Song in my head: Grease is the word, is the word that you heard.....It's got groove it's got meaning....Grease is the time, is the place is the motion....Grease is the way we are feeling...Frankie Valli

Alter-Abled News

Joe Trippi was in Portland to help promote a grass roots movement to radically change our present health care system. The Archimedes Movement was initiated by emergency room doctor and 2 term former Oregon governor, John Kihtzaber. Oregon used to have a very progressive state-run health plan, in tune with its Death with Dignity Act and medical marijuana program. Now that has been scaled back because of declining state revenues. LINK

Former Oregon governor John Kitzhaber's campaign to radically reform health care drew about 200 people to its first meeting in Portland on Sunday.

The effort is a grass roots campaign that aims to gather citizens' ideas on how to create a better health care system and use their activism to pressure politicians to adopt their concept.

The goal, backers said, is not to work within the current system but to design a new one, which provides health care to all Oregonians and uses current funding levels more effectively.

Kitzhaber explains:

"This is not my movement," Kitzhaber said. "This is your movement, our movement."

The group plans to continue meeting across Oregon — encouraging individuals to hold their own meetings small and large. Kitzhaber said he's been contacted by individuals in California, Indiana, Washington, Georgia and Maryland who are interested in following suit.

Also, The Archimedes Movement weblog can be found, here.

Another movement to improve access to health care is Physicians for a National Health Program

All I want is to go to a dentist.