Budget ax likely to fall on 'Healthy Families' healthcare for children

Today's Sacramento Bee carries disturbing news about healthcare for California children:

Governor's budget ax poised over
children's health care programs

To shrink a $24.3 billion deficit, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger this week asked legislators to make California the first state to eliminate government health coverage for low- to moderate-income children. Schwarzenegger hopes to save $305 million in 2009-10 by closing the state's Healthy Families program, which provides medical, dental and vision care to more than 900,000 children.

The state provides about a third of the program's overall funding, as the federal government pays two dollars for every dollar California spends – funding that would be lost. President Barack Obama made the federal program such a priority that he signed legislation to expand it during his first month in office.

That last point about federal funding for the program is especially troubling, in that if California cuts this spending, the state will not receive what are in effect 'matching funds' to assist the program. The full article is available on the Bee's website at http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1897455.html.

Yesterday's Prop 8 ruling means 'Meet in the Middle 4 Equality' rally is happening Saturday

With the California Supreme Court voting to uphold Proposition 8, denying marriage equality, the 'Meet in the Middle 4 Equality' rally will take place Saturday, May 30, in front of City Hall in downtown Fresno. Rally events near City Hall begin at noon, with the rally's speakers scheduled to appear beginning at 1 p.m.

Volunteers For Change-Fresno has not planned any official activity around the rally, but V4CF members are invited to participate in Saturday's events. For more information about the rally, visit the organization's website at http://www.meetinthemiddle4equality.com.

To assist with voter registration at the event, or to assist with checking in rally participants, call V4CF member James Williams at (559) 312-3925, or contact him via e-mail at jamesdean19662000@yahoo.com.

Breaking news: Prop 8 upheld by the California Supreme Court

CNN is reporting at this hour that the California Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8, banning same-sex marriage. The Court also ruled that all existing same-sex marriages are still valid.

'Meet in the Middle 4 Equality' rally happening this Saturday, May 30

Just to follow up on an item submitted by member James Williams a few weeks ago:

The California Supreme Court has announced it will rule on the legality of California's Proposition 8 this Tuesday, May 26.

That means the 'Meet in the Middle 4 Equality' rally will take place at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, May 30, in front of City Hall in downtown Fresno. For more information about the rally, visit the organization's website at http://www.meetinthemiddle4equality.com/

President Obama sets July 31 target for 'comprehensive healthcare reform' bill

From our friends at Whitehouse.gov:

Recently, President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and leadership from the House of Representatives emerged from a meeting together with a new target on moving forward with health reform: pass legislation through the House by July 31^st.



If you cannot see the viewscreen above, you can watch the video on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LvJmGHoy04.

The full announcement is available on Whitehouse.gov at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Health-Reform-Urgency-and-Determination/.

Five budget propositions defeated; Prop. 1F limiting legislators' salary raises passes

Want to see today's election results as they come in? Visit the Election Results page on the California Secretary of State's website.

Here's the address:
http://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/props/allprops.htm

UPDATE, 8:54 p.m.: The Associated Press is reporting that Proposition 1F, limiting salary increases for legislators, has passed. The other five measures remain trailing by a 2-1 margin.

UPDATE 5:29 a.m.: It's official -- Propositions 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E all fail at the ballot box. 1F passes.

Next up: A battle over budget cuts. Stay tuned...

The White House launches a website to coordinate healthcare reform efforts

President Obama's team has launched a website designed to keep Americans informed and involved in healthcare reform, one of the President's stated priorities for 2009.

Located at http://www.healthreform.gov, the new Health Reform website contains numerous resources about the problems with healthcare in the United States, and promises both to track reform efforts and keep Americans involved in bringing about the change in healthcare they demanded last November.

HealthReform.gov is an official U.S. Government website, managed by the Department of Health and Human Services.