Important events coming up in Columbia and the ongoing campaign for health care

Written by: William Monroe on Oct 18, 2009 1:42 PM EDT

Our own 25th District Rep Mary Still and KC Rep John Burnett invite all to a "field hearing" on payday loan reform to be held at the Columbia Public Library Friends Room at 6:30 PM on November 16th. The average payday lender in Missouri charges 430.68% interest. For this and other reasons, reforms are needed to protect the poor and vulnerable in Missouri. The Republican Speaker of the House Ron Richard, has assigned a hearing for Mary Still's reform bill for the last day of the session in an attempt to kill it. This Columbia library hearing will kick off a campaign to have Mary's bill given a fair hearing and shot at passage. Come out and offer your opinion and stories on the Payday loan industry and hear how you can get involved...everyone welcome.

And on November 14th...

Our local returned Peace Corps Volunteer group is having a free international film festival on November 14th. Details here:

http://groups.google.com/group/central-mo-rpcvs/web/third-goal-film-festival-2

And health care reform?

Nationally, Democracy for America has taken a lead role with Howard Dean at its head, to push for the public option as the key to true heath care reform. DFA is holding online reform workshops on October 20th on how to get local and State Democratic committees to sign on to a resolution promoting the public option. Details here:

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/resolutionworkshop

Lets all work to bring us  the true health reform including a strong public health option. This issue is very personal to me, as a nurse working in community health. I have seen the folks slipping thru the cracks in Missouri, unable to get the care they need. Every day 122 Americans die due to lack of sufficient health insurance. Thousands face bankruptcy and ruined lives due to health care costs.

Lets pull together for health care reform.

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