Poster maotsetung mentioned this earlier, info about the bill is at:

http://www.johnconyers.com/healthcare

FAQs, and more. Keep in mind that the details would doubtless go through lots of negotiation, but if you really care about this how about sending an email or phone call to your representative?

I just emailed my congressmen (Perlmutter of Colorado) since he is not yet one of the listed supporters. Whether your congressmen is or is not, you should email them and let them know this matters to you and that you want them to make this happen. I used the link at my signature (you do need your 9 digit zip code like they use on one of your utility bills) and sent him this message:

I am continually infuriated about the deficiencies in the delivery of health care in the United States. All US citizens want and deserve a more equitable and efficient system, and as a nation we are certainly capable of achieving that goal. I am excited to hear that H.R. 676 (Single-Payer Health Care) has been proposed by Rep Conyers and want to see you support this bill.

I will not be satisfied by half measures that simply require people to buy health insurance, as the current system has indisputably proven that for-profit health care insurance is not an effective way to provide continuity in access to quality health care for Americans. Imposing additional bureaucracy to require and enforce that citizens have insurance is simply ludicrous.

It is unacceptable that people with health insurance can still be pushed into bankruptcy by the costs of medical care.

It is unacceptable that a citizen could pay health insurance premiums for a decade, then lose their job, and find them self with no coverage if they are unable to afford the high premiums or COBRA.

I truly believe that the ability of US businesses to compete internationally is hobbled by the burden of providing health care coverage to their employees, while many of the nations they compete with do not have that burden.

For these reasons, I insist that you support reform on my behalf to provide single payer health care to all citizens of the United States. The time for action is now, and nothing would restore the confidence of citizens in their government and their nation better than addressing this problem right now by reforming our broken system so that it truly serves citizens.

Feel free to reuse my letter to your representative if it suits you.

But please, do contact your representative if you really believe that the time for change is now. What if actually works? Wouldn't that be great?

You can pick your state using this link:

http://www.senate.gov/index.htm

then go to the first link for each of your 2 senators and they will almost certainly have a link that will allow you to easily send them an email.

Tell them what you want, the lobbyists for pharma, HMOs, and groups opposed to giving health care to all citizens certainly are telling them exactly what they want.

Don't be shy, or you will not get what you want.

lesliet and timbuktom talked a little about this, and I also remember a column from pre-crash times trying to assess the impact of large amounts of stocks for sale as the boomers would be shifting their 401s from stocks to less risky investments as they got close to or into retirement. Seems like that article might need to be rewritten.

So do boomers look for less risky investments to preserve what they have left, or do they go for even more risky investments to try to recover what they lost. Their time frame is to short to wait for a long drawn out recovery. I just don't see them staying in stocks unless someone gives them a really convincing sales pitch.

Here are 3 links with additional opportunities to get involved in advocating for OUR government to address OUR health care needs:

• Soon to be called "Medicare for All":

http://www.ninenineohnine.org/pages/Home

• Physicians for a national health program:

http://www.pnhp.org/facts/single_payer_resources.php

• AARP:

http://www.aarp.org/issues/dividedwefail/

gkrevvv said:

...

All current financial products submitted for approval (and the possibility of forced alteration) by the federal government, prior approval of new products (including individual credit card agreements),...

Since we the taxpayers are salvaging the ship, we get to say how and where it is going to be steered. Oh, and no bonuses either. It might only be a small sum compared to some mountains of money, but is an unjust reward to the people who hurt us all. They do not deserve it, and I don't want them to have it.

I'm sending another email to my congressman and senators. You should too.