamber of Congress. Many, many of us called moderate Republican representatives to urge them to vote NO - Turner and Joyce did end up voting no. Twenty GOP Rep.'s voted no; if 2 more had, the bill would have not passed.
But now the die is cast, the GOP has gone on record as passionately opposed to the notion that no American should die for lack of insurance. There is lots of GOP noise about how much they care about premium costs, will protect those with diagnoses, but the fact is that even trying to cover everyone sent them into frenzy.
This and the attack on minorities, the explosion of anti-Semitism, the tearing down of church-state separation, the attack on the US judiciary, the shredding of protections against the poisoning of our environment, the embrace of heating the planet all spell catastrophe for our American democracy.
DOHCS is organized to change who is in office, to try to stop this nightmare, to return our local and national community back to strengthening our democratic institutions and working to find real solutions, promote mutual respect, protect us from poisons, cool the planet.
DOHCS is meeting in intense discussions with leaders of Senator Sherrod Brown's re-election campaign. Your leadership met with Colorado Senator Mike Bennet yesterday to help Sherrod create a state wide movement of doctors supporting Sherrod, with DOHCS as a foundation group for this Ohio effort. Senator Bennet who lived in Ohio at one time, shared his passion for a better future and sees now as a great opportunity to get it done.
We talked about a major Senator Brown as well as a separate event asking Senator Portman to continue his support for Medicaid and ensure that no health care legislation results in fewer Ohioans having health insurance. Come Tuesday the 16th to hear more and make plans.
So come to our home Tuesday May 16 at 6:30 PM. We are rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. Click "Sign up" at the top of the page if you are not already receiving our emails with meeting details and location.
2018 really is a key election, a real chance to stop this momentum of cruelty and destruction and return us to a working democracy.
What: DOHCS Meeting
When: Tuesday, May 16, 6:30-8:15 PM
About: Kicking everyone in this photo out of office, starting with Sherrod Brown getting re-elected.
To get more information please sign up at the top of the page - we will add you to the email list and make sure you get details on our upcoming meetings and locations.
In the Meantime:
1. Let's all call Senator Rob Portman's office here in Cleveland at (202) 224-3353 and ask him to vote against the AHCA for two reasons: it is wrong to kick millions off care, and it is wrong to do so to give $300 billion to a few rich families.
2. Come to the Beachwood Public Library, this Thursday, May 11, 7PM to hear Professor Timothy Snyder, a world expert on how civilized nations collapse into cruel tyranny. His new book On Tyranny is a must have, must read, very small manual of 20 things-to-do when in a modern nation sliding towards tyranny. This scholar is touring the country making it clear the US is in grave danger right now. Come here him, his ideas on what we can do. It could be a historic evening.
Arthur
Co-Chair, DOHCS
Inline image 1
L to R: Dr. Neil Korman, Dr. Arthur Lavin, Dr. Mike Devereaux, Dr. Margaret Stager, Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), Dr. Nate Stehouwer, Mr. Jay Sherman
(notice the Senator sporting the DOHCS button that Dr. Stager designed and produced)