As a doctor and a governor, there is no more important issue for me
than ensuring quality, affordable health care for all. We did it in
Vermont, and we must do it for our country. Your hard work and advocacy
has made health care a top issue in this election — but we cannot let
up.



Our
health care system is in crisis. Nationwide, 44 million people have no
health insurance and 74 percent of those without coverage come from
working families. We cannot allow this to continue.



So I am
asking you to join tens of thousands of other Americans on June 19th
for a national day of action to “Bridge the Gap in Health Care” between
those who have coverage and those who don't. Americans for Health Care,
Jobs With Justice, Rock the Vote and our friends at SEIU are sponsoring
events from the Golden Gate to the Brooklyn Bridge.



To find an event near you, or to start your own event, go to:



democracyforamerica.com/june19



This
crisis affects everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, income,
education, employment, or age. It is not just tragic — it is immoral.
At this moment, there are 8.5 million children in our country without
health care.



Costs
are rising uncontrollably and fewer people can afford to keep what
coverage they do have. While you have been reading this letter three
more people have lost their health care coverage. This is completely
unacceptable. On June 19th, we will demand action and tell our elected
officials that we haven't forgotten about health care — and neither
should they:



democracyforamerica.com/june19



If you
can't attend an event, please tell your friends, family, and colleagues
why you support this national day of action. You can also join me and
more than 250,000 other Americans who have declared ourselves “Health
Care Voters”:



democracyforamerica.com/healthcarevoter



When you
become a Health Care Voter, you pledge to support candidates who
propose detailed, feasible plans for ensuring quality, affordable
health care for all. When we speak with one voice on this issue we can
make change happen.



We ought
not be the last industrialized country to guarantee health care to all
its people. We can solve this problem, but only by working together. We
must stand up and demand that our elected officials start working for
the 44 million Americans who are uninsured and the millions more who
are underinsured.



Please
help ensure that all eyes remain focused on this crisis; the longer we
wait to do something, the worse this problem gets. Please act now —
lives depend on it.



Thank you.



Governor Howard Dean, M.D.



P.S. —
We cannot win the fight on issues that matter if our votes aren't
counted in November — join more than 117,000 Americans who have signed
the petition to ensure verifiable, accountable voting systems:


democracyforamerica.com/counteveryvote