The DBLC, an idea for 2012?
Here is a 2011 idea (modeled on something that they have in Vermont) that I never got around to following through on. (Life intrudes sometimes.)
DELAWARE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (DBLC)
The Need:
There is a widespread awareness in the Delaware business community that a well-run state government and successful communities are “good for business.” Unfortunately, the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, which claims to speak on behalf of Delaware businesses, follows an extreme, right-wing agenda that is primarily concerned with lowering Delaware taxes paid by large multi-national corporations.
The State Chamber routinely supports damaging tax cuts for the wealthiest companies, which has the downstream effects of undermining successful social programs such as Medicare, and, in addition, advocates cutting funding for teachers and first responders.
These short-sighted financial policies are certainly not policies that benefit the broader Delaware’s business community or the middle-class Delawareans that depend on Delaware’s small businesses. There is a strong desire in the business community to ensure that Delaware’s legislature does not view all questions related to our business environment through the narrow, intensely ideological lens of Delaware State Chamber of Commerce.
The DBLC Concept:Delaware Business Leadership Council (DBLC) members believe that laws which recognize equality, support fairness, and promote our state’s infrastructure and quality of life lead to a strong business environment.
Therefore, our mission is to foster a business environment in Delaware that advances a business ethic that values multiple bottom lines—economic, social, and environmental.
We pursue our mission through:-Public Influence: Initiating tangible change in public policy that combats exploitation and promotes sustainability. We work to capture the inherent power of business to represent socially responsible ideals to legislative bodies, news media, and the general public.
-Education: We provide concrete resources and information to help improve our members’ business practices.
Membership
DBLC members represent innovative businesses and organizations who share the common goal of conducting business with high standards for employees, their communities, and the environment.
We ask everyone considering membership to take a moment before joining to reflect on our mission and our multiple bottom-line approach, and consider how your own business ethics and goals will provide a positive addition to DBLC’s membership.
Rates
$30 – Student – For Full- and Part-Time Students of Accredited Institutions
$100 – Friend – Individual membership and start-up businesses (start-up businesses will be eligible for the $100 rate for the first 2 years)
$190 – Basic Member – Small companies or organizations
$500 – Basic Member – Medium to large sized companies or organizations
$1,000 – Gold Member – Established and successful companies or organizations
$5,000 – Champion – Our sustaining members!
REALITY!!
( http://my.firedoglake.com/iflizwerequeen/2011/05/16/how-about-a-little-truth-about-what-the-majority-want-for-health-care/ )
( Gov. Peter Shumlin: Real Healthcare reform — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yFUbkVCsZ4 )
( Health Care Budget Deficit Calculator — http://www.cepr.net/calculators/hc/hc-calculator.html )
( Briefing: Dean Baker on Boosting the Economy by Saving Healthcare http://t.co/fmVz8nM )
START NOW!
As you all know. Had congress passed a single-payer or government-run robust Public Option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one, our economy and jobs would have taken off like a rocket. And still will. Single-payer would be best. But a government-run robust Public Option CHOICE! that can lead to a single-payer system is the least you can accept. It’s not about competing with for-profit healthcare and for-profit health insurance. It’s about replacing it with Universal Healthcare Assurance. Everyone knows this now.
The message from the midterm elections was clear. The American people want real healthcare reform. They want that individual mandate requiring them to buy private health insurance abolished. And they want a government-run robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one. And they want it now.
They want Drug re-importation, and abolishment, or strong restrictions on patents for biologic and prescription drugs. And government controlled and negotiated drug and medical cost. They want back control of their healthcare system from the Medical Industrial Complex. And they want it NOW!
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL NOT, AND MUST NOT, ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TO STAND WITHOUT A STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.
For-profit health insurance is extremely unethical, and morally repugnant. It’s as morally repugnant as slavery was. And few if any decent Americans are going to allow them-self to be compelled to support such an unethical and immoral crime against humanity.
This is a matter of National and Global security. There can be NO MORE EXCUSES.
Further, we want that corrupt, undemocratic filibuster abolished. Whats the point of an election if one corrupt member of congress can block the will of the people, and any legislation the majority wants. And do it in secret. Give me a break people.
Also, unemployment healthcare benefits are critically needed. But they should be provided through the Medicare program at cost, less the 65% government premium subsidy provided now to private for profit health insurance.
Congress should stop wasting hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money on private for profit health insurance subsidies. Subsidies that cost the taxpayer 10x as much or more than Medicare does. Private for profit health insurance plans cost more. But provide dangerous and poorer quality patient care.
Republicans: GET RID OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE.
Democrats: ADD A ROBUST GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION TO HEALTHCARE REFORM.
This is what the American people are shouting at you. Both parties have just enough power now to do what the American people want. GET! IT! DONE! NOW!
If congress does not abolish the individual mandate. And establish a government-run public option CHOICE! before the end of 2011. EVERY! member of congress up for reelection in 2012 will face strong progressive pro public option, and anti-individual mandate replacement candidates.
Strong progressive pro “PUBLIC OPTION” CHOICE! and anti-individual mandate volunteer candidates should begin now. And start the process of replacing any and all members of congress that obstruct, or fail to add a government-run robust PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! before the end of 2011.
We need two or three very strong progressive volunteer candidates for every member of congress that will be up for reelection in 2012. You should be fully prepared to politically EVISCERATE EVERY INCUMBENT that fails or obstructs “THE PUBLIC OPTION”. And you should be willing to step aside and support the strongest pro “PUBLIC OPTION” candidate if the need arises.
ASSUME CONGRESS WILL FAIL and SELLOUT again. So start preparing now to CUT THEIR POLITICAL THROATS. You can always step aside if they succeed. But only if they succeed. We didn’t have much time to prepare before these past midterm elections. So the American people had to use a political shotgun approach. But by 2012 you will have a scalpel.
Congress could have passed a robust government-run public option during it’s lame duck session. They knew what the American people wanted. They already had several bills on record. And the house had already passed a public option. Departing members could have left with a truly great accomplishment. And the rest of you could have solidified your job before the 2012 elections.
President Obama, you promised the American people a strong public option available to everyone. And the American people overwhelmingly supported you for it. Maybe it just wasn’t possible before. But it is now.
Knock heads. Threaten people. Or do whatever you have to. We will support you. But get us that robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one before the end of 2011. Or We The People Of The United States will make the past midterm election look like a cake walk in 2012. And it will include you.
We still have a healthcare crisis in America. With hundreds of thousands dieing needlessly every year in America. And a for profit medical industrial complex that threatens the security and health of the entire world. They have already attacked the world with H1N1 killing thousands, and injuring millions. And more attacks are planned for profit, and to feed their greed.
Spread the word people.
Progressives, prepare the American peoples scalpels. It’s time to remove some politically diseased tissues.
God Bless You my fellow human beings. I’m proud to be one of you. You did good.
See you on the battle field.
Sincerely
jacksmith – WorkingClass 🙂
Rumor has it that Greenville Gatekeepers are talking a republican into running against Markell. Another sacrifical lamb who must come up with his own big bucks! A lamb they promise to support financially (but won’t) just to have a repub at the top of the ticket.
The GOP is now divided into 3 factions: the teabaggers, the uber right wing NRA types, and a few moderates. The Chateau gatekeepers are so depressed since the defeat of Mike Newbold Castle they actually believe this new fish will take the bait.
The NRA State Chairman is “the worst State chair in the Delaware GOP history”!
NPR commits an act of journalism:
GOP Objects To ‘Millionaires Surtax’; Millionaires We Found? Not So Much
NPR finally found some on Facebook. And they came out with some awesome quotes on taxes that made John Thune put his hands over his ears and go “La la la I can’t hear you.”
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The DBLC needs an executive director. The pay is $0.00 in year one and $billions in year 2 through 30. You seem to have a lot of time on your hands….?
Believe it or not I actually am working. I just keep a browser tab open and you guys are like a smoke break.
If anybody every thought they won an argument with me, I probably just got busy and had to go.
I guess it is a done deal then, because I was looking for someone to executive direct during their smoke breaks.