Earlier this month, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) and allied organizations gathered for actions at dozens of locations around the United States to commemorate International Human Rights Day and to demand "Healthcare Not Warfare." On the 10th anniversary of PDA's Healthcare Not Warfare campaign, we relaunched the campaign to spark a new wave of organizing to guarantee high quality healthcare as a human right—financed by drastically decreasing spending on warfare, weapons, and military actions. Donate $500, $50, or whatever you can right now to support our organizing for healthcare as a human right

Support PDA's Healthcare Not Warfare Campaign

To help prevent another war, PDA is supporting our friend Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's Stop Arming Terrorists Act. This legislation would: "prohibit the U.S. government from using American taxpayer dollars to provide funding, weapons, training, and intelligence support to groups like the Levant Front, Fursan al Ha and other allies of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, al-Qaeda and ISIS, or to countries who are providing direct or indirect support to those same groups."

To promote Healthcare as a Human Right, PDA and our allies—including the California Nurses Association (CNA) / National Nurses United (NNU), Healthcare NOW, Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare, and Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP)—are working to expand and improve Medicare, even as the Republicans are working to end it. They vow to replace this effective, popular, life-saving program with vouchers they euphemistically call "premium support." These cuts and changes will turn Medicare into "Coupon Care," impoverishing people who rely on Medicare, enriching private insurance companies, wasting taxpayers' money, and—most critically—endangering the health and lives of millions of people. It's up to you to tell Congress, "Hands off Medicare!" It's up ALL of to us to defend Medicare.

Michael Lighty, Director of Public Policy at CNA / NNU and PDA Board Member explains, "There's one easy way to guarantee healthcare for all—Protect, Improve and Expand Medicare. If we're going to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), let's do it the most popular way—64% of Americans want Medicare for All."

Medicare for All advocates will gather for a strategy conference January 13-15 in New York City. Please make plans to join us! If you can't attend the conference, please donate generously now to help PDA bring activists to NYC to defend Medicare against right wing attacks, and organize to expand it to all. Money tight? Then sign up for PDA's Healthcare Human Rights organizing team. Click here and make sure the box for Healthcare Human Rights is checked.

PDA Executive Director Donna Smith says, "A decade ago, PDA launched the Healthcare Not Warfare (HNW) campaign, calling for an end to war and redirection of funds to meet human needs—including an expanded and improved Medicare For All healthcare system. This to guarantee high quality healthcare for all as as a human right."

Michael Fox, PDA Deputy Director explains, "PDA demands that our leaders adopt peace and diplomacy as our primary policies, rather than regime change and military interventionism. We call on the incoming Trump Administration and the new Congress to fulfill our commitment under international agreements to guarantee healthcare as a human right, and to end all foreign wars as well as the domestic war currently being waged against the Indigenous Peoples at Standing Rock, and against all domestic populations."

PDA ally Nancy Altman writes, "Donald Trump did not campaign on a promise to destroy Medicare. In fact, he promised not to touch Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. But now that the Republicans are in charge of the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, destroying Medicare appears to be on the top of their agenda." Nancy is the co-director of Social Security Works and co-chair of the Strengthen Social Security coalition and campaign. 

Join PDA and allies at the Medicare for All strategy conference January 13-15 in New York City. Can't get to NYC? Then please donate generously now to help PDA bring activists to the conference, and keep us organizing for Medicare for All. Money tight? Then sign up for PDA's Healthcare Human Rights organizing team. Click here and make sure the box for Healthcare Human Rights is checked.

We can't do anything without you. Please support PDA now! Support our efforts with a generous donation now. Money short? Then contact Mike "Phone Guy" Fox to sign up to make important movement mobilizing phone calls and/or contact PDA Field Coordinator Judy Hess to get help organizing in your area.

In solidarity,

Mike Hersh for Donna, Judy, Mike F, Deb, Dan, Teva, Kim, Janis, and Amos
Your Progressive Democrats of America National Team

P.S. We're here to help you make progress in your state and locality! If you need any help organizing a new PDA chapter or energizing your existing chapter, please contact PDA Field Coordinator Judy Hess.

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