Upcoming Meetings April, May, June

General Meetings: 7PM the third Thursday each month starting April 21st - locations to be announced.

MeetUps: 7 PM Tuesday April 5th at the Dusit Thai restaurant 2404 University Blvd. W. Wheaton, MD Directions. 7 PM Tuesday May 10th and 7 PM Tuesday June 7th Wheaton Library - 11701 Georgia Ave. - Wheaton, MD in Room #2 on the lowest floor. Directions / information.

Montgomery County residents are highly motivated, well informed, and politically savvy. We know how to get things done and make a positive difference. We promote fair election and campaign practices for meaningful participation in our democracy. We demand equal opportunity and civil rights, high quality education and health care, clean and safe neighborhoods, and secure retirement for all. We support progressive media to counter the right-wing corporate bias. We research and formulate policy, and organize events, fundraisers, and campaigns to advance our ideals.

Sign up here to get involved with the discussion and to get email updates. Watch this space for more events. Tell like-minded people about us so we can grow and increase our impact.

Rally for Affordable, Quality Health Care March 21st

Join Health Care Voters Contacting Elected Officials in Annapolis

The 2005 Maryland legislative session is upon us and Maryland for Health Care will keep you up-to-date on the latest health care legislation. Thousands of Health Care Voters across the state are ready to contact their elected officials. Are you one of them? It is important that elected officials hear from constituents in their district. A quick phone call, letter, email or office visit can mean a world of difference in trying to pass important legislation. YOU make the difference.

Rally for Affordable, Quality Health Care.

Sign-up to get a ride from Silver Spring or Rockville and to receive information about our lobby days and training by contacting Ezekiel at 443-224-0606 or at Ezekiel@imahealthcarevoter.org.

Free transportation from: Carver Educational Center (850 Hungerford Drive) in Rockville, MD at 5:00 pm and Blair High School (51 University BLVD East) in Silver Spring, MD at 5:30 pm - We are providing FREE transportation but seats are filling up fast so we need to know those who are interested so that we can make sure you have a seat on the bus.

Join Maryland for Health Care, Health Care Voters, SEIU members, community allies, small business owners, health care professionals and others as we hold Maryland's largest ever health care rally!

Monday March 21st @ 7:00 pm
Lawyers Mall
Annapolis, Maryland

Featured speakers are Anna Burger, Secretary- Treasurer of SEIU, County Executive Doug Duncan, Fred Mason, President of State Federation AFL-CIO, Jim Lowthers, President of UFCW Local 400, Spoken Word Poetry and more.

We are providing FREE transportation but seats are filling up fast so we need to know those who are interested so that we can make sure you have a seat on the bus. So far, there are four buses leaving from:

Baltimore: 605 N. Eutaw Street at 5:00 PM.
Park and Ride where I-70 and 695 meet near Security BLVD at 5:00 pm

Outside of Baltimore: (see above)

For bus information, carpooling and more, Please contact Ezekiel Jackson at 443 244 0606 or Ezekiel@imahealthcarevoter.org.

Maryland for Health Care Unveils Fair Share Health Care

At a January 26th press conference, Maryland for Health Care unveiled Fair Share Health Care along with our coalition partners. Speakers included Barry Scher of Giant Food, Baltimore Mayor O’Malley, Montgomery County Executive Duncan, Senator Lawlah, Senator Middleton, and Delegate Healey, who all voiced their support for the measure. Maryland for Health Care Voters turned out to show their support and Health Care Voter Penny Troutner (Baltimore City) spoke about how her small business is affected by large businesses "not paying their fair share of health care."

Fair Share Health Care (SB790) would require large businesses with over 10,000 employees to contribute at least 8% of their payroll towards health care coverage or pay the difference into a state fund. Currently, businesses who are doing the right thing by providing health care coverage to their employees are subsidizing those businesses that don’t through their high insurance costs. Maryland taxpayers foot the largest portion of the bill by paying for government health care assistance programs for the employees of these larger businesses.

If you would like further information about how you can help support Fair Share Health Care, contact Kim Nelson at kim@imahealthcarevoter.org or 410-736-1719. Maryland for Health Care especially needs our business owners who are Health Care Voters to speak-up on this issue. We would be happy to have a detailed discussion with you about this important piece of legislation.

MC for Kerry Becomes the Montgomery County Progressive Alliance

At a general meeting on March 10, members of Montgomery County for Kerry voted to dissolve the organization and create a new one, the Montgomery County Progressive Alliance (MCPA).

The following mission statement was adopted: "Our mission is to promote progressive values, policies, and candidates for elected office in Montgomery County, throughout Maryland, and nationally."

The following were elected as members of the temporary steering committee: Mary Belle Feltenstein, Robert M. Colton, Mike Hersh, Art Fabel, Naomi Bloch, Tom Colbert, and Ben Vaughn. Thanks to outgoing steering committee members including Debbie Coburn, Hal Ginsberg, Ned Preston and others whose leadership and dedication cannot be replaced.

The next general meeting will be at 7:30 on Thursday, April 21, 2005, at a location to be announced.