April 1st: "We Ain't No Fools Day!"

April 1, 2010: WE-AIN'T-NO-FOOLS DAY

MONTPELIER, VT - Vermonters will not be fooled into accepting policies of treating healthcare as a marketplace commodity. That is a principle that the "Healthcare Is A Human Right" Campaign is demonstrating through a series of actions and events throughout the state on April 1st. Adding the theme of "We Ain't No Fools Day" to the April's Fools Day tradition, hundreds of members of the campaign in communities throughout the state will be handing out leaflets with facts about universal healthcare that also promotes a special video released on the same day. The main event of the day will be held in the Cedar Creek Room at the Statehouse in Montpelier where Vermont youth and college students will hold a press conference giving the perspective of young people on healthcare and the future of Vermont.

"We’ve heard a lot of misinformation and lies from the corporations who profit off our broken system of healthcare as they try to scare us away from real, fundamental reform. But in Vermont, we’re not buying it." said Ainsa Potvin of Stamford, VT. "If everyone had healthcare in Vermont a lot more young people would be able to stay, and find work. We believe there would be a lot more job opportunities because many new companies would want to be based here."

In its over two years of struggle, the Healthcare Is A Human Right Campaign has attracted many student and youth leaders in addition to businesses, organizations, and faith communities. The campaign is coordinated by the Vermont Workers' Center from its main office in Burlington through organizing committees in every county in the state. Students and young people from around the state hope that Vermont will lead the way, and some of these voices can be heard in "We Ain't No Fools: Insurance Companies Lies Won't Work on Us" video, to be released on April 1st at www.nofools.org.

BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of Vermonters believe that states must lead the way to fix the broken healthcare system and that the recent federal health bill doesn't go far enough to get to the roots of the problem. In 2008, the Vermont Workers' Center launched the Healthcare Is A Human Right Campaign to change what is "politically possible" for healthcare reform. On May 1, 2009 over twelve hundred people participated in the Healthcare Is A Human Right rally at the Vermont Statehouse and was reported to be the largest weekday rally in the history at the state capitol. Throughout the Fall and early Winter, eleven forums were held with almost eighty legislators participating and on January 6th over 200 hundred people attended an event to deliver over 4000+ postcards to Sen. Racine, Senate President Peter Shumlin, Speaker Shap Smith and House Committee on Healthcare Chair, Rep. Steve Maier calling for action on healthcare. Over 350 people turned out to the January 12th a joint legislative hearing of the House and Senate healthcare committees calling for Vermont to fix the broken healthcare system. On March 12, the Senate Committee on Health & Welfare unanimously (6-0) passed an amended version of S.88 which would hire expert designers to develop an implementation plan for 2011 for Vermont to transition to a completely universal healthcare system for all. That bill is now in Senate Appropriations and is expected to be taken up this week. A second huge Healthcare Is A Human Right rally is currently being planned for Saturday, May 1st at the Statehouse.

MORE INFO:
- Documentary about the Healthcare Is A Human Right Campaign, "If Vermont Leads, The Rest of the Nation Will Follow". www.workerscenter.org/movie

- Healthcare Is A Human Right Campaign website: including frequently asked questions, analysis of federal and state health bills and much more. www.workerscenter.org/healthcare

- "Sen. Racine unveils health bill; Goal is universal coverage in Vermont" Times Argus/Rutland Herald. http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100310/NEWS02/310...

- "VT. health reform tops January Agenda" VT Press Bureau http://www.timesargus.com/article/RH/20091214/NEWS03/912140360

- "To Your Health" 12/22/09 Seven Days column by Shay Totten http://www.7dvt.com/2009your-health

- Dec 10: Human Rights Day Report with Nurses & Sen. Racine: http://www.workerscenter.org/node/190

- Sen. Racine Announces Hearings on S.88/H.100: http://www.workerscenter.org/node/185

- Rutland Herald Editorial endorses HCHR Campaign: http://www.workerscenter.org/node/138

- Musicians launch benefit CD for HCHR Campaign: http://vermontcareforall.org/

- VPR's All Things Considered with Scott Ainslie, musician and HCHR leader. Link to listen http://www.vpr.net/flash/audio_player/audio_player.php?id=29863

- Dec 5: The Vermont NEA, the State's Largest Union Gets Behind HCHR Campaign http://www.workerscenter.org/node/189

- Healthcare Is A Human Right Campaign: www.workerscenter.org/healthcare

- Summary of bills S.88/H.100: http://www.workerscenter.org/node/168

- Burlington Free Press My Turn "Vermont Must Lead The Way" http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20091202/OPINION02/912020315/...

- Vermont Public Radio Report on HCHR: http://www.workerscenter.org/node/134

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