Bill Bronston, MD
Convener, Capital Chapter (Sacramento), PNHP California

Keith McCallin, PA
Coordinator, Greater Sacramento Chapter, Healthy CA Roundtable

Discussion - Moderator - Jim Squire - Click here to watch YouTube video

This was a fun and inspiring meeting with powerful challenges issued by dynamic speakers William Bronston and Keith McCallin - aimed at both us and back at themselves. They are the founders/leaders of the new California Sacramento Capital chapter of PNHP.

Please watch the presentation and discussion for lots of creative suggestions on how to make any/our chapter more dynamic and effective. This is especially critical during the unique period in which we find ourselves, with its potential to finally achieve justice in health care and the many other intertwining social justice issues - if we can all pull together in a "movement of movements."

PNHPWW October Meeting - Monthly Report - pdf

Bill Bronston's organizing history goes back to medical school in the University of Southern California where he was co-founder of the nationwide Student Health Organization. Then, through the late 60's and early 70's in NYC where he played an important role as a radical organizer in the civil rights, anti-war, health justice and disability rights movements, leading the Federal class action suit against New York to close of the infamous Willowbrook State School for Mental Retardation.

Returning to California in 1975, he was a system change policy consultant as Medical  Director to the California Department of Developmental Services, first, and then the Department of Rehabilitation till his forced retirement in 2004.

Bill, who joined MCHR and National PNHP at their founding, is the convener of the new CA Capital Chapter of PNHP where the mass  CNA-led Campaign for Healthy CA, is driving the California State single payer bill, Senate Bill 562, The Healthy CA Act.

Keith McCallin is a Physicians Assistant with a long history of organizing. He is on the Steering Committee of the PNHP Capital Chapter and Coordinator of Greater Sacramento Healthy California Roundtable

43rd LD Dems Club Panel on Single Payer


October 17th
Panel members incuded representatives of PNHPWW, UsSP, HCFA-WA, Whole WA, Indivisible and State Rep Nicole Macri

Thanks to Mike McCormick of KDOX for the video

Burning Issues

HR676 and S1804 Medicare for All legislation
1) HR676 - John Conyers' Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act of 2017
2) S1804 - Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All Act of 2017
3) HR676 and S1804 - Similarities and Differences
4) S1804 - Phasing in over 4 years

Incrementalism and the Single Payer Road to Medicare for All
1) Margaret Flowers - Incremental Approaches used to Divide and Conquer the Movement for National Improved Medicare for All
2) Margaret Flowers - Response to Recent Arguments supporting Incremental Approaches
4) Michael Lighty - Liberals Strike Back Against Single Payer

The "Public Option"
1) Health Over Profit - The Public Option vs Medicare for All

The PNHPWW APM weekend events got high marks from the attendees. If you were unable to be there for the Saturday evening meeting at Kane Hall, you will appreciate the energy and enthusiasm generated by watching video of speakers George Lakey and Carol Paris, MD, PNHP President, and the panel discussion that included John Geyman, MD.  You can watch the event from start to finish including the greeting by Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and the awarding of the John Geyman Health Justice Advocate Award to Don Mitchell, MD, Past-President of PNHPWW.

There is also a video of the Saturday morning radio interview of George Lakey by Mike McCormick of KEXP's "Mind Over Matters" that highlights George's remarkable history leading to lifelong commitment to nonviolent resistance as a proven, winning strategy for achieving social justice.

The takeaways from the weekend were the importance of building a "movement of movements" and having a strategy for going on the offense at this remarkable point in our nation's history.

The single payer activism workshop led by George and Bill Moyer of the Backbone Campaign attracted 30 participants. The spirit and energy in the room were palpable. Fortunately, video of the workshop will be available after editing is complete.

Special thanks to Mike McCormick of KEXP radio and his talkingsticktv.com for creating the media that will be available to others in our state and across the country.