Celebrating 44 years of Medicare, a plan that provides health care for millions of seniors, activists in northern California demonstrated on July 30th in solidarity with a demonstration in Washington, DC. Single-payer plan proponents pointed out that Americans overwhelmingly trust Medicare, a publicly financed program, and said that Medicare has successfully served the nation's most frail with low administrative costs for four decades. They called for it to be used as a model for a national health care plan.

In Menlo Park, the Raging Grannies led senior citizens and other Medicare fans in belting out old-timey tunes with new lyrics in praise of Medicare. The sponsors of that rally, San Mateo County Democracy for America, brought a birthday cake and balloons and offered passers-by refreshments along with information about single-payer health care.

In the East Bay, members of the California Alliance for Retired Americans and others urged Congressman Pete Stark to vote in favor of a House bill for single-payer. They rallied in front of the Congressman's office on Civic Center Drive in Fremont and delivered a birthday cake to his staff. Actions at both locations were in support of Rep. John Conyers, Jr.'s (D-MI) bill to improve and expand Medicare for All (HR 676) and of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) for his amendment to enable states to adopt single-payer healthcare. 

Photos: Menlo Park 1 | 2 | 3 Fremont 1

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