National Nurses United

In a recent column I wrote for Huffing- ton Post, dozens of nurses responded from the heart about why they have been moved to sound the call for Bernie. Their voices, from the heart, are the clearest picture of what this campaign means to nurses and all of us at NNU, so I will close by letting them speak for themselves: Kathy Souza Donohue: Bernie's values are nurses' values. This country has the biggest disparity in wealth than ever before. Despite the Affordable Care Act, people still can't afford healthcare. We need a single-payer system. Our children, our future, should be able to get an education and not come out with loans that will take them years to pay off and difficulty getting a job to pay them off. We need a living wage for all. The more people make, the more they spend, the better for our economy. We need affordable housing and the ability to retire in dignity. This country needs healing and Bernie is the presidential candidate who can lead the way. Amy Muraki: Nurses support Bernie Sanders and his campaign because he understands that healthcare is a human right, that no child, man, nor woman should have to choose between seeking medical care or paying for prescriptions over food and shelter. Bernie understands and stands with us on protecting our environment and how poor environmental conditions affect the health of all humans. Bernie shares Nurses' Values. I am a proud registered nurse and UNION nurse and proudly endorse Bernie Sanders for president! Jane Sandoval: Bernie supports rais- ing the minimum wage. He is an advocate for a single-payer healthcare system and safe staffing ratios. He supports the Robin Hood Tax, free public college, and under- stands how the TPP and the effects of global warming are legitimate concerns. These are not only nurses' values, but values for our patients and community. Feel the BeRN! Michelle Vo: Any nurse who practices at the bedside knows the struggles of patients not only with their health issues but every- thing else which impacts their health in a disastrous way. Economic atrocities such as having to come up with huge amounts of money just to see the doctor, get medications, and get diagnostic tests done should not be a massive burden to families, but they are. Amy Gamache-Glass: Nurses support Bernie because we understand how climate change, lack of healthcare, lack of collage education, racial inequality, and austerity harm our patients. Nurses support Bernie Sanders because he also realizes that our communities cannot be healthy if there is not change. He has long been a supporter of nurses' values and has stood with America's nurses many times on these tough issues. I stand with my profession in supporting Sanders, my union who listened to the nurs- es and chose to endorse him, and I stand with Bernie Sanders for president! Irma Westmoreland: NNU is the voice for all staff RNS. We know what it takes to actually care for patients. NNU strongly believes in the Bernie Sanders platform and campaign. He stands for nurses' values. NNU supports him and will continue to do so. Pamela Brooks-Stowe: He speaks truths about our nation that I have heard from my family, friends, and community. Those truths are that our beautiful country has been corrupted by the high-powered corporations who have governed our health- care into profits for their pockets, bought our politicians' votes, and made poor deci- sions for our country – all for their profits. America is founded on rights for the people. Bernie Sanders supports nurses' values and wants to heal our nation and bring the power of decision-making back to the people. Johanna Lavorando: Bernie supports and understands the importance of the nurse-to-patient ratios in order to provide safe patient care. He supports a worker's right to join a union. He wants to raise the minimum wage to $15 and wants free/affordable public college. He under- stands the importance of protecting our environment. His campaign is a people's campaign, which resonates with nurses who advocate for their patients. He supports universal healthcare and understands that people continue to struggle with affording healthcare. He supports the Robin Hood Tax, wants to take big money out of Congress. He wants to protect Social Securi- ty. He fights for racial and economic equali- ty. I am proud that my union is endorsing Bernie Sanders. Amy Erb: Bernie Sanders perfectly aligns with nurses' values. He understands that income and racial inequality is inex- orably tied to the literal and figurative health of a country and its people. He is a vocal advocate for a single-payer healthcare system that would ensure all people access to care. Nurses have seen the effects of denied care based on a "wallet biopsy." He also is in favor of an educated public provid- ed for by a Robin Hood Tax and realizes the urgency of mitigating our effects on climate and the environment. What's not to like? BeRNie for president! Rochelle Pardue-Okimoto: The system is broken and Bernie Sanders is ready to take it on. David Welch: The best thing about Bernie is the sense that he is so real and true. He never has to check a poll to find out what he believes in. And his core principles have been unchanged for more than 40 years. Shannon Petterson: I've liked Bernie's politics for a long time. I'm happy he is running for president. He is what we need for healthcare, foreign policy, climate change, and breaking Wall Street's hold on this country. Bip Wal: Go listen to him when he is in your community, or go to his website if you can't hear him in person. He stands for the issues that matter to the common, middle- class American; he stands for the 99 percent. If you decide to vote for him you will make our great nation go in the right direction. Be part of history and a revolution. Laurel Neufeld-Williams: Bernie Sander's refreshing campaign reflects an honest, practical vision for a country that won't be controlled by a small percent of people who obtained their wealth through greedy corporations and Wall Street moguls. He doesn't need money from super PACs and isn't running a negative campaign. He is the candidate America needs to be our next president. You got it right, RoseAnn! Trish Gonzalez: I'm elated with the BeRNie endorsement. This man has a consistent, recorded record of American advocacy. Healthcare, human rights, turning his back on the corporate greed running this country. Laura Owen: Nurses support Bernie because he knows that in order to make America better, we need to build people up, not tear them down and that means health- care for all, quality education for all, and a living wage for all, period! Erin Forquer: Bernie Sanders has not changed his stance for over 20 years; we are all finally catching up to him. How many candidates can say that? He can win. He will win. And then we all win. RoseAnn DeMoro is executive director of National Nurses United. S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5 W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N A T I O N A L N U R S E 13

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