Study finds 89.6 million Americans were uninsured during 2006-2007

If you have any doubts about the need to reform our failed health care system, there is an alarming new report from Families USA. As expected, those of us who live in the South and the West are most likely to be without any health insurance coverage:

Washington, D.C. – Approximately 89.6 million Americans—more than one out of three people (34.7 percent) under 65 years of age—were uninsured at some point of time during 2006-2007, according to a report released by the health consumer organization Families USA.
The report, based mainly on Census Bureau data, showed that most of these uninsured individuals lacked coverage for lengthy periods of time: nearly two-thirds (63.9 percent) were uninsured for six months or more; and more than half (50.2 percent) were uninsured for nine months or more.

The number of states where more than one-third of non-elderly people went without health insurance for all or part of a two-year period more than doubled—rising from nine states in 1999-2000 to 20 states plus the District of Columbia in 2006-2007. Texas had the highest rate with 45.7 percent of the non-elderly population uninsured. The other states are: New Mexico (44.3%); Arizona (41.8%); California (40.5%); Florida (40.1%); Mississippi (38.7%); Nevada (38.4%); Louisiana (38.1%); Oklahoma (37.7%); Georgia (37.6%); South Carolina (37.4%); Arkansas (37.2%); Utah (35.2%); Alabama (35.1%); the District of Columbia (35.1%); West Virginia (35.1%); Alaska (34.8%); North Carolina (34.6%); Oregon (34.6%); Colorado (34.2%); and Montana (33.9%).

“The huge number of people without health coverage over the past two years helps to explain why health care has become the top domestic issue in the 2008 presidential campaign,” said Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA. “The expansion of health coverage in America is no longer simply a matter of altruism about other people but a matter of intense self-interest.”

The report shows that four out of five of the uninsured (79.3%) were in working families: 70.6 percent were employed full-time, and 8.7 percent were employed part-time. In addition, nearly every age group was affected. Of the total 89.6 million uninsured, 64.2 million were between 18 and 64 years of age. More than one-third (34.9%) were ages 25 to 44—the age group that makes up the largest percentage of the uninsured.

The report also documents the large increase in the number of people who have experienced a loss or lack of health coverage. In the two-year period of 1999-2000, 72.5 million people went without health coverage—more than 17 million fewer than the people experiencing a lack of coverage in 2006-2007.

“These trends document the consequences of inaction,” said Pollack. “The number of uninsured has reached crisis proportions that must be addressed by the President and Congress to ensure that health coverage is available and affordable for all.”

According to the Families USA report, the states with the largest number of uninsured people for some or all of 2006-2007 were California (13.0 million), Texas (9.3 million), Florida (6.0 million), New York (5.5 million), Illinois (3.6 million), Georgia (3.1 million), Ohio (2.9 million), Pennsylvania (2.9 million), North Carolina (2.6 million), Michigan (2.5 million), and New Jersey (2.4 million).

Although nearly half of the uninsured were non-Hispanic whites, the report found that there were huge disparities in the uninsured rate based on race and ethnicity. Among people under 65 years of age, approximately 26.0 percent of non-Hispanic whites were uninsured in the past two years, compared to 44.5 percent for non-Hispanic blacks and 60.7 percent for Hispanics.

"This report shows just how many working families are struggling with the skyrocketing costs of health care," said Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI). "It is simply unacceptable that in the greatest country in the world, a third of Americans have had to go without health insurance at some point over the last two years. Health care should be a right, not a privilege in our country, and I will continue my fight to make that a reality."

"Given what we know about the growing number of uninsured Americans, and the findings from the new Families USA report, we have a historic opportunity to address the health care concerns of our nation's children by passing a final CHIP reauthorization bill before the end of the month," Rep. Frank Pallone said. "I am confident Congress will do that, and am hopeful that President Bush will reconsider his veto threat so that we can help millions of additional children. This is how we begin to address the issue of the uninsured here in America."

The Families USA report was based on data from the Census Bureau’s annual Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The data were compiled with the assistance of the Lewin Group. For this analysis, Families USA examined trends in health insurance coverage from 1999-2000 to 2006-2007.

For the full report, click here.

Who Am I? - John Eaves for MS Governor TV Spot

John Eaves is the Democratic nominee for Governor of Mississippi with a strong economic populist-social traditionalist message. Eaves has the big-business oriented Republican incumbent Governor Haley Barbour running for his political life. This race needs to be a top priority for Democrats. www.eaves2007.com

"Golden Rule Politics" Clip Featuring Lincoln Davis

Congressman Lincoln Davis (D-TN) speaks about faith and politics.

DVD Challenges myth that GOP stands for "God's Only Party"

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--The Over the Mountain Democrats and its ministers' caucus is sponsoring a Birmingham screening of a new DVD challenging a prevailing myth that GOP stands for "God's Only Party."

"Golden Rule Politics: Reclaiming the Rightful Role of Faith in Politics" is produced by the Baptist Center for Ethics, a non-profit organization that challenges people of faith to advance the common good.

The screening and discussion is scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Monday, Oct. 8, at Dwight Beeson Hall on the campus of Samford University.

Following the 36-minute video is a panel discussion with three prominent Alabamians who are featured in the film: Congressman Artur Davis, D-Ala.; the Rev. James Evans, newspaper columnist and pastor of Auburn First Baptist Church; and Susan Pace Hamill, professor of law at the University of Alabama and author of "The Least of These: Fair Taxes and the Moral Duty of Christians."

The DVD challenges a political myth constructed over 25 years by the Christian Right that the Republican Party is America's moral party and the party of God's favor.

Rooted in the theological conviction that God is neither a Republican nor a Democrat and that neither party is thoroughly moral or completely immoral, the DVD explores the rightful role of faith in politics through interviews with clergy and politicians in Alabama, Missouri and Tennessee.

It expands the moral agenda from the narrow list of issues prioritized by the Christian Right to the fuller expression of issues found in the Christian tradition, beginning with the biblical priority of doing justice.

"Golden Rule Politics" explores how party politics have attempted to co-opt religion and trample on the separation of church and state. Instead of the familiar faces and shouting heads of partisan politics, it interviews four faithful Democratic politicians in red states who know the religious and political landscape better than many.

Along with Congressman Davis, politicians interviewed include Congressman Lincoln Davis from Tennessee; State Representative Judy Wall Baker from Missouri and State Senator Roy Herron from Tennessee. Featured clergy are from various Christian denominations.

All interviewees agree that God transcends all political parties, is captive to none and expects people of faith to do justice.

"If you understand that this world is inherently sinful, you have to ask the question, What does politics have to do with it?" Davis says in the DVD. "And the way that I get there as a Christian is, I do think there are moral principles that the state can advance that are relevant to everyone and to the way we organize our lives. Justice is one of them."

The Birmingham screening is one of the earliest public viewings of the DVD, which was released Sept. 5. Other announced screenings are next Friday at Belmont University and the following week at Athens State University, sponsored by the Center for Religious Studies and Ethics. A number of social justice organizations, houses of faith and religious and academic institutions are planning future screenings with panel discussions.

"The Baptist Center for Ethics hopes our new DVD will press a wider and more substantive public discourse about what is the rightful role of faith in politics," said Robert Parham, executive director of the agency based in Nashville, Tenn.

Video clips and more information about the DVD can be found here.

http://www.ethicsdaily.com/

http://otmdems.org/

DNC to Florida Democrats: Drop Dead

Once again, our party has shot itself in the foot by snubbing Florida voters. At the insistence of the Democratic National Committee, all of the major Democratic Presidential candidates are refusing to participate in the early Florida and Michigan primaries which party officials fear will overshadow the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina primaries.

The decision of the Democratic National Commitee and our leading Presidential contenders is a slap in the face of voters in a diverse and heavily populated state. Florida Democrats had no control over setting the primary date as both Houses of the State Legislature and the Governor's Mansion are held by the Republican Party. Despite the "special" status given by the DNC to states like Iowa and New Hampshire, it should be noted that Florida has long been one of the earlier primary states. Back in 1972, Florida was the second Presidential primary after New Hampshire and the state has consistently fallen on the early side of primary election calendar since. Florida is a far better test of a candidate's national appeal than the ability to draw voters to Iowa caucuses or win a New Hampshire primary.

To disenfrachise Florida's Democratic voters is not only unfair but also terrible politics. Any chance that Democrats can win Florida in 2008 has been greatly diminished. Today's electorate is not going to tolerate being pushed around by party bosses. And I think Hillary Clinton, Barrack Obama and John Edwards all deserve a "Profiles in Cowardice" award for refusing to stand up to the DNC hierarchy.

Democrats boycott Florida race

By ADAM C. SMITH
Times Political Editor
Published September 2, 2007

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/09/02/State/Democrats_boycott_Flo.shtml
All of the major Democratic candidates for president abruptly agreed Saturday to boycott Florida's primary because it is scheduled on Jan. 29, too early according to national party rules.
Top-tier candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama on Saturday joined a boycott that began Friday among the lesser-known candidates, who probably couldn't have afforded to campaign in the Sunshine State anyway.

Now, Clinton, Obama, John Edwards and the others will not make campaign appearances in Florida, or any other state that breaks Democratic National Committee rules by scheduling a primary before Feb. 5. Michigan is considering such a move.

The candidates will continue to raise money in Florida, and they will attend next week's Univision debate in Miami. But the bottom line is Florida stands to be irrelevant in the presidential primary.

Florida Democrats already were being pressed by the DNC not to count the votes from Jan. 29 and instead award the state's delegates to candidates later, based upon some still-undecided method such as party caucuses around the state.

At a time when leading Republican candidates already are campaigning feverishly to build Florida support, the Democrats' surprise move will do nothing to help them ultimately win Florida's 27 electoral votes in the general election in 2008.

"It is treating the largest swing state in the country in a way that makes it harder for the nominee to win in the fall," said Democratic pollster Dave Beattie of Jacksonville. "And if Democrats are going to write off Florida, that makes it easier for Republicans to compete in other states."

State Sen. Jeremy Ring, a Broward County Democrat who joined the Republican push to move Florida's primary from March to January, promptly yanked his endorsement of Barack Obama for signing the boycott pledge, saying it ensured Florida issues would not be front and center for Democrats.

"What scares me the most is the Republicans are still going to campaign here, and they're going to have a six-month head start on us," Ring said.

The Florida primary meltdown started Friday evening when underdog Democrats Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden signed a "four-state pledge" to campaign only in the small states permitted to hold nominating contests in January: Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

But on Saturday morning, Edwards and Obama signed the pledge. Florida front-runner Clinton did, too, rather than antagonize voters in crucial states like Iowa and New Hampshire.
"We believe Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina play a unique and special role in the nominating process," came the statement from the Clinton campaign at 4 p.m. "And we believe the DNC's rules and its calendar provide the necessary structure to respect and honor that role."

Both parties are struggling to maintain some control over the presidential nominating schedule and process, as more and more states, jealous of the outsized influence of small states like New Hampshire, try to move their primary elections earlier and earlier.

After hearings last year, the DNC set a calendar aimed at preserving the traditional importance of Iowa and New Hampshire, while adding some racial and geographic diversity with Nevada and South Carolina. The Republican National Committee approved a similar schedule that also barred larger states from setting elections before Feb. 5.

Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature, however, set the primary for Jan. 29. The Florida GOP is trying to avoid losing half of its delegates to the national convention, but that fight has been nowhere near as antagonistic as the Democrats' dispute.

On Aug. 25, a DNC panel voted to strip Florida of all its delegates to the convention unless the state party declared the Jan. 29 election nonbinding. Instead, the national party wants Florida Democrats to hold party-run elections later, perhaps a series of congressional district caucuses, to allocate presidential delegates.

No way, said Florida Democratic leaders. They threatened lawsuits, saying the DNC directive would disenfranchise Florida Democratic voters and cost millions of dollars. Then, late last week, Michigan's Legislature voted to move its primary to Jan. 15, and the presidential candidates started signing the pledge to boycott any state violating the Feb. 5 window.

Edwards said in a statement: "Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina need to be first because in these states ideas count, not just money. These are places where voters get to look the candidate in the eye and measure their policies, ideas, and integrity."

The pledge bars the candidates from campaigning for votes in Florida, but not trolling for campaign dollars. Florida has a deep pool of Democratic donors, and the campaigns are not sacrificing there.

It's unclear how the fundraising will work now. Some of the candidates, particularly Obama and Edwards, have made a hallmark of hosting fundraisers that charge as little as $15 per person, making them more like campaign rallies than true fundraisers.

It also is an open question just how receptive donors will be given the boycott. One top Democratic fundraiser, trial lawyer Wayne Hogan of Jacksonville, already was so angry about Florida losing its delegates that he called Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean last week to cancel a DNC fundraiser.

"Any candidate that boycotts Florida and thinks that they will raise money here will be sadly disappointed," said state Senate Democratic leader Steve Geller. "And it is my prediction that any candidate who boycotts Florida and thinks Florida will welcome them later will be sorely disappointed."

Not everyone's complaining. "When I signed onto Barack, I signed on to help him become president of the United States, not president of the Florida primary," said Tampa businessman Frank Sanchez, a top Florida Obama supporter. "We've got to put our best foot forward and that's what we're going to do."

Florida Democratic leaders no longer sounded as defiant Saturday as they had in recent days, declining to say whether they would reconsider a caucus later in February. Sen. Bill Nelson did not respond to a request for comment, nor did state Democratic chairwoman Karen Thurman.
"No matter which cards we're dealt," said state party executive director Leonard Joseph, "Florida Democrats are going to win the state's 27 electoral votes and elect a Democratic president in 2008. The country needs us."

Sen. Ring, the Democrat who sponsored the move to Jan. 29, found a silver lining: "We weren't relevant before this, but if we did anything here we blew up the primary process so it will finally have to be fixed."

http://www.sptimes.com/