Friday, June 29, 2012

Protest Rally to welcome the Trans Pacific Partnership to San Diego

 

Hilton San Diego Bayfront
One Park Blvd.
San Diego, California 92101
Monday, July 2nd
Noon 



The Trans Pacific Trade Agreement is a massive trade agreement that will offshore American jobs, attack environmental protections and consumer safety policies, and deregulate Wall Street banks, hedge funds, and insurance companies. Representatives from corporations and other countries will be negotiating the TPP in San Diego.

Join Labor and Community groups for a kick-off press conference and protest rally Monday, July 2nd in the park adjacent to the Hilton Bayfront Hotel.

In the last decade, more than 50,000 manufacturing facilites have closed, 6 million manufacturing jobs have been lost and the U.S. trade deficit has grown. And we've seen outsourcing spread to other sectors, like call centers and financial services.

If we want to rebuild our economy, we need to stop sending good American jobs offshore.


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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Statement from Scott Peters on SCOTUS Decision: Americans Will Benefit

 

San Diego, CA - Earlier today, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision upholding the majority of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  In response to the Court's decision, Scott Peters, candidate for Congress in California's 52nd District, released the following statement:

"I know we all watched with anticipation as the Supreme Court issued its decision earlier today.  In affirming the President's health care insurance reform initiative, the Court reminded us that the powerful health services industry does not control the administration of health care.  That control rests firmly in the hands of doctors and patients.  The President's health care reform initiative is not perfect, but it's a good start.  We still have a lot of work to do to ensure that care is affordable for all consumers and small businesses.  But under the Affordable Care Act, and over time, Americans will benefit from critical patient protections, increased access to the care they need, lower costs, and greater accountability for the insurance and pharmaceutical industries.

"Now, it's time for Congress to stop focusing on politics, put partisanship aside, and work together to increase every American's access to quality and affordable health care.  If there are improvements we can make, let's make them.  If there are fixes we need, let's fix them.  Unfortunately, Brian Bilbray and the extremists in Washington have already indicated that they will spend the remainder of the current Congress' time focusing on repeal of the new law, without offering any real alternative, rather than looking for ways they can improve health care and revive our still struggling economy.

"Over the course of his 12 years in Congress, Brian Bilbray has accepted over $1,000,000 in campaign contributions from powerful interests in the health services industry, including pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies. Time and again, he has protected them, even as they block coverage for people who are sick and deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions like asthma, heart disease, or cancer.  That's not what our government ought to be about.

"The fact is, this legislation increases access to quality care, lowers the cost of prescription drugs, extends the solvency of Medicare, and puts the administration of health care in the hands of doctors and patients.  Contrast that with the priorities of my opponent.  Brian Bilbray has publically stated his support for privatizing Social Security, and just this past spring, Bilbray voted for the Ryan Budget, which would have effectively ended Medicare as we know it.

"Brian Bilbray's priorities are clear: he is on the side of drug companies and insurance companies and not the American middle class.  We need common sense leadership in Congress to work with doctors and patients to make quality health care affordable and available to all."

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Statement of California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton on U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Affordable Care Act

 

The highest court in the land has upheld the historic Affordable Care Act passed by a Democratic Congress and signed into law by President Obama. Millions of Americans are already experiencing the benefits of the law and more stand to benefit still in the near future.

Meanwhile, Mitt Romney and Congressional Republicans continue to talk of repealing the law instead of focusing on strengthening our economic recovery and making sure Americans have good jobs here at home. The reaction from the Republican House leadership and their calls for a full repeal are another reminder that Democrats’ work is far from done and reforms won’t be fully protected until we win back the House and return the Speaker’s gavel to Nancy Pelosi.

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Official Statement by the San Diego Labor Council on the Supreme Court’s Affordable Care Act Ruling


SAN DIEGO - San Diego Labor Council Secretary-Treasurer/CEO Lorena Gonzalez made the following statement in response to today’s Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act:

“We can all join in applauding the Supreme Court for standing up for the Constitution and the well-being of millions of Americans whose access to health care was threatened. In the face of intense pressure from corporate special interests, we can now move forward with ensuring that every American has access to affordable health care, strengthening our families, our businesses, and our communities.

“This is a critical opportunity to provide local families more purchasing power and affirm that lack of access to health care will no longer be a barrier to success. It's now up to our state legislature to make sure that these programs are implemented in the best way possible.”

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San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council 

The San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO represents more than 192,000 union workers in the region and advocates for an economy with more jobs, better jobs and better lives for all workers in the region - union and non-union. 

www.unionyes.org