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Hedy Tripp shared insights on the historic election of a Hmong American woman as mayor in St. Paul, Minnesota, and highlighted the Somali community's resistance against hate mail and threats in St. Cloud.
Ray McClendon provided a detailed update on the dismissed Georgia racketeering case against Donald Trump, emphasizing the role of Pete Scandalakis and the lack of legal recourse due to state charges. The group discussed the importance of grassroots organizing and voter turnout, with Ray highlighting the success of relational organizing in increasing Black voter turnout in Georgia and Virginia. The conversation ended with a brief mention of the impact of Marjorie Taylor Greene's resignation and the need for continued focus on grassroots activities ahead of the 2026 elections.
Dr. Alankrita Olson presented a report on removing managed care organizations from Medicaid to address cost savings and improve healthcare access. She explained that this approach could save states billions of dollars and improve care quality, citing Connecticut's experience. Alankrita encouraged listeners to contact their local PNHP chapters to get involved in this campaign, noting that similar efforts are underway in Minnesota and Hawaii: grassroots organizing efforts and voter turnout strategies. See https://pnhp.org Medicaid deprivatization and the need for single-payer Improved Medicare for All
Nuclear Plant Safety and Transition to Solartopia The discussion focused on the dangers and vulnerabilities of nuclear power plants, particularly Diablo Canyon and Palisades, in the context of regulatory changes and industry practices. Harvey Wasserman and Roger Rappaport highlighted the potential for accidents and the lack of transparency due to the weakened Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) under the Trump regime. They emphasized the risks of radiation releases and the need for public monitoring, as well as the importance of transitioning to renewable energy sources.
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