For Immediate Release
Contact: Betty Traynor
(415) 558-8133

GREEN PARTY SENATE CANDIDATE BARBARA BLONG ANNOUNCES
ENDORSEMENT OF THE SINGLE PAYER INITIATIVE AS WASHINGTON
HEALTH CARE TALKS COLLAPSE

Barbara Blong, the Green Party's candidate for U.S. Senate, has announced
her endorsement of Proposition 186, the California Health Security
initiative. Proposition 186 would establish a single payer health care
system in California similar to the system in place in Canada since the
early 1970s.

"Health care should be a right, not a privilege," said Blong. "Workers
should not have to worry about losing their health care if they change
jobs. We must end the unjust system where the lowest-paid workers
subsidize health care for millionaire senators, yet have no health care
themselves," she said, referring to an Urban Institute study showing that
over 80% of the uninsured work at least part time. Noting that health
care costs are a factor in 50% of personal bankruptcies, Blong added, "We
must end a system where the tragedy of disease is compounded with the
tragedy of bankruptcy."

Proposition 186 has been endorsed by senior groups such as the California
AARP, consumer groups such as Consumer's Union, good government groups
such as the California League of Women Voters, as well as by many unions
and church and community groups. "This is a well-constructed initiative
that is based on a system which has worked well for over 20 years," Blong
said. "It would provide health care to all Californians. Workers would
retain their health care if they changed or lost jobs. It would be
affordable and paid for progressively. Californians would have complete
choice of health care provider, which would encourage healthy competition
for better service. And, by eliminating the wasteful health insurance
industry and cutting excess health care profits, we can afford to cover
everyone."

"The collapse of health care talks in Washington shows that the Democrats
and Republicans are paying attention to the needs of the health care
industry, not the American people," said Blong, referring to a July 22
New York Times article on the $100 million spent to influence the health
care debate over the past 18 months. "Neither Feinstein nor Huffington
supports a real solution like single payer, and they certainly don't look
like they intend to. The 20% of Californians without health insurance,
apparently, are not high on their priority lists."

"The inability of the Democrats and Republicans to legislate a simple,
straightforward system of health care is one more illustration of their
loss of vision and principle," said Blong. "The Green Party is here to
fill the gap."

Barbara Blong is the first U.S. Senate candidate from the Green Party of
California which qualified for ballot status in January 1992. To reach
her campaign, please contact: Barbara Blong for U.S. Senate, 2940 16th
Street, Suite 200-8, San Francisco, CA 94103, (415) 255-2940, FAX: (415)
558-8135.

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