Volunteers needed for two food distributions, scheduled in February in Firebaugh

Join Volunteers for Change-Fresno as we work with the Community Food Bank to distribute food in Firebaugh. Volunteers are needed for two sessions:

• Tuesday, Feb. 9- Coordinator: Wendy Negri (559-299-5052)
• Tuesday, Feb. 23- Coordinator: Kris Arden (559-978-1736 or kkarden@yahoo.com)

Each session is scheduled 8 a.m.-2 p.m., or until the food to be distributed runs out.

The distributions will take place in Firebaugh's Maldonado Park, located at 1601 Thomas Conboy Road. The coordinator will provide more details & contact each person who signs up closer to the date of the event.

Did you know that you can get a free ticket to Disneyland for helping out with this opportunity? For more information, visit http://www.disneyparks.com.

Homelessness in Fresno, water to be the topics at next V4CF General Meeting Jan. 12

Save the date, V4CFers! With the holiday season relegated to memory, it'll soon be time to get together again, to continue the work we began more than a year ago.

With that in mind, Volunteers For Change-Fresno invites all members and interested folk to attend our next General Meeting, scheduled 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12, in the large meeting room of the Fig Garden Library, 3071 W. Bullard Ave., in Fresno. The library is on the southwest corner of Bullard and Marks, in the shopping center.

The evening will include:

• A presentation by Gregory Barfield, Homelessness Prevention Manager for the City of Fresno. Mr. Barfield will spend 15 minutes briefing us about what Fresno is currently doing for the homeless in our area, and will also address what is being planned for the future.
  

• An update from V4CF Water Issue Team leader Bob Merrill, who will provide some information for the group about this important issue.
  

As always, it'll be 'the more, the merrier.' We hope to see you all Jan. 12!

Next up in healthcare reform: Resolving the differences

So what's next in the fight for healthcare reform? The House and Senate need to resolve the differences between their two bills before a final version can be sent to President Obama for consideration. From the L. A. Times:

Reporting from Washington - As the Senate lumbers toward passage of its healthcare bill, Democrats are looking ahead to the potentially difficult process of reconciling its substantial differences with the more-liberal House version -- the last major obstacle before President Obama can sign landmark legislation into law.

The final Senate vote on the healthcare bill was set for 8 a.m. Thursday, Christmas Eve, as Republicans held the floor today to criticize the measure and delay its enactment. Democrats are hopeful that the momentum generated by the long-awaited Senate vote -- and the high political stakes involved in finishing the job -- will grease the wheels of negotiations with the House.

"Each side knows we cannot fail," said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). "Each side knows they have to give."

But after lawmakers enjoy what is left of the holiday season in their home states, they will return to wide and deeply held differences between the House and Senate bills on federal funding for abortion and the liberals' dream of establishing a "public option" -- a government plan that would compete with private insurers -- to guarantee access to affordable insurance.

The full article is available on the L. A. Times website. Bottom line: Much work remains to be done, much dealmaking is likely to occur, but little of it is likely to happen this week. Stay tuned to the V4CF Action Blog... we'll keep you posted on developments.

From the AP Wire: 'Health care bill clears key Senate test'

As reported this evening, moments after the U.S. Senate's late-night vote:

WASHINGTON – Landmark health care legislation backed by President Barack Obama passed its sternest Senate test in the pre-dawn hours early Monday, overcoming Republican delaying tactics on a 60-40 vote that all but assures its passage by Christmas.

"Let's make history," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, shortly before the bill's supporters demonstrated their command of the Senate floor in an extraordinary holiday season showdown. The bill would extend coverage to more than 30 million Americans who now lack it, while banning insurance company practices such as denial of benefits on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions.

The atmosphere was intensely partisan, but the outcome pre-ordained as senators cast their votes from their desks, a practice reserved for issues of particular importance. Administration officials who have worked intensely on the issue watched from the visitor's gallery despite the hour.

So, too, Vicki Kennedy, the widow of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., who championed health care across a Senate career that spanned more than 40 years.

The full story is available at Yahoo! News.

V4CF to co-sponsor day-long Candidate Training seminar Saturday, Jan. 9

Volunteers For Change-Fresno, along with allies the Fresno County Democratic Central Committee, the CLC and the College Democrats, is co-sponsoring a day-long Candidate Training seminar, designed for candidates, potential candidates and campaign staff, scheduled 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, at the CWA Hall, 4422 E. Ashlan Avenue, in Fresno. Want to get elected to public office? V4CF invites you to attend.

The Candidate Training seminar will focus on how to be an optimal candidate, and places participants in touch with experienced people who have 'been there and done that.' The training will address what it takes to be an effective candidate for public office, how to enlarge your circle of advisers, and how to find valuable resources that can help you to succeed. The cost to attend is $15 per person, with lunch provided.

Topics to be addressed at the training will include:

* Building your team
* Messaging
* Fundraising
* Presentation
* Public speaking
* Meeting voters
* Understanding labor
* Attitude and movitation
* Media, and more.

Presenters will include:

* Michael Rubio
* Henry T. Perea
* T.J. Cox
* Patsy Montgomery
* Randy Ghan
* Susan Good
* Debilyn Molineaux
* Chuck Riojas
* Mai Thao
* Warren Meyers
* Michael D. Evans

Interested? To register or for more information, contact Michael D. Evans via e-mail at evansm@usa.net. We hope to see you there!

Senate and House healthcare reform bills compared -- again

Here's the latest comparison of the Senate's and the House's versions of healthcare reform legislation. After a year of ceaseless work, some from supporters and some not, the Senate's version may come for a vote as soon as tonight, with passage expected.

Associated Press recap of both bills.

Meanwhile, supporters of healthcare reform remain divided about the Senate version. Some (like Howard Dean) say 'kill it and start over,' while others (like the White House) say 'don't miss this opportunity to move things in a better direction.'

Should the Senate approve their bill, a conference committee between the House and Senate will remain necessary, to work out the many differences in the bills before they can go to President Obama's desk for signature or veto.

Stay tuned... it's not over yet.

Senate's efforts to compromise appear to be gutting healthcare reform vision

Well, it would appear at this hour that the U.S. Senate is managing to turn the hard-fought efforts of people across the country on healthcare reform into the proverbial steaming pile of ineffective overcompromise.

Between last week's announced Medicare buy-in compromise and the introduction of caps on benefits -- something that goes against the very core of the healthcare reform vision presented months ago by President Obama -- one wonders if this effort is indeed about to succumb to Death by the Thousand Cuts.

Here's a sampling of what's out there this morning. Click the links within to read the stories.

• Howard Dean says he's no longer supportive of the Senate's version, recommends they 'start over.' (ABC News)
  

• Senator Roland Burris says he won't vote for a bill that fails to include a public option. (New York Times)
  
  
• And even if the Senate does pass something resembling healthcare reform, whatever they pass is likely to set off a fight between the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. (New York Times)
  

Stay tuned. While I'd normally say something like 'this could get messy,' it's clear the mess is already here. Let's see if they can clean it up.

UPDATE: From our member Paul Pierce comes this, a petition from CREDO Action that provides a quick way to tell the Senate to keep moving toward true healthcare reform:
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/prog_sens_po/?rc=fb_share1