Citizen Revolt: Week of August 18
Let's Clean the Air, Have a Care About Medicare, Who Gets Cancer?
By Katharine Biele @kathybiele
Let's Clean the Air
How bad is it, really? If you don't have COPD or asthma, what's the problem? Well, Utah has had the worst air quality in the country, and we're ranked No. 18 in the world. The No. 1 spot is not something to aspire to. Sometimes, it seems impossible to deal with, what with the Utah Legislature's adoration of fossil-fuel industries. But hold on. There is something you can do to change the trajectory. Join Clean the Darn Air's Presentation on Northern Utah Districts as environmental warriors kick off another attempt to qualify for the November 2024 ballot. This is a reboot of the 2020 effort "to provide $100 million a year for air quality programs, $50 million a year for rural economic development and long-needed tax reforms like eliminating the state sales tax on grocery store food, all of it paid for with a modest carbon tax on the fossil fuels that are the main source of both local air quality problems and global climate change." Virtual, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 7 p.m., free. https://bit.ly/3bZmdgI
Have a Care About Medicare
Maybe you're not 65 yet, but trust us, you will be someday, and we hope Medicare will still be there for you. After all, you earned it, no matter how they try to tell you it's an "entitlement." But there's more to Medicare than just getting your money back. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has begun soliciting public comment on the Medicare Advantage program. "We know that the best way to serve Medicare Advantage enrollees would be to free them from the financial burdens and administrative hassles imposed by the commercial insurance companies that administer their benefits. Policymakers need to know that the public is paying attention, and that we are demanding nothing less than single-payer Medicare for All." Submit a formal comment to the Request for Information on Medicare at the Federal Register. Let's talk about expanded access and health equity. Online or by mail, before Wednesday, Aug. 31, free. https://bit.ly/3BVVNXT
Who Gets Cancer?
We likely all will get cancer if we live long enough. But that doesn't mean it affects everyone equally. "Research confirms that the LGBTQ+ community carries a disproportionate burden of cancer, has distinctive risk factors and faces additional barriers to accessing health care." Colors of Cancer aims to equal the playing field. There will be discussions about how to change those barriers while interacting in a festive atmosphere. "Just like the colors of the rainbow each have a meaning for the LGBTQ+ community, these colors also correspond with a specific cancer ribbon." The Gateway Plaza, 18 N. Rio Grande St., Saturday, Aug. 20, 2 p.m, free.https://bit.ly/3QkGHzk
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
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