Regions
One Person, One Vote
The principle of ‘one person, one vote,’ is a sacred component of our democracy in the United States. But, here in New York, when it comes to counting people in prison, representation is anything but equal.
Last Thursday (January 28th), we kicked-off a new campaign to end prison-based gerrymandering, the undemocratic system for using people in [...]
An Engine for Economic Development
The Southern Tier, like most of New York State, is now facing the drastically negative effects of the world-wide economic crisis. Loss of jobs and rising costs are continuing to burden the residents of this region, hurting families and hurting the community. But, there’s hope. President Obama has recently called for rail updates in the United [...]
We continue to fight, Murphy Continues to Support HCAN’s Principles
by Chris Scoville, Capital District Organizer
Yesterday, we took to the streets in Saratoga Springs. We walked up and down Broadway asking folks to call into Congressman Murphy’s office and sign our StandUpScott.org petition. As we were canvassing, we ran into the Congressman – the man we have been directing so much of our energy towards and the reason why we were in Saratoga. He stopped to speak with us and even agreed to wear a Health Care for America Now sticker!
Stand up for Workers at E-Z Pass Call Center
Guest post by Kate Doehring, Campaign Coordinator, Communications Workers of America
In a Staten Island call center, 292 workers approached the union, Communications Workers of America (CWA), because they were overworked and underpaid. At this call center, workers handle all of the customer support for E-Z Pass users in New York State. (If you call the 1-800 number, you will speak to someone at the Staten Island call center.) They had no real affordable health care option and no 401(k) pension plan. They were worried their pay structure would change from a consistent hourly rate to a per call piece-work scheme.
Visit StandUpScott.org
Visit our new website, StandUpScott.org, to sign a petition urging Congressman Scott Murphy to make good on his commitment to his constituents and those who helped elect him by voting for the final health care reform bill.
Add your voice to the petition:
Faces of Change: Osman Muse
Osman moved to the US from Somalia with his parents when he was in the 6th grade. He remembers that when he got here, he felt like he was “trapped in outer space” because he had no way to communicate with people.
Osman couldn’t speak English, and his parents couldn’t speak English either.
On the heels of winning a new education funding formula in New York, which provided high-needs school districts with fair funding, in May 2007, Citizen Action volunteers collected surveys from over 270 parents in Buffalo. The surveys asked parents about how the new money coming into the school district should be spent. Read More…
The Grinch that (Almost) Stole Health Care Reform
by Bob Cohen, Policy Director
In the classic Christmas tale by Dr. Suess, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” the Grinch descends on the town of Whoville and steals all the town’s Christmas decorations and gifts. In Binghamton, on December 16th, several hearty health care supporters gathered to ask a few remaining Senators, including Connecticut’s Joe Lieberman, not to be the Grinch that stole health care reform by filibustering the bill and stopping it from passing.
Faces of Change: Gloria Marshall
For about 15 years, residents of the Northside of Binghamton, NY haven’t been able to buy fresh fruit, vegetables or meat without taking a bus or cab to grocery stores in other areas. But, because of the work of one Northside resident and a group of passionate and unrelenting neighbors, on November 24, 2009, the City of Binghamton broke ground for the new $1.8 million Save-A-Lot grocery store.
This is the story of Gloria Marshall, a 33-year resident of Binghamton’s Northside neighborhood. She really enjoys her neighbors and living in her community.
What We’re Up Against
by Diana Cihak, Western New York Organizer
I just got back from a meeting with Senator Gillibrand’s staff and they told me a sick, sad story. One of the staffers was returning to the office the other day when she was very physically confronted by two women at her office door. They immediately started yelling at her with irrational comments about health care reform including how this was not only going to “destory their lives, but the lives of their children.”
All Politics is Local
by Diana Cihak, Western New York Organizer
We are getting closer to winning real health care reform than we have ever been before. It’s not perfect, true – but we are going to win something. It’s a major battle that we are about to win, with a bit more work!
