Many of you who read here are familiar with my travels across the country to help progressive Democrats win office.  I spent this past weekend in Georgia to campaign with Jim Martin in his runoff election for U.S. Senate.  Unfortunately, Jim fell just short in his bid to unseat Georgia Republican Saxby Chambliss.

I have since moved on to Louisiana where there is a runoff this Saturday for Louisiana's Fourth Congressional District.  Democrat Paul Carmouche got just short of fifty percent of the vote in November so, according to Louisiana law, he faces off against his Republican challenger for the open seat.

Barring any sudden retirements, this should be the last election this year.  Once we are done here in Louisiana we can start preparing for the start of the 111th Congress and working with our next president.

I had some time over the holiday weekend to catch up on a few recent "Democracy Now!" shows that I missed, and Amy Goodman's interview of Stephen Pimpare especially caught my attention. Pimpare is the author of the book "A People's History of Poverty in America," which looks at the experience of being poor in America. As he explained in the interview, "instead of asking 'How has policy changed over time?', we invert our analysis and ask the question 'How has the experience of being poor and in need changed over time?'" You can read or listen to the interview here.

I have exciting news to share with you--  H.R. 676, my bill for universal, single-payer health care, has a new home on the web! 
 
www.johnconyers.com/healthcare
 
This new page on my website has background on our health care crisis, details on how H.R. 676 will fix it, and ways to get involved in the fight for universal health care.  Please visit the new site and take a look around.
 
The need for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans has never been more pressing.  Every week, new articles and academic studies show the rising costs and falling quality of care.  But for millions of Americans, the case is not made for universal health care in their newspapers or email inboxes.  The need to change our broken system is apparent in their soaring medical bills, limited choice of doctors, hours dealing with red tape for simple care, and fear that one more trip to the emergency room will send them into bankruptcy.
 
My new health care page will be a place for the millions of Americans to share their health care horror stories, become better informed about the comprehensive change my single-payer plan has to offer, and sign on to be a citizen co-sponsor of H.R. 676.  I hope you'll visit the new site and spread the word to your family and friends.
 
www.johnconyers.com/healthcare
 
Together, we will fix our broken health care system.
 
Thank you for your continued commitment to a better--and healthier--democracy,

Your Friend, 
 
John Conyers, Jr.  

Albert Woodfox, a member of the Angola 3, has just been freed from prison. You may not be familiar with this case from Louisiana but three African-American men who organized the Black Panthers in prison were convicted of the 1972 murder of a prison guard with very suspect evidence.  They were kept in solitary confinement for 33 years.  33 YEARS!  

Here is an NPR story from earlier this year about the case and today's piece from the New Orleans Times-Picayune. 

Much has emerged over the years that called into question the evidence used in this trial. Unfortunately it has taken a very long time for Mr. Woodfox to receive justice.  I have long fought for the truth to come out about this man's struggle and I am pleased to know he is finally free.

I thought you would be interested in an issue that got Senate Judicary Chairman Pat Leahy and me pretty fired up.  You may be surprised to know that it has been reported in the press that the Department of Justice has committed to pay up to $24,000 per month for the legal bills of former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.  If this strikes you as a curious use for taxpayer funds in the middle of an economic crisis, would it surprise you that the Department has so far refused to account for how or why these funds are to be spent?

The full story is here. 

I wanted to share an editorial from this morning's New York Times about the predatory loan-modification companies that have sprung up in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis. "Predators of every sort have regrouped and returned to their old ways," the editorial board writes, "this time as loan-modification companies, inserting themselves between hard-strapped homeowners and banks, offering to work deals --- for cash up front."

Although it's true these nefarious companies are to blame for the schemes they try to pass off as great deals to homeowners in foreclosure, they are filling a hole left by banks and the government. We have not been sufficiently aggressive in helping people restructure their mortgages and stay in their homes. As the editorial puts it, "the good actors in this bad drama need to get better at working around that problem, before more good money is thrown after bad."

A Better Way to Reform Health Care

I thought you might be interested in this letter to the editor in today's Washington Post.

I want a single-payer national health plan that provides private care (so we can choose our doctors) but is financed through the government (so we have oversight and economies of scale).

The full piece may be found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/11/AR2008111102389.html

I spent this past weekend in northeast Ohio campaigning for the Obama campaign and was very encouraged by what I saw. 

There is a tremendous amount of enthusiasm for change in Ohio.

I traveled from Cleveland to Warren to Youngstown to Akron to Cuyohoga Falls. Along the way I met with scores of Obama volunteers. I even met with my former House colleague, Tom Sawyer, and my present Judiciary Committee colleague, Betty Sutton.

I also ran into some very interesting people in Akron.  Upon leaving the Obama headquarters there, I discovered some HR 676 supporters had gathered led by Progressive Democrats of America.  They have a bus made to promote single payer health care.

In all, I must report that there are a lot of people working hard to make sure voter turnout is as big as it should be.  The people I met understand something very important.  Obama doesn't win unless all of us vote and all of our friends vote.  

I hope you'll help in your community.

Barack Obama is ready to lead us in a new direction but he cannot do it alone. He will need a larger Democratic Majority in Congress to give us the change we need. Here are three strong candidates who can help us build an enduring progressive majority for years to come.  If you are able, please consider donating to their campaigns.  These gentlemen would make great congressmen.