|
October, 2008 The crisis on Wall Street. The war on terrorism. Energy woes. The difficult situations that face our nation extend well beyond the health care industry challenges that we all live and breathe every day. The beauty of the American way of life is that, twice a year – in the primary and the fall general elections – we have the opportunity to make choices. Unlike many nations, Americans have the privilege and the right to select our leaders at the local, state and national level. It is an act of citizenship that, unfortunately, many of us still take for granted. Since 1972, just over half (55%) of eligible voters cast votes in Presidential elections. And we know from experience that some elections have been decided by the thinnest of margins. The 2008 elections will see the President and Vice President, one-third of the U.S. Senate, all of the U.S. House of Representatives, 11 Governors, and state and local representatives as well up for election nationwide. In anticipation of the general election on November 4, 2008, Catholic Health East, has initiated My Voice, My Vote, a system-wide registration and get-out-the-vote campaign originally developed by Catholic Health Initiatives. Catholic Health East is dedicated to carrying out our Mission: to be a transforming, healing presence within the communities we serve. To realize our Mission, we advocate public policies and initiatives -- particularly in the area of healthcare -- that ensure quality of life for all. There are many ways to advocate for a cause: phone calls, personal visits, and letters to legislators; petitions; ad campaigns; and letters to the editor are common examples of how citizens seek to make their voices heard. But, in the end, all of our advocacy efforts depend on ensuring that our ultimate voices – our votes – are heard. In order for your voice to be heard on Election Day 2008, you must take the first step: register to vote. Since CHE has facilities in eleven states, I wanted to remind everyone about voter registration deadlines in your particular state:
My Voice, My Vote is designed to encourage colleagues, as well as others affiliated with Catholic Health East, to register to vote, educate themselves about the candidates and the issues and to get out and vote on November 4th. On the Advocacy page of the CHE Portal, you will find the My Voice, My Vote Action Guide that contains suggestions for implementing the campaign and templates for newsletter articles and e-mails, which can be customized to your organization. Additional materials such as table tents and flyers are also posted on the Portal. Many of our facilities have shared success stories about how they have gotten involved with their colleagues and communities in voter registration and education efforts. Registering to vote is just the first step in this process, but it is an absolute necessity in order to make sure your voice is heard in November. As we count down the days to this extremely important election, I urge you to use the My Voice, My Vote resources to help encourage your colleagues to become engaged in the process.
|
|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Catholic Health East | About Us | Services | Employment | Regional Health Systems | Outreach | Publications | Contact Us | For CHE Members
Catholic Health East, 3805 West Chester Pike, Suite 100 |
| • | About Us |
| • | Mission and Values |
| • | History |
| • | Holy Memory, Faithful Action |
| • | Sponsorship Heritage |
| • | President's Welcome |
| • | Our Values in Practice |