"I want to cover everybody. Now, the truth is that, unless you have a
single-payer system - in which everybody is automatically covered,
then you're probably not going to reach every single individual." -
President Barack Obama, July 22, 2009
http://my.firedoglake.com/nationalnursesmovement/2011/06/22/nurses-take-on-wall-street
Nurses Take On Wall Street
National Nurses United, June 22, 2011
More than a thousand RNs and other activists marched on Wall Street
Wednesday, chanting "Wall Street got bailed out! We got sold out!"
They stood on the steps of Federal Hall across from the New York Stock
Exchange and held signs - "Take it Back! Tax Wall Street" and "Heal
America! Tax Wall Street" - so crowds of curious passersby got the
message.
It's time to make Wall Street high rollers who created our economic
crisis pay its fair share.
Hundreds of nurses from across the country gathered in the heart of
our nation's financial center on June 22, an International Day of
Action, to make that message crystal clear.
"It's time for their shared sacrifice. They haven't had any of that.
They have been making billions and trillions in profit and they are
not giving anything back to our community," said Deborah Burger, RN
and member of the National Nurses United Council of Presidents.
The protest is part of the National Nurses United's Main Street
Contract for the American People's campaign, which aims to reclaim an
economy with good jobs at living wages, healthcare for all, quality
education, good housing, protection from hunger, a safe environment,
and a secure retirement for everyone.
The mainstream media is ignoring the real stories - the stories of
people suffering from budget cuts, homelessness, and lack of healthcare.
Representatives from other community and labor organizations stood
with the nurses Wednesday to show their support.
"We are calling for a more fair and just economy," said Karen Higgins,
RN and member National Nurses United Council of Presidents.
That's why NNU, with the support from dozens of community and labor
organizations, such as the AFL-CIO, United Auto Workers, and Transport
Workers Union Local 100, are calling for a Wall Street tax on
financial transactions.
"It's very American ... Just like working people pay taxes on all of
their purchases. These corporate speculators who buy and sell and buy
and sell our country should pay a minimum tax on that," NNU executive
director RoseAnn DeMoro explained to the crowd. "A very minimum tax
could amount to at least $350 billion every year that can go back to
our communities and go back to jobs and go back to healthcare."
Similar events, called by the European Trade Union Confederation, were
taking place in 35 other countries in support of a similar tax there.
The nurses led the protest in America.
The hour-long rally ended with songs of solidarity. The nurses and
fellow community activists left Wall Street - waving their signs and
yelling "This is what democracy looks like!"
Bystanders joined in the chant as the sea of red scrubs moved down the
street.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Kudos for the nurses of the world. At times I have a close relationship with some of them in my acquaintance with Hospice. The nurses are what make things work there and in the hospitals especially where some MD's don't function well at all. If they want single payer then that's what we all need. Thanks to them all.
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