Stop the TennCare Cuts: Occupation Day #2

Demonstrators spent the night locked inside the Governor's Office. Although the protesters were originally told that they would be arrested if they did not leave the Governor's office when the building closed, the Governor apparently decided that it might be cruel to throw the sick and disabled TennCare enrollees in jail.

Some of us are still trying to figure out how come it's not cruel to take away their health care.

Three of the overnight demonstrators are confined to wheel chairs. I wonder if the Governor would have changed his mind about arresting the protesters if not for the starkly cruel media image that such an arrest would spark. Seemingly, the Governor's concern is not with avoiding cruelty, but rather with keeping the cruelty of his policy out of sight.

The TennCare enrollees and their advocates say they won't leave until Bredesen promises to stop the health care cuts to hundreds of thousands of the state's sick/disabled/elderly and poor. The demonstrators are demanding that the Governor promise, in writing, to hold public meetings aimed at finding alternatives to Bredesen's health care axe.

The occupiers of the Governor's office say the meetings must begin no later than next week, and the state must immediately stop sending out TennCare termination notices.

From the Nashville Peace & Justice Center email alert:

1. TennCare: What’s Happening Today

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES
10am Clergy-based Press Conference
Opposing Cuts, Supporting Occupation in Governor’s Office
WHERE: In front of Supreme Court Building (7th & Charlotte)

10:30am JOIN US!!!
Clergy, More Enrollees and Supporters go to visit those in the Sit-In in the Governor’s Office
WHERE: From Supreme Court Building

5pm JOIN US!!! – bring signs
TennCare Rally, Demonstrating for our Lives
TennCare enrollees and hundreds others to gather
WHERE: TennCare Building, 8th & Church

9pm JOIN US!!! – bring candles
Vigil for those in the Governor’s Office
WHERE: Charlotte Avenue between 6th & 7th, IN FRONT OF CAPITOL

ALL DAY TODAY:
A. Call, Email and/or Fax Governor Bredesen’s Office:
Phone: 615.741.2001, Fax: 615.532.9711, Email: phil.bredesen@state.tn.us

B. Call, Email Tennessean:
1. Read Today’s Article: http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050621/NEWS0204/506210351
2. Call/Email and express concern in a thoughtful manner to the lack of coverage of yesterday’s activities, Ricky Young, City Editor 259-8068 ryoung@tennessean.com Call/Email Anita Wadhwani for her continued thorough interviewing and reporting 259-8821 awadhwani@tennessean.com

2. TennCare: What Happened Yesterday & Last Night

10am Over 20 enrollees, medical professionals and other arrive in Governor’s Office and request to see the Governor. Will remain until Governor agrees in writing to meet with group with media present and accessible to the public.

10:30am Security and Staff ask Group to leave

1:45 Food delivered to group but food not allowed into Office.

2:00 Governor Representative offers the Governor to meet with 2-3 spokespeople behind closed doors at 10:30am on Wednesday

2:30 Group AGREES to meet with Governor on condition that he keep the meet open to the media and the public.

4:30 Governor’s Office admits that the Governor’s Office is a public building and allows people to stay indefinitely.

9:00 Supporters organize vigil with just 2 hours notice and over 50 arrive in front of capitol.

10:30pm Members of Sit-in in Good Spirits and ready for sleep.

Overnight: Don Duvall, TennCare enrollee who will be cut from Jackson.
Lisa Able, TennCare enrollee who will be cut from Nashville.
Lori Smith, TennCare enrollee who will be cut from Nashville.
Dee Hamilton, Friend
Randy Alexander, ADAPT Member with disability using wheel chair, from Memphis
Lewis Patrick, ADAPT Member with disability using wheel chair, from Memphis
Michael Heinrich, ADAPT Member from Memphis