ELECTION YEAR COMING
Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 1
Posted: Wed May 14, 2003 1:34 pm Post subject: MAKE CONGRESS ACCOUNTABLE
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Personally I have been faxing and sending letters,then we call the office and ask if we are going to get a response, and your frustration on the silence on this industry.<
>It has been utterly beyond belief that the Senators and Represenatives have been mute on this issue. Many people feel that those who represent us in DC are in it for the corporations. But in order to represent the corporations you need to get voted in. No better time than the present.<
>After one Congressman here in my area lost the paper work and documents some years ago,,,,you just move on to the next person. I faxed a letter and called his office recently, I felt we were getting the run around and asked when he would appear for the next Town Hall Meeting and we would be there handing out flyers. He called friday and listened and had his office call our journalist that is well known to see that it was happening and this injustice needs to stop. But you need to honestly fax or mail a request of help on this issue. If they chose to ignore this and not follow through, then they are fair game....for flyers to voters in their meetings.<
>Only now that we are getting this story out, they need to take this issue seriously. I had enlisted much help to go to the town meetings in my area and have requested help in other areas in my state and Oregon, to hand out our flyers and a flyer with the Senators name on it and the fact that he didnt care enough to speak out on the injustices of the dialysis patients and feel that it is not important for them.<
>Personally I will be handing out the flyers in Sen Ronald Wyden's town halls and have enlisted National Action Network to get these flyers to the Town Halls. This is the only way they will take you serious and it is successful. I can think of no one more deserving of the "rat award" than Sen Wyden. But our time has come around...and is here. I also faxed a letter to his office and of course heard nothing....so fair game!<
>When you fax send us a copy or email us that you have....emails are not as effective but better than nothing. Then you need to call and ask for the person handling that Congressman's health issues. If you arent persistant they dont take you seriously. If they dont answer you, then email us and we will call them...please give us the number though.<
>The flyers will be up next week, am waiting for another one to arrive and they will be posted,then you can just download them. <
>I dont know about anyone else, but these rallys or flyer handouts are fun. You are anonymous and you get the word out.Take friends and it is taking action and making those in the house know that they are accountable. If you need help, let us know but letters to the editor are your faxed letters also. This time is your time, no time is better than the present. You can take the power back and have fun doing it. It is taking control of your life back,and you dont have to worry about anyone knowing your doing it. If you need help in your state, email and see if we can buddy you up.....!<
>Arlene4
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aprnjam
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 85
Posted: Wed May 14, 2003 3:40 pm Post subject: Re: MAKE CONGRESS ACCOUNTABLE
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Arlene, we are on the same page!! I agree that we should make Congress accountable and that we should contact our senators and congressman. Face-to-face is much better, but I agree with you that e-mail or letters is better than nothing. See my original post: Standing Up For Our Rights. Let me know what I can do to help! We have to make these people accountable and this has to stop!! The squeaky wheel gets the grease, if we complain enough, they will do something. Let's all inundate them with e-mails, letters, flyers if we can see them face-to-face. This is an election year, they WORK FOR US!!! We put them in office and they forget who put them there and who pays their paychecks...US!!! Let's go get 'em!!!
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Arlene
Site Admin
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Posts: 49
Posted: Thu May 15, 2003 4:24 am Post subject: Now is the time
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We have been keeping a running paper trail for 5 years. The faxes letters and receipt of docments are now in pretty boxes with pretty bows.<
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>Personally I believe in giving everyone a chance, as I have faxed the Senate Committee on Aging,CMS, ESRD NETWORKS and elected officials chances to help the patients over the past 5 years. They have been silent and I realized that it has been "rolling up ones sleeve" and getting in the mud with them.<
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>The documented paper trail and tapes cannot be disputed. Asking what is a patient advocate and asking for a ruling is typical of government stalling. Mostly when it is a Federal Law. Asking for a ruling on an advocate with a patient 1 week away from being set out to the streets? Reading ones emails when a patient is begging for help? We have paper trails in pretty boxes of where the elected officials have done nothing to change this lack of rights. So what does one do? One makes sure that they send a fax or mail a letter, speak out in churches and in the public. One patient came to us when someone hung up a business card in a yogart place.<
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>Once we get the flyers out and the word out, more will come forth. Safety in numbers and we have help in the majority of the citys and it appears that the minority groups are going to back us also. They had the first hand experience when they started asking their parishoners about those that had experiences in dialysis.They have access to radio stations in their areas and are stunned that this has been secret. We have the ability to get the word out. It isnt going to happen without each one of us asking for help from the community. All I would ask is to give your Senators a chance and call back. If its a negative or they are too busy, then ask for their town hall meetings. Get a group together and hand out flyers with the message that this public official is too busy to care,and a DE flyer. They will get back to you. But the paper trail is important, as you show the press the article and need be, we can hook up the public official with our journalist. It took that to be taken serious with the one Congressman. I cannot think of ones life counting for any higher cause than to save lives and right an injustice.<
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>Ask anyone who was at our rallies, it takes baby steps before you can run. We can get you help if you let us know where you are at. I think Plugger gets the prize. I remember in Denver, it was pretty scary, but my strength came from others helping and standing together.Now that I realize that it is not about being liked, as you will always have someone doubt your path. But it is about making a difference and living life with a passion.<
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>I will be going to Texas and will alert others when the time is right. I actually will be with the big league players and will be with National Action Network. When we went up to Coos Bay Oregon with them, it amazed me to see how they can evoke change and pressure with the power of words and belief. I actually will be boarding a bus and learning how to be effective with rallies, and maybe I might be given a sign...We all are in the trenches together and change comes with courage of convictions. Not about being liked or even popular. Its living life with a passion and making it better for someone else..!<
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>We have help, we have the churches, radio stations and more help from organizations. We help them and they return it. Friendships are formed and loyalty that I personally never thought would be possible. But as I am learning 5 years down the road, change comes from carefully documenting and a power that is much higher than any of us.<
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>But download those flyers and get the politicians in a paper trail and then hit them at public meetings with flyers. It works beautiful and it is do able. Contact us if you need a buddy in your area to
ainstorm with. But document with a letter or fax. I also have sent a letter to the Republican Party and the Democratic Party National Office on what our intentions are with the flyers. I dont care what party you are, both parties have ignored the help. But when our article comes out,,,,we have documents in pretty boxes with pretty bows, of the elected and appointed officials sanctioning this behavior and let this group of citizens down.<
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>Arlene<
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make every day count
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 1
Posted:
Thu May 15, 2003 6:47 am Post subject: Today I am following up on my faxes and mailings to the
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following.<
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>I called 2 hours ago and am waiting for a call from Sen Wydens office......they were going to call right away. So personally, will have no problem doing his town halls. I called again and found out that we can find out the schedules at the following. I am using Wydens, but you can use your Senators name.<
>www.wyden.senate.gov<
>This will give you the schedules. I dont think they will be calling back.But I always believe in giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. Then its fair game with the flyers. Have groups set up in all areas of Oregon and Washington.<
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>Senator Gordon Smith, lost the letter and the fax and would like to have it again. <
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>Senator Patty Murray refaxed a letter to her also. It just amazes me.<
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>Congressman Brian Baird called me last Friday and had a staffer call the journalist. This makes it all the more believable when you have someone of this stature to speak out on what he has uncovered.....! <
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>I am taking the rest of the day off!<
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