Invitation to Single-Payer Birddogging—5/22/14
& Zombie March–TODAY
Help stop the blood sucking vampires –aka for profit healthcare companies–that have made the United States healthcare system the laughing stock of the civilized world.
You can make single-payer healthcare the top issue of the current Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign season!
“How?” you might ask — We plan to attend campaign events between now and the primary election in September and the general election in November to ask each candidate – Republican and Democrats – to commit to implementing a single payer system in Massachusetts if they are elected. We call this birddogging. Several candidates already support single-payer.
Why this strategy? Showing up at these events lets the candidates know that people in MA support single-payer. Plus, while they are seeking votes and trying to get elected, they are more likely to make policy commitments than when they are comfortably settled into their State House office. Students used this strategy during the 2008 presidential campaign to secure $50 billion in federal funding for global health and AIDS funding. It’s as simple as showing up, asking your question, and taking a picture with the candidate– as long as we repeat until our goal is reached!
Is there more to it? There is a little more to it — so we are inviting you to get trained and to meet other students and single-payer advocates on Thursday, May 22nd, at Harvard Medical School. We will also provide an introduction to what a single-payer system could do for MA, as well as background on the gubernatorial candidates. If you cannot attend the training, but are interested in future birddogging opportunities, please fill out the form below and we will keep you updated about the campaign.
What: Birddogging training and more on single-payer and the current candidates for Governor
Where: Harvard Medical School, TMEC 109, 260 Longwood Ave
When: 6:30pm on Thursday, May 22nd
Questions? Email Katrina (kciraldo@bu.edu) or Danielle (danielle_back@hms.harvard.edu)
Capitalist healthcare is an oxymoron. It’s not about health and they don’t care.
NO COMPASSION FOR PROFIT.
Zombie March: Today
4:00 PM, South Station
Volunteers Meet: 3:30pm
The Rules:
1. you may come as a zombie, a survivor, or a protestor, or anything else that ties in with the theme.
2. no physical contact with regular people, if they tell you to go away do it, try not to scare children as well.
3. weapon rules, nerf guns or water guns or cap guns only, melee weapons are allowed long as they are either foam or other kind of material which can not injure or you are not swinging it. if people ask you not to shoot them don’t, also DO NOT shoot anyone wearing makeup on places where they have applied said makeup, you can inadvertently undo hours of their hard work in seconds. I don’t care if your airsoft gun isn’t loaded do NOT bring it.
4. always stay on the sidewalk unless crossing, and break character when crossing, we don’t want the group to be split due to people shambling across the street.
5. Don’t get blood on storefronts/windows, or on the ground of South Station, they let us do this and all they ask is to not make a mess.
6. come introduce yourself and say thank you to myself and the volunteers, it takes about 6 months of solid work to make this happen every year and varying financial cost not to mention my sanity. it is a free event so all we ask is your appreciation, come say hi and give some feedback.