Archives: Voices

This is the world of Ryancare

Earlier this month, House Republicans unveiled what they described as a plan for “repealing and replacing” the Affordable Care Act. The plan, however is not really a plan. It comes with no price tag, no explanation of how many million Americans would lose their current coverage, of how much more…

A father’s message to Congress: ‘I cannot protect my son’s health, but you can’

Editor’s note: Congress is considering repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and is debating major structural changes, and perhaps significant cuts, to Medicaid, which serves almost 70 million Americans. Voices for Human Needs is reaching out and telling the stories of those who could be harmed if the ACA is…

‘A lot more people, I can tell you, will die for lack of medical care’

Editor’s note: Congress is considering repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and is debating major structural changes, and perhaps significant cuts, to Medicaid, which serves almost 70 million Americans. Voices for Human Needs is reaching out and telling the stories of those who could be harmed if the ACA is…

Resources from around the Coalition: Presidents’ Day recess edition

The first recess period for the new Congress begins this Saturday, Feb. 18, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 26. Several of CHN’s members and friends have put together resources for advocates to use during this recess when members of Congress will be home in their states and districts. Use these…

Trump’s 2-1 executive order: It’s (not) as easy as 1, 2, 3….

Joan Claybrook, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration during the Carter administration, had an immediate reaction when informed of President Trump’s executive order requiring that federal agencies scrap two existing regulations for every new one adopted. She burst out laughing. “That’s a completely illogical way of doing things,”…

The protests are working

There’s a developing narrative across the country: The protests are working. On many issues of concern to the human needs community, ranging from health care to immigration to efforts to fighting discrimination, a hostile executive branch finds itself backtracking and on the defensive. Perhaps the first journalist to take note…

The onset of a feminine revolution

Seven-year old Laney, who lives across the courtyard from me, attended the Woman’s March in Chicago with her mother. Her comments afterwards were that there were lots of people, most of them were women and she was proud to be there. That memory could last for her entire lifetime. LeAnn…

Let’s stand up and fight for what we believe in

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on RESULTS’ blog on Dec. 15, 2016.  According to the narrative the world tells about people like me, I should never have graduated from college with a 4.0 GPA. I should never have been chosen as commencement speaker. I probably should never have…