I was in Little Rock for the last several days participating in the National Association of Free Clinics event to get much needed health care to residents of Arkansas.
But before I tell you what it's like being with these extraordinary healthcare heroes, you might like to read about my chance encounter with Bill Clinton on Thursday, the day I arrived. It's all here.
In a nutshell vis a vis healthcare, I would say there's no doubt, Bill Clinton is doing his level best and more, to make sure a health bill is passed. Many of us won't love the end result, and I'm afraid we may not even like it, but I believe Clinton will do whatever is asked of him to make certain the outcome is as good as humanly possible and will benefit the American people.
He didn't come to the Little Rock clinic for a couple of reasons. Most probably because coming on Saturday, the day of the critical Senate vote, his presence might have been a distraction, and because he couldn't cut himself in half since he was committed to being in New Mexico on Saturday, to deliver the eulogy at the funeral of the former Governor.
Just as an aside, I spent several hours wandering around the Clinton Library. What's most memorable about this very beautiful and dignified institution (and if you ever get to Little Rock, it's well worth a visit), are the bound volumes of his schedule, arranged by month and year, for every day he was president. It's like a walk through history, and you could spend many hours reading this stuff. You should also know, this is a green building, starting with the beautiful and environmentally sustainable Bamboo floors.
Moving on to the Health Clinic and the videos of shame, misery and human suffering.
On a personal note after having spent twelve hours at this clinic and after you watch these videos of shame, one must conclude that if we don't provide guaranteed and affordable healthcare to all Americans, it is simply no longer possible to believe we are citizens of a civilized nation.
I learned a lot from the doctors, nurses, volunteers and American heroes who came to render compassion and mercy for their fellow citizens. I learned about little things like for many patients who come to these events, even a $4.00 prescription at WalMart is unaffordable.
Many of these people are only able to get part time jobs which don't give them benefits, or they have been laid off because of the economy. I met a woman who works full time and cannot afford the $400 a month for the premium. The video of her is still uploading, I'll get that toyou this week.
These are some of the people who Blanche Lincoln neglects, they will deliver her a message on Election Day, if she continues to work against the people of Arkansas.
Glinda Johnson - Works full time - Cannot afford to pay for the insurance her employer offers - Resident of Little Rock - Voter - Uninsured American
David McDonald - Uninsured American - Resident of Arkansas - Voter - American citizen
Steve Maitland - Resident of Little Rock Arkansas - Voter - uninsured American - hasn't been to a doctor in Five years
Michelle and Sheila - Uninsured Americans - Voters - Residents of Arkansas
Keith Hitchcock - Resident of Arkansas - Uninsured American - Recent Amputee - Needs a prothesis and can't afford it!
Cindy Howell - Uninsured American - Drove five hours from Dallas - Needs medication, she is "banking her pills" to make them last longer
Vicky Hansen - Resident of Arkansas - Uninsured American - Three time cancer patient - Needs to see a doctor!
Frank Wood - Resident of Arkansas - Uninsured American - Voter
Shelley Dockery - Two time cancer survivor - Uninsured American - Resident of Arkansas - Her family is paying off huge medical bills
The National Association of Health Clinics is the organization which organized and ran the clinic in Houston attended by Mehmet Oz. They're working side-by-side Keith Olbermann and Rich Stockwell, Keith's senior producer, who is the healthcare warrior and godfather of all this extraordinary humanitarian work. BTW, there's another clinic scheduled for Kansas City on December 9th and 10th, which I'll also probably attend.
Despite her protestations, Blanche Lincoln has some deservedly heavy lifting to do in Arkansas. Many of her constituents want to see her replaced with someone who will fight for them, not WalMart.
And frankly her words are on the condescending side, if you ask me. Gosh, are you really thinking about the 450,000 Arkansans who cannot access basic healthcare? They don't think you are. And they vote.
"I’m thinking about the 450,000 Arkansans who have no health insurance," she said as she lent her support to an initial procedural step in the most closely watched floor speech of the day. "I’m not thinking about my re-election, the legacy of a president or whether Democrats or Republicans are going to be able to claim victory in winning this debate."
http://www.nytimes.com/...
So what did Blanche Lincoln the senior Senator from Arkansas have to say about what happened within eye sight of her state Capitol? Not. Very. Much.
"This one-day clinic is a blessing, but it is not a sustainable way to deliver health care for the thousands of uninsured and underinsured Arkansans," Lincoln said in a statement released by her office.
And who's a healthcare hero? Who gave and gave some more to make this possible? For sure Bill Halter, the Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas. When Nicole Lamoureux, the executive director of the National Association of Health Clinics talks about Lieutenant Governor Halter, her eyes fill with tears.
I'll have more on Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter this week. I'll just let you know that he arrived early in the morning with his wife, Shanti and stayed until late in the evening. Both he and Shanti worked as volunteers all day.
Blanche, get with the program, your people are dying.