Nurses Rally for Health Care Funding

Nurses Activism

Published

june 7, 2011, 6:19 pm

by sean collins walsh

hundreds of members of the nation’s largest nurses’ union demonstrated outside the u.s. chamber of commerce and on capitol hill on tuesday.

the union, national nurses united, held the event to promote its “main street contract for the american people,” which aims, in part, to increase tax revenue from corporations to prevent cuts in entitlement programs like medicare and medicaid.

the protesters started in lafayette square and marched to the chamber’s headquarters. two demonstrators in tuxedoes — one labeled “goldman” and the other “sachs” — collected “invoices” of demands like “pension contribution increases” and “mortgage payments” from nurses on the steps of the building….

…many nurses at the rally said they were concerned that staffing reductions in hospitals and doctors’ offices due to budget cuts could be dangerous to patients.

“people are suffering, because there are not enough nurses at the bedside,” said pamela young, 54, who traveled from oviedo, fla., for the event….

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/nurses-rally-for-health-care-funding/

video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flp-qrgf5fy&nr=1

nurses dancing and singing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nubmcn_tj-w&feature=related

dance4life

295 Posts

Specializes in They know this too!.

Thank you for posting this.

jmqphd

212 Posts

I hate it when nurses are shills for a political agenda.

Let's tax those EEEeee-villll corporations and give their ill-gotten gains to old, sick people!

Oh, and it's just a co-incidence that our union gives boat-loads of $$$ to Democrats. Just a co-incidence. Really. And, and, uh... the radically pro-union National Labor Relations Board? It's preposterous for you to suggest we'd profit in any way from that. NO, no!!! We're not partisans. We are good and virtuous and only want poor sick people to have your money. And your children's money. And their children's etc. forever. The national economy? Why it can't collapse! Don't worry about that... just put your fingers in your ears and yell 'la-la-la-la' while you wave this sign for the camera! And help us help those poor sick people.

Oh, PULeeze. I'd laugh if it weren't so pathetic.

RLeeRN

62 Posts

With all that the nation faces as a threat on many fronts, what does the largest nurses union bring to the table to fix the healthcare concerns? "Tax Wall Street"! Wow....that's deep....:/ The lady mentioned the American way, well I am pretty certain that isn't taking money from those who earned it and force them to give it away. Hey...how about the nurses unions empty out there annual coffers and put it toward helping pay for more nurses to get through school. Or even better, to donate their own money to pay for healthcare for those who need it. Or better yet, every individual give as they are moved to do so.......

dance4life

295 Posts

Specializes in They know this too!.

Wow, but the article is mostly talking about the Medicaid/Medicaid cuts. It would affect everyone as a whole regardless what the Union thinks of it or not. The article only mentions the Union briefly. The hospitals rely on these funds? :uhoh3: This affects everything in healthcare. :devil: Most of the time the Union is the only one the rallies these issues. Correct me if I am wrong, because I need some links for non-Union please...

Me personally, I have worked in both types of hospitals SOSDD really. I live in a Union state they would never hire me. :cool:

So you guys are saying you want these cuts? Or, are you just mad at the Youtube videos? :lol2:

I have a bank executive friend that can't even get a job so she would be totally not getting money from him, they are getting laid off too. She has to pick someone other than Wall Street. No seriously, she does.

allnurses Guide

herring_RN, ASN, BSN

3,651 Posts

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

[color=#333333]local nurses rally in washington

group promotes focus on healthcare funding

[color=#333333]cathy landas got involved in the political process as she ventured to the center of it all.

[color=#333333]the marshalltown iowa resident and nurse at marshalltown medical & surgical center, has spent the last three days in washington, d.c. she joined nearly 100 nurses from iowa and minnesota as part of the trip to promote what is known as the "main street contract for the american people."...

[color=#333333]...landas and fellow mmsc emergency room nurse alisha neuroth met with sen. chuck grassley, r-iowa, and met with staff members of sen. tom harkin, d-iowa, and rep. tom latham, r-iowa.

[color=#333333]"i have a better understanding of the issues throughout the country," landas said. "it definitely is going to make me pay more attention politically."

[color=#333333]she said in talking with other nurses it made her appreciate the work environment she has in marshalltown.

[color=#333333]"we enjoy a very good relationship with our administration," landas said.

[color=#333333]mmsc nurses voted to become part of the minnesota nurses association last november after the iowa nurses association decided not to continue its representation of the hospital's nurses.

[color=#333333]http://www.timesrepublican.com/page/content.detail/id/540424/local-nurses-rally-in-washington.html?nav=5005

iowarn.jpg

jmqphd

212 Posts

http://pajamasmedia.com/zombie/2011/06/08/how-a-teachers-rally-made-me-anti-education/

I find it really interesting that a nurses union is holding a rally where they chant and agitate for Eeeeevil Corporations to be taxed to support the welfare state... and teacher's unions are holding rallies where they chant and agitate for Corporations (and "the rich") to be taxed to support the welfare state... and...

We're supposed to believe both groups are non-partisan.

And these nurses just want rich people to cough up their money to care for the poor and the sick (as long as they get their salary demands and the nurse:patient ratios they like, and their 30 minutes for lunch and 15 minutes for break and double pay for over-time etc. etc. No reason for them to sacrifice for the poor and the sick.) Because they are pure and virtuous and corporations are cruel and nasty and self-serving.

dance4life

295 Posts

Specializes in They know this too!.

Not sure what Medicaid/Medicare has to do with a welfare state. Not everyone who uses that insurance is on welfare. Why do people assume this? Furthermore, people who are low income work hard too or maybe cannot find a job. When you get sick how do you work? Okay... Does anyone know about the economy? Funny, in this video below their is a nurse at the end looking for help with her home who got laid off, she is now part of the welfare state.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/43259845#43259845

Keep on rallying about short staff it will get more jobs. I would like one.

Here is a video on rich people who want to be taxed. I have friends that are part of wealthy families you can't believe the benefits they get through the government. I don't think you see the picture here.

I personally don't know these nurses, but to me they are doing something. By the way, what nurse gets a break? :smokin:

jmqphd

212 Posts

Look... I am going to be on Medicare in a few years. Because that's what I want? No... that's how it is. While nurses are lobbying for increased Medicaid funding (what was Obama Care about???? Millions of Americans are to be qualified for Medicaid under that program) this administration has gutted 100's of billions out of Medicare. Why were these nurses not demonstrating against that? Because that is a deliberate part of ObamaCare for which their unions went to the mat.

My point is that these demonstrations are NOT about health care. They are about partisan politics and the narrative that opposition to the ruling party is equivalent of killing old people. (Did you not see the DNC advertisement of a politician literally throwing the elderly lady out of her wheel chair and off a cliff?)

Like you, I don't know these people. They may be sincere and naive and very nice people who trust what their authority figures tell them. I don't know what they are thinking. But they are shills. Whether they know it or not, they are being used.

That's a fact. But here is my opinion. I think that this really diminishes the profession. It shows that we do not think for ourselves and prefer to be part of a herd (or flock as the case may be.)

I've been in political demonstrations. But not as a nurse. As a citizen, a tax payer, and a voter. I don't use my profession to persuade society at large.

dance4life

295 Posts

Specializes in They know this too!.

Thank you... makes much more sense. :yeah:

I've been in political demonstrations. But not as a nurse. As a citizen, a tax payer, and a voter. I don't use my profession to persuade society at large.
allnurses Guide

herring_RN, ASN, BSN

3,651 Posts

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

This is about taxing the Wall Street corporations that were bailed out by our tax money. They then gave their executives bonuses and foreclosed on homes.

To me they got money (welfare) because they were "too big to fail".

I think they should pay taxes so you and others will have the Medicare insurance you paid for.

WE, tens of thousands of California nurses TOGETHER worked for 12 years to achieve a safe staffing by acuity with the ratio as the most patients that may be assigned.

Now WE work to enforce the law.

One cannot do it alone. And nurses experience what is going on in health care. I am proud to have educated the staff of my local elected officials about safe staffing, urinary catheters, and many other topics.

dance4life

295 Posts

Specializes in They know this too!.
This is about taxing the Wall Street corporations that were bailed out by our tax money. They then gave their executives bonuses and foreclosed on homes.

To me they got money (welfare) because they were "too big to fail".

I think they should pay taxes so you and others will have the Medicare insurance you paid for.

I totally see this point. They did get a bail out. A huge one.

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