Hello Beavercreek and Friends,

I hope you can participate in one or more of these upcoming events and in the case of the first two events, please do RSVP if you will attend! Thanks! 

 7:00 PM, Wednesday, May 29, OFA “Climate Change is Real” Event.  2775 Pheasant Run Ln, Beavercreek, 45434.  All across the country Organizing for Action (OFA) volunteers are  holding events to move us forward on addressing climate change by sending messages specific to their member of Congress. We will be calling supporters to ask if we can add their name to a letter to Representative Mike Turner urging him to stop voting against legislation that addresses climate change.  

The League of Conservation Voters scores legislators and for members of the U.S. House in 2012 the average score was 42%; Mike Turner scored only 6%!  http://scorecard.lcv.org/   A leader of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) addressed OFA volunteers in last Wednesday’s policy briefing call.  He said that the legislative situation on climate change is similar to the time when many in Congress accepted statements from  tobacco companies that tobacco does not cause cancer, in spite of the facts.   Similarly, the facts support the need to address climate change, but  many in Congress either deny this or do not act.  On May 29,  OFA volunteers will join in with the longstanding efforts of  many existing environmental and conservation groups in the crucial effort  to shift the legislative climate.      

Please bring your cell phone and charger if you can; we’ll have a few extra phones available for those who need one. We’ll kick off our phone bank with remarks from one of our volunteers about how he lowers his carbon footprint. 

Directions:  From Fairfield Rd and Dayton Xenia Rd, go east on Dayton Xenia towards the high school. Turn left (north on Hanes Rd). After almost one mile, turn right on McKay Rd. Go about one third of a mile (the name of the road will change to Lantz Rd). Turn left on Deerbrook Trail and then right on Pheasant Run Lane. OK to park in driveway.

Please RSVP by contacting Lynn (ABUFFLG@gmail.com, 657-0426) or Matt Caffrey (matthewbcaffreyjr@gmail.com , 426-7318 evenings)  or online at https://my.barackobama.com/page/event/share/gskjw2 

1:30 – 2:30 pm, Thursday, May 30, Dayton, Rally for the Protection of Social Security and Medicare and against the Chained CPI, in front of Representative Mike Turner’s Dayton office, 120 West Third St, 45402.  If you will attend or have questions please email Doris Adams at dadams1999@gmail.com  (you can also RSVP by replying to this email).  I hope to participate, so let me know if you would like a ride from Greene County. 

Saturday, March 25, March Against Monsanto, Garden Station Dayton, 509 East Fourth St.  Marc at 2 pm, speakers at 3 pm.    More at https://www.facebook.com/events/560597480638616/?ref=3

The March leaves Garden Station at 2 pm and will return about 3 pm. Come for the march or the speakers or both! There will be three speakers and about 3:45 pm there will be an open speaking time.  The speakers are Mary Sue Gmeiner (coordinator of Greater Dayton Move To Amend on connecting the dots between the corporate actions of Monsanto and the judicial rulings of corporate personhood), Danielle Stephens (raising her son organically and GMO free on dangers and side effects of GMO and pesticides on small children, from both the mental and physical stand point), and George Mertz (owner of Patchwork Gardens, a sustainable farm just west of Dayton, on his experiences growing food in harmony with nature, and sharing the benefits of being part of a Community Supported Agriculture program).  

Happy Memorial Day!

Lynn Buffington, volunteer, ABUFFLG@Gmail.com  657-0426

Upcoming this week: 

Obamacare, Ohio Medicaid Extension.  Don Nguyen, MD speaking on “Obamacare 2014,” Thursday, 7:00 pm,  10  S. Detroit St, Xenia, 45385, Greene County Democratic Party Headquarters.   The talk, with slides,  will describe some of the effects of Obamacare in 2014 and the current very important controversy over the Ohio Assembly’s positions on expanding Medicaid eligibility under Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act).  Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio AND Ohio Right to Life agree that Ohio should expand Medicaid eligibility, but the Ohio House disagreed and the Ohio Senate seems to be heading that way too.   (10 S Detroit St is on the southwest corner of Detroit and Main; there is some parking on the street and additional parking in the city lot between Main and W. Second Street). (Sorry for the late notice). 

Ohio Medicaid Extension.  Statewide Day of Action (emails, calls)  in Support of  Expansion of Medicaid Eligibility in Ohio, Thursday, May 2, http://www.advocatesforohio.org/post?s=2013-04-30-join-the-statewide-day-of-action-this-thursday    Contacting Ohio senators is urgent.  Governor Kasich supports the expansion as do a slew of disparate groups including the Ohio Council of Churches AND the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, but the Ohio House did not include it in the budget.  Now would be the time for the Ohio Senate to do the right thing and include the extension in the budget.   If you called or emailed last week, please do it again.   Continued advocacy by those supporting the extension is important and probably is why the Ohio House took a  “baby step” forward  by amending the budget to direct the administration to propose “Medicaid reform” to be acted on in the fall.  This is not an acceptable solution, but is a start.   If you would like to learn more:  https://mail.google.com/mail/h/15ydj5akmfk4w/?&v=c&th=13e6129befe84277   (and/or come to the talk in Xenia, Thursday, at 7:00 PM).  

Ohio Medicaid Extension.  Stop by the Greene County Dems  at 10 S. Detroit St.  during the May 3, First Friday festival for information on the Ohio Medicaid Extension.  We will be set up for festival goers to send emails to Ohio Senators in support of the Medicaid extension. 

Expanding Background Checks for Gun Purchases:*  Sign or Help Collect Signatures at Xenia First Friday Festival,  in Support of Expanding Background Checks, Friday, May 3, 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm, 10 S. Detroit St, Xenia.  As the streets of Xenia fill for the First Friday festival, we will gather signatures asking Senator Rob Portman to support expanded background checks for gun sales.   Help us collect signatures for an hour or more; if you can’t volunteer, please do stop by to sign.  RSVP helpful but not required by contacting me or Matt Caffrey (matthewbcaffreyjr@gmail.com)   or at https://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gskjp7 

Expanding Background Checks:*  You can also sign in support of expanded background checks at https://my.barackobama.com/page/s/call-on-congress-to-act? 

Expanding Background Checks:*  Honk and Wave and Signature Collection in Cinci, Saturday, May 4, 1 pm to 3 pm, meet at Fifth and Vine in downtown Cincinnati (near Fountain Square).   Materials will be provided for those collecting signatures.  For those holding signs and waving for the Honk and Wave, bring signs, if you can.   RSVP to me or online at https://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/wewillbeheardactionevents/gskj9g

If you want a ride to Cinci; contact me, -  I still have room.   

Some ideas for signs:

Don’t ignore 90% of Americans

      Represent Ohio, Not The Gun Lobby

      Save Lives.  Expand Background Checks.

       #WeWillBeHeard

       Expand Background Checks

       Senator Portman, Plz  Save Lives!

More on Expanding Background Checks for Gun Purchases: Organizing for Action, OFA,  is partnering with Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) and others to send a strong message to eight crucial senators to expand background checks on gun purchases.  Our Senator Portman is one of the eight.   A recent poll shows that  72% of Ohioans support the expanded background checks. There is talk of re-introducing the background check  bill, and for several key senators, including Senator Portman, recent polls have shown drops in favorability at least in part attributed to “no” votes on background checks.  So now is the time to apply pressure.

Chained CPI, Social Security:  Please consider joining Senator Sherrod Brown (and the Daily Kos) in sending a message opposing  using the chained CPI to calculate “cost of living” increases in Social Security.  This would result in smaller “cost of living” increases than the current method.  Quick way to send the message: 

http://campaigns.dailykos.com/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=378

Greene County OFA Meeting, Planning for May and June (Immigration Reform): After the First Friday activities mentioned above, we will have a short meeting beginning at 8 pm on Friday, May 3, 10 S. Detroit St, Xenia. 

The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition is surveying voters about last fall’s election. Take their five minute survey at https://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/62/content_item/voiceofvotersurvey . If you had a particular problem with voting last fall, this is a great opportunity to communicate that.

And last, but certainly not least,  Niki Vonderwell,  whom many of you know as   the 2012 Obama Regional Field Director for Greene and part of Montgomery County, has recently been chosen as the  Organizing for Action Coordinator for Ohio.  She is the first  non-volunteer staffer for OFA in Ohio!!!

Let me know if you wish to discontinue receiving these emails.  And still on the “to do” list is Comprehensive Immigration Reform efforts,  advocacy for hoped for regulation of carbon emissions,  attention to continued attempts to  erode Ohio voting rights and the introduction of anti-union legislation in the Ohio Assembly, etc., etc. 

Take care,

Lynn Buffington, abufflg@gmail.com  657-0426

Hello Beavercreek and Friends,

Help maintain a strong message to   Ohio legislators to accept the expansion of  Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act.  Details below to (1)  Send a message by being part of a “circle for coverage” around the Statehouse in Columbus tomorrow (Tuesday), 12:15 pm to 12:45 pm, rides currently available   (2) Contact your own member of the Ohio House as well as Speaker Batchelder and Finance Committee Chair Amstutz, and  (3)  learn more online by signing up for a webinar on the Ohio Medicaid extension on Wed from 3 to 4 pm.   Specific information on how the expansion of Medicaid eligibility will benefit Montgomery and Greene Counties can be found at:  http://advocatesforohio.org/perch/resources/Making-Montgomery-County-Stronger.pdf  and     http://advocatesforohio.org/perch/resources/Making-Greene-County-Stronger.pdf

(1)   Last Thursday Ohioans made a strong statement in support of healthier Ohioans and the Ohio economy when 2,500 people rallied in the rain in  Columbus at the Statehouse in support of expanding Medicaid eligibility as offered by the Affordable Care Act.   To reinforce the importance of and support for this message, Ohioans will gather again in Columbus at the Statehouse (at Broad and High Street)  wearing green if possible,   from 12:15 pm to 12:45 pm on Tuesday, April 16,  to make a Circle for Coverage around the Statehouse.  I know of two cars going from our area, with room right now for three more, so let me know if you want to carpool, abufflg@gmail.com or 657-0426. 

From the coalition organizing  tomorrow’s “Circle for Coverage:”  We got a ton of news coverage and we believe the magnitude of our action started to give our legislators second thoughts about removing an extension of health coverage from the budget. In order to keep this in the forefront of our legislator’s minds, we’ve planned the “Circle for Coverage: 15 minutes of thoughtful prayer and meditation for extended health coverage” on Tuesday, April 16th at 12:30pm. Please arrive at 12:15pm wearing green….. We will  link hands to encircle the statehouse. There will be breaks in the circle to signify the lack of coverage so many Ohioans will face without the extension of health coverage in the budget.    Be part of another historic opportunity to turn the tide in support of people and healthy communities. Thanks for your support to strengthen families and communities in Ohio!

Thanks to the many people from the greater Dayton area who attended the rally for extension of Medicaid eligibility last Thursday, the three Greene County drivers, and those who made signs.      Justine K. made amazing signs and one of them (People Over Politics)  was shown on local TV news  along with half of the Doctors for America banner (Channel 22/45).

(2) Contact your own member of the Ohio House (again!)  as well as Speaker Batchelder and Finance Committee Chair Amstutz.  Identify your own representative in the House and find his or her phone number and email contact form by entering your zip code at the right  at  http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/   If you have already contacted them about the Medicaid expansion, please contact
them again.

For Speaker William Batchelder, 614-466-8140, email address:  Rep69@ohiohouse.gov
For Finance Chair Ron Amstutz,  614-466-1474,  email address:  Rep08@ohiohouse.gov

(3)  Learn more  by signing up for a webinar on the Ohio Medicaid extension on Wed, April 18,  from 3 to 4 pm.  Sign up at       http://www.anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=E955DF84844D39 

Thank you and let me know if you wish to discontinue receiving these emails.  I would also be happy to hear from anyone who would like to help with phonebanks, Letters to the Editor or visits to legislators offices  for Immigration Reform.  In the past eight days, OFA volunteers have had  three Letters to the Editor and one Speak-up published in the Dayton Daily News.  We had no one take the lead on planning a local Earth Day OFA event, but I hope to send out information in a few days  on Earth Day community events in our area.

Lynn Buffington, volunteer, abufflg@gmail.com  657-0426