It was friggin hot yesterday. It was only noon but believe me when I say it was hovering around triple digits. We were there to present our congressional Rep. Bill Thomas with a check from the Drug Companies. Why? Because Wild Bill took ALOT of drug company cash. Lots and lots..to the tune of over HALF A MILLION BUCKS. I don't know about you, my dear reader, but to me thats one helluva lot of money from one section of big business. Bill is retiring after this session, but we wanted to let him know we haven't forgotten what he meant to us...and to the drug companies. Wild Bill is head of the powerful Ways and Means committee. Wild Bill wasn't home,but we didn't expect him to be. We figured he would be DC lining his pockets with more PAC money. We had a small turnout, but this is a small town. Bakersfield has over 2,000 MoveOn members and many of them signed a peition online recently to request an overhaul of that mess known as the Medicare Drug Plan. You know the one..where the private drug companies are making millions off the backs of the seniors and disabled. The petition also demanded Wild Bill help change the deadline date of May 15th. Between 11-15 million seniors and disabled have not signed up for this screwed up program. Most of those that have signed up were done so automatically through their HMO's and insurance companies.Anyway, I digress..back to our rally. It was small but enthusiastic. We had several seniors that drove over 50 miles to attend, they are that fed up with this mess. They are tired of being fucked over by our administration in the name of the big pharmacuetical companies. The press showed up..well, half the media did.. KERO and KGET, two local TV stations did. Emily Valdez did a great piece on our rally and the plight of seniors trying to wade through the crap to sign up before the deadline. It was on the 6 and 11pm news. A BIG THANKS TO EMILY! Minoo's mother had a horror story about her walk through the gauntlet of the drug plan. Her medicene for arthritis costs over 3000 a month..thats three thousand bucks sportsfans. She used to get it free but now that she actually signed up for the program her insurance company has removed it from the approved drug list AND she pays a monthly premium for this stupid program. I read a short speech about this disgusting and obvious big business-friendly program. We had a nice big visual in the check made out to Wild Bill for $570,550.00. We symbolically tore up the check,demanded he stop kissing drug companies ass's and protect the seniors and disabled in his district. We then walked into his nice, COOL office and presented the petitions to one of his minions. She was very nice in all honesty and thanked us. Who wouldn't? The county voted this dipshit into office so he could get all that lovely money from the drug companies. What pisses me off is everyone, no matter what their party affiliation has a parent or loved one most likely affected by this drug plan. It shouldnt be a partisan issue..but it is..and that..my dear reader..is total and complete bullshit. They have in most cases worked hard their entire life, gave much to this country and this is the thanks they get..a royal shaft by the Shrub's administration all in the name of profits for the drug companies. Write or call your Representatives today..please..tell them to quit screwing the seniors and remove the deadline and overhaul this friggin mess. The seniors deserve better than this. Everyone does. Thanks to Doug for his photos..YOU ROCK DOUG!
