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August 25, 2004

Day Three: Bruce Roemmelt on the DNC Bus

Bloggers,

What a day! Three stops and the special treat stopping in the after noon for ice cream on the road. We are now about 40 "real people" we picked up several new folks today and tomorrow we will need to increase the size of the caravan to three busses. The media and TWO real people carriers. The anticipation of everyone is that by the time we pull into the Big Apple will have three real people carriers! We'll see.

Since there are so many folks on the bus now I thought we would spend a lot of time on profiles tonight. But first the travelogue...

Today we started in Charleston West Virginia. We stayed overnight there last night and after a quick breakfast we loaded up and traveled a short bit to the state capitol and rolled the bus right into a public square where we were greeted by scores of enthusiastic Kerry/Edwards supporters. The Governor, several union leaders and a very energetic candidate for Congress, Erik Wells spoke. Also we heard from several of the new real people who joined the tour.

The new folks told some powerful stories about their personal experiences with the economy, health care, veteran's issues, education, the environment and workplace safety. Call me crazy but a theme seems to be developing here. At every stop the message is continually confirmed, AMERICA CAN DO BETTER.

I was thinking last night that it's not just about doing better during hard times but we need to figure out a way to do better when things are good. Good citizens we need to do our job all the time, and that means finding out what's going on and making intelligent decisions on the issues and then acting on those decisions.

Rob Daniel I'm a web designer in Lynchburg, VA. I joined the America Can Do Better tour to tell the story of my mother's struggle with Melanoma, a virulent form of skin cancer. My mother, Carolyn Watson of Charleston, SC, was diagnosed in 2002 and underwent an intensive treatment process that involved multiple surgeries, extensive radiation and chemotherapy, as well as experimental drugs and vaccines. Her primary form of insurance was through her job as a receptionist, but she could only maintain that coverage while she was a full-time employee. As a result, my mom was forced to ignore the advice of her doctors and work full-time throughout the course of her grueling treatment, taking only short leaves of absence for surgeries and the most intensive stages of her chemotherapy regime.

As her treatment costs spiraled, the insurance premiums paid by her employer became overwhelming. In 2003, the same year that she was honored at a ceremony for her enormous contributions to the company, she was let go. Because of her illness, she has been unable to find affordable health insurance - or a new job.

My mother was in tears the night she was let go from her job - she didn't know how she would pay the medical bills without insurance or a steady job. I assured her that there was a program out there for people in her position, and I spent three days on the phone trying to find it. I just couldn't believe it wasn't there.

I am confident that John Kerry's plan to bring affordable health insurance to all Americans - and reduce the catastrophic costs that get passed on to small businesses - will ensure that no hard-working American has to suffer through an ordeal like my mother's.

Kathryn Hamilton
Democrats as a party support a hopeful future for Americans and I am pleased that John Kerry and John Edwards share that vision. Democrats believe that all citizens matter and that everyday we can choose to work in ways that can better the daily lives of every American citizen.

If you enjoy the benefits of health care and a social security income in retirement, you have a Democrat to thank. If you enjoy the benefits afforded by cleaner air and water, you have a Democrat to thank. If you or your children are able to attend college because they are able to obtain student loans or grants, you have a Democrat to thank. If you drive a safer automobile or work in a safer work environment you can thank a Democrat.

Tax rebates that give little to the citizens who need them most and a government that bases every decision on politics rather than on sound policy, fail to move us forward as a country. Pre-emptive wars based on cherry-picked, faulty intelligence cost American lives and the lives of others in foreign countries. We can do better. I am proud to support John Kerry.

SARAH JOHN

Hi! My name is Sarah John and I'm a health care worker. I'm an emergency physician and I'm on this bus tour because it gives me a chance to speak with people about how America Can Do Better in health care by electing John Kerry.
We are the only industrialized nation in the world without universal health care. The Bus administration has failed the over 44 million Americans who are uninsured- 4million more since when he took office. Each of these 44 million is a real person with a real story; each is a person with a husband, a wife, parents, or children. Each worries about how to pay their bills.

As a doctor I've taken care of too many people who are critically ill or dying because they did not have adequate insurance, did not have a doctor or money to pay for one. Eventually, when these people are too sick to manage on there own, these people come to the emergency department. No ER doc should have to tell a wife that her husband has died when earlier care would have saved him, because he didn't have a doctor and waited too late. I know what that is. We Can DO Better.

I also know what is to be the patient. I was injured in a car crash and lost my job. My family was overwhelmed by almost $300,000 in medical bills, unreimbursed, unpaid. We used up our savings and home equity to pay for rehab. Our family health care insurer raised the premiums to try to force us out to almost $1500/month. Our credit was ruined. We filed for bankruptcy, and then found a mortgage at 10% interest to get out of bankruptcy and save our house. I know what its like to choose between paying for groceries and paying for medical care. No American should ever need to make that choice.

My husband was an unemployed chemist when I was uninsured by that drunk driver. Our twins were 7. They learned to avoid bill collect ors from the hospital collection agency. No mom should ever have to know what that feels like.

We got lucky. My husband found a job teaching school four years after the crash. He has great benefits with good health care insurance.

But no American family should have to depend on luck for health care. We Can Do Better Than That.

John Kerry has promised to make universal health care his first bill as president. He has promised me personally and I believe him.

America needs Universal Health Care Coverage! We cannot continue to waste people by neglecting their medical care. We Can Do Better for our doctors! We Can Do Better for our patients! We Can Do Better for our families!

We can send George Bush back to Texas!
We can elect John Kerry president!
And that is exactly what we are going to do.

KWINNA STONEY
My name is Kiwanna Stoney from Newport News, Va. I have the pleasure of traveling on the American Can Do Better bus tour. I feel this is a historic event. I am for Kerry and Edwards because the world needs a change for the better. Small business needs to be able to supply insurance to their employees but cannot due to the high premium costs. Something needs to be done before the world falls. We are in a state of emergency.

LEON HARRIS
My name is Leon Harris of Hampton, VA. There are a number of reasons why I am taking this America Can Do Better bus tour. I'm an independent voter and voted that way in the last three elections because of my dissatisfaction with the two party system which seemed to b e failing us as a nation. After the election of 2000, I felt as a nation we could not do worse. The problems we are confronted with are too numerous to express in the brief sound or written bite. The bottom line is that I'm voting Democratic in 2004 because I love this country too much to let the current administration take us in its current direction.

LINNEA BLIZZARD
My name is Linnea Blizzard and my being a participant on this America Can Do Better bus tour is but a privilege and an honor. I fully support the Democratic National Party and its views. The Continuous decline in healthcare and its increase in costs, as well as the decrease in public educational funding Is why the Kerry-Edwards camp has my support, as well as my vote. America Can Do Better and with Kerry and Edwards in office we will. America needs to stand up and take notice that if the current administration remains our country will continue to deteriorate.

Earl Ladlee

My name is Ladlee. I am a U S. Army veteran of 22 years. I am married and have two children and two stepchildren. My oversea tours include Vietnam, Korea and Germany.

I feel very honored to be part of the "America Can Do Better" bus tour. In fact we cancelled our vacation to be part of this historical event. I voted for G.W. Bush; however, it did not take but a few months to realize I had wasted my vote. The Bush administration continues to erode our health benefits, put our nation in an economic hole, and does not back veterans. Bush himself did not live up to his responsibility as a National Guard member.

Senator Kerry does show true leadership and will provide for those veterans that are asked to fight today. Senator Kerry will put in place a policy that will stop corporations from receiving tax breaks for doing business overseas.

This bus tour will help to get the truth out and will energize me for volunteer work in my community The staff on our bus tour has-been most helpful and kind. This tour bus event was well organized and executed.

Pat Ladlee
I am a 16th generation Virginian now living in Augusta County, Virginia. I am participating in the AMERICA CAN DO BETTER BUS TOUR because the Bush Administration is treating the economy of my country like a "cash-cow". The highest deficits in history are nothing but a mortgage on our nation's future. The desolation of our manufacturing base denies us jobs today and hopes for tomorrow while major corporations pocket the profits. While the major benefits of tax cuts go to those making over $200,000 a year, increasing percentages of the middle class and blue-collar workers are denied health benefits, overtime pay and increasingly no employment at all. The Bush administration has provided the United States with a perfect recipe for the creation of a third world country.

These comments do not even begin to cover my concerns with education and many other issues. More later...

The women scooping ice-cream at Halls told us that one of them is leaning towards the "other" guy and the other scooper was undecided. Betsey Beatenhead allowed us to take a photo which will be in the pictures section of http://www.documenting-democracy.org. We did what all good Kerry/Edwards supporters do. We asked them about their issues and gave them the facts.

We are running into a lot of people who wish the bus could stop where they are, but there are only so many resources. Delores and Diane Patolay stopped (their picture is also in the photo section) us in Wheeling and addressed the same themes that we have heard for the past three days, health care is a mess, jobs are going elsewhere with no replacements, and the Bush side is distracting from the arguments about the real issues with things like the Swift Boat veterans diversion.

And then there was Courtney. She was our wait staff in Wheeling where we had our "event" and dinner. Sarah was like a woman possessed and after finding out she was not registered got her to commit to getting registered AND could very will be a Kerry/Edwards vote. We're very proud that she will cast here first votes in November. The picture in the photos section is of bruce thanking her for her decision.

But the most important thing that happened with Courtney is that we have committed to following up with her. That follow-up includes making sure she has the necessary information to register and if so inclined votes for the one that best addresses her interests and concerns.

So that is a wrap for today. I'm surrounded by beautiful people. It's a righteous thing to care so much about people that you want to help them do better. Its one thing to care - but quite another to help them. Again sound familiar? Yeah you heard it before, "Compassionate Conservative" - "Reformer with Results" (for those who think I'm a professional writer, this is a SLAM!!!). America Can Do Better and it's because we care and WILL help people.

Tomorrow Youngstown/Niles, Cleveland and Erie...

Sleep tight,

We'll be back tomorrow

b

Posted by bruce roemmelt at August 25, 2004 11:28 PM

Comments

Bruce,

You are doing such a fantastic job as our blogger/bus correspondent from Virginia! Thanks for all of your hard work on the road on behalf of Virginia Democrats and John Kerry and John Edwards!

Laura

Posted by: Laura at August 25, 2004 11:39 PM