Citizen Action of the Hudson Valley

Perhaps the MHPA might consider organizing an event in concert with the organization Citizen Action of the Hudson Valley?

Here is a statement from them.

Citizen Action of the Hudson Valley has been working towards expanding its reach into Dutchess County. At this time, CAHV has some members from Beacon, in Dutchess County, but most of its active membership is from Ulster County, the west side of the river. The CAHV steering committee decided to focus its Dutchess recruitment efforts on the City of Poughkeepsie. An important factor in this decision was the steering committee’s desire to recruit more people of color to its leadership and general membership. Working towards racial justice is central to Citizen Action’s mission. The local chapter also wants to ensure its steering committee reflects the diversity of the Valley.

CAHV is interested in involving more people from Poughkeepsie in the health care campaign and other important campaigns. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact me at (516) 749-1995. We need your energy, activism, and leadership. Don’t wait another day to advocate for yourself, your family, and your community – become an active member of Citizen Action today!

-Stephanie Ruggiero, CAHV Steering Committee Member

Citizen Action of NY offers the following description of itself and its goals.

Citizen Action of New York is a grassroots membership organization taking on big issues that are at the center of transforming American society – issues like:

* quality education and after-school programs for all our kids
* guaranteed quality, affordable health care
* public financing of election campaigns
* dismantling racism and promoting racial justice
* a more progressive tax system
* an end to the War in Iraq

FactCheck.org: Pataki health care ads make false claims

The Website Factcheck.Org has examined former Governor George Pataki's campaign against John Hall and the federal health care reform bill and finds them to be a lie. To quote,

* The ads claim the law will create "longer waits in doctors offices" and that "your right to keep your own doctor may be taken away." The group points to an opinion piece written by a health care expert who told FactCheck it is "bogus" to cite his article as support.
* The ad calls the health care law "government-run health care." While the law expands government regulation of health care, it maintains the nation's largely private health insurance system and creates more business for private insurers, says FactCheck.
* Viewers are told "costs will go up," while FactCheck says premiums would stay the same or decrease slightly for most Americans, while rising for people who buy their own insurance, and whose plans will be required to become more expansive.