Opinion - Listen Up Here Regarding Assemblymember Jim Cooper and Healthcare For Californians

By Keith McCallin | October 28, 2017 |

California Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D - Elk Grove) and his financing argument is utter baloney in light of a rigorous and sound, and completed, financial analysis on the funding possibilities for Senate Bill 562, the proposed single payer healthcare bill that was intentionally stalled by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon last June.

Count the dollars Cooper accepts from the medical industrial complex into his re-election coffers, while he claims an inability to read a financial study that speaks directly to his declared concern.

It must be remembered that We taxpayers have been picking up the cost of Cooper's healthcare his entire professional life. Now Copper has the opportunity to bring health security to all his constituents, yet he submits troll concerns for a healthcare bill that beautifully outlines the principles upon which California can go from dead last to first in the world.

But Cooper and his cast of dutiful minions might be telling the truth regarding the 50 calls in support of SB 562.

Cooper will never co-author the bill - unless and until the citizens of Elk Grove stand and demand, in great numbers, that he support SB 562.

Here is a tid-bit of history that might help encourage the Elk Grove citizenry.

Many Elk Grove citizens are civil servants who enjoy full, guaranteed healthcare at tax payer expense. To their great and proud credit, many of them played a key role in getting the single payer bill in 2006 and 2008 passed in both the California State Senate and the State Assembly and on to the desk of the Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

How so?

Because the woman who ran the 3rd floor cafeteria in the Capitol Building back in those years - Carolyn Negrete, was a fiercely strong advocate for SB 840, the single payer bill, and in no small part because she had a disabled child. Negrete, more than any paid lobbyist ever could have, opened key doors in key moments to move the bill along.

The Capitol staffers loved her and her child and rallied behind her efforts as the bill made its way onto Scharzenegger's desk, and in doing so made American history.

That single payer bill, SB 840, was the first in American history to pass both a state Senate and a state Assembly. And Carolyn made that happen twice.

Sadly and tragically, the bill was vetoed twice.

And even more sad and more tragic, after the bill failed, Carolyn's child died and a viewing was held in the Capitol rotunda. All the civil servants who had spent their work-a-days in the Capitol and in the good company of Carolyn and her child, gathered to pay respects and to comfort Carolyn.

Elk Grove civil servant-citizens need to be - must be reminded that in 2006 and 2008 their support was essential, and that SB 562 needs their support now. They must be called upon to again support this bill because our current healthcare system is financially ruining and literally killing the citizens they serve while threatening the financial viability of the towns and cities, and so the state, for whom they are the ostensible stewards and custodians.

We must remind the the Elk Grove civil servants of their proud history. It's key to mobilizing Elk Grove.

Else Cooper will continue to not be able to care less.




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2 comments

William Bronston, MD said...

Mr. McCallin's indictment of Mr. Cooper betrayal, exposing the Assemblyman's anti-constituent opposition for Universal Guaranteed Health Care SB562 "representing" his district, addresses the profound chasm of accountability that exists when Medical industry lobby money and subordination to the Governor and Speake'rs complicity operate. Arrogance, bluster, disinformation, cowardice, and corruption are the 5 card draw that Mr Cooper plays his otherwise sacred hand to not align with the 99%. Deep shame. "Everybody in, Nobody Out" is the voters game, except for Mr Cooper in the next election! William Bronston, MD Convener, Physicians for a National Health Program, Capital Chapter

Lynn said...

Single payer works and works well...it is very affordable for the consumer and is amply funded. Just ask any European or Canadian. This country has been trying for 100 years to create a single payer health care system, but each time the efforts have been blocked by entrenched big-money interests. And that is just the problem: we created a for-profit system, and now the people profiting from it will fight tooth and nail to keep profiting from our ill health. The insurance companies take our (way overpriced) premium money and deny care in order to make profits; the "deductible" is just a scam so that they can take our premium money and still make us pay for our health care out of our pockets. The care providers have jacked up prices on services that are way above the worldwide norm, and the pharmaceutical companies have done the same. We pay so much more than people in other countries for so much less. How do I know? I lived in France for 15 years and benefited from their excellent single payer system. It works great!!! My taxes were NOT higher, premiums were low, there was never any wait for any appointment or surgery, and the care was excellent.

Don't let the monied interests convince you that a single payer system is unaffordable, because the truth is that it will cost much LESS.

It is time for the people of this state to make their voices heard and ask for something that other civilized countries have. It's time to join the rest of the industrialized world with a more affordable and humane health care system.

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