Donate to Wounded American Soldiers!!!

Zurich Drop-off Event

§ WHEN: Tuesday, December 8; 6pm to 7pm

§ WHERE: Starbucks (Central), Limmat-Quai 144, 8001 Zürich

§ WHAT: Democrats Abroad Switzerland is collecting care packages for the Wounded Warriors project and will be delivering them in person at Landstuhl Hospital in Germany on 12 December 2009.

Items Needed (must be new)

Ø Foot powder

Ø Chapstick

Ø Sweatshirts with hoods

Ø Jackets with hoods

Ø Sweatpants

Ø Toiletries

Ø Men’s underwear (Large and X-Large sizes) Socks

(Do not need to be new)

Ø Phonecards

Ø DVDs (American Zone 1 and non-violent)

Ø Books

Other Options

We are also happy to take up letters and cards you want to write the soldiers. Check out http://www.democrats.ch for details on what to write and ideas for what to include in a care package.

Please spread the word and print out the flyer to share with any colleagues or friends who may wish to take part! Download official flyer at: http://www.democratsabroad.org/sites/default/files/WW_DACH_A4_Print.pdf

For more information:

zurich@democrats.ch

Dear Fellow Dems Abroad,

I wanted to share with you, what was a life changing experience. At least it was for me!

I had the absolute honor of attending an event with President Bill Clinton this past Thursday. Before I go forward with the rest of this blog, I would like to thank the Secret Service for their unending kindness and going above and beyond to make sure I was able to meet the President.

I was greeted by an extremely kind Secret Service agent named Mike who informed me that I would be able to not only take a picture with the President, but would have a chance to speak with him as well. Those of you who are familiar with Bill Clinton, know that things did not start on time. So I was nervous that once again, as with President Obama, I would get bumped!

About an hour after arriving we were led to a downstairs room where we waited. About 20 minutes into the wait, without any great fanfare, President Clinton walks into the room! Wow!

After waiting for the others to take their pictures, and after numerous reminders from one of the organizers NOT TO TALK with the President, it was my turn. I stepped up just as Mike, the Secret Service agent whispers something into the Presidents ear. President Clinton turns to me, I extend my hand to shake his as others before me have done, and then he just draws me into a hug!! Ok, at this point I am having issues as to what I want to say to him and where the hell is the camera!

He asks me who I am, and my reply was thus: I am, at this moment an extremely proud American and the PR person for Democrats Abroad German Region, Switzerland. At this point there was no stopping the President from TALKING TO ME!

What follows is a message to all of you from President Clinton:

"Democrats Abroad? Well tell everyone from me, how profoundly grateful the party is for all the work you do for us all around the world. We could not do what we do without your extraordinary efforts. You people get too little credit for all you do"

I had to pull myself and my jaw off the floor at this point. I turned to leave, as the organizer is turning an unhealthy shade of red and purple. He is snapping his fingers as if the house is burning down and tells me to get a move on. At this point President Clinton signals to him and says, "wait a minute I am talking to her, I want to talk to her". Ha! He then asks me how long I have lived abroad and then finally says to me "thank you so much for coming to see me today".

I was able to tape about 20 minutes of his approx 1 hr speech, which will be posted ASAP.

How inspiring it was to hear words of encouragement not only for OUR organization, but to hear him make a call to all within the sound of his voice that the most important thing you can ever do is to help and give support to those around you in need.

I will be posting my "official" picture with him as soon as I receive it and will be sending off the video to Maya on Friday or Saturday.

Thank you so much for listening to me babble on. As you can see, I am still under that "ole Clinton black magic charm spell"!

Be Blessed All, Huggles,

Renèe Rousseau-Osterwalder

Election Night Celebration in Zurich

6-8pm Tuesday 3 November 2009
Regenbogen Bar, 6 rosengasse Zurich

Stop by and share a toast with us in celebration of Obama's victory one year ago and kicking off the 2010 election year. The same bar thursday night meet ups are held, please click the link above for the Bar website. For more info, email: zurich@democrats.ch

DA Zurich Celebrating the 45^th Anniversary with Cocktails

Thursday, October 15, 2009

From 6-8 p.m. at a members home in central Zurich

Suggested donation of 10 CHF cash (drinks and light snacks provided by host). Everyone who attends and pays the suggested amount will be automatically entered into a contest to win a prize!

Find out why and what we are celebrating here:

http://www.democratsabroad.org/node/9657

Invitation and details on the party coming very soon! Check back for updates soon!

For more information: zurich@democrats.ch

ZURICH- 09. September 2009- Health Care Discussion

Wednesday September 9th or 2009- Hosted by the Americans Women Club of Zurich, Democrats and others interested in the Health Care discussions happening in the United States right now came together to watch the PBS Frontline Video "Sick Around the World" and rally together their thoughts. The discussion centered around the worries and fears of people that a uniform public option would not be passed, or even supported by the President, to hopes of and goals of which issues should be adamently supported, and which not. The discussion was led by Jennifer Giroux who organized the event, and kept going by all who attended. Thank you all for your participation and we hope that you'll keep this debate going in your immediate, external and home community surroundings.

Do you know how your Repsensentative would vote on this issue? Your family? Your friends?


Thanks again.
Please click the "Flickr" link on the right and go to the event "Zurich DA Health Care Discussion" for more photos.

Health Care talk in Zurich on the 9th of September!!

TR Reid, former news correspondent, turned author wrote "The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care" which was published late this August. I haven't read it, and I'm sure most people here in Switzerland haven't had the chance to either. However, in the Frontline documentary on the ailing US health care system Reid makes a very interesting point, that has somehow failed to enter into the public debate over Congress' attempt to create a universal, or mandatory, health care system: we could use the other developed nations systems as examples.
The facts about health care are: the US spends more annually per person per capita than all other industrialized nation, life expectancy has fallen behind Chile and Cuba, hundreds of thousands of people go bankrupt from health care costs per year, and even patients on medicare have to have supplemental insurance to cover all their medical bills. US doctors pay for their educations, we boast the best nurses in the world, and most advanced technologies to cure our ailments- how could we implement a more universal health care system without losing those things that make the US health system one of the best in the world?
Reid argues that we only need to look in our backyard or across the pond.
"...foreign health-care models are not really "foreign" to America, because our crazy-quilt health-care system uses elements of all of them. For Native Americans or veterans, we're Britain: The government provides health care, funding it through general taxes, and patients get no bills. For people who get insurance through their jobs, we're Germany: Premiums are split between workers and employers, and private insurance plans pay private doctors and hospitals. For people over 65, we're Canada: Everyone pays premiums for an insurance plan run by the government, and the public plan pays private doctors and hospitals according to a set fee schedule. And for the tens of millions without insurance coverage, we're Burundi or Burma: In the world's poor nations, sick people pay out of pocket for medical care; those who can't pay stay sick or die..." (Reid, WashingtonPost http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/21/AR2009082101778_3.html)
Come join us to watch the Frontline episode where Reid briefly looks at 5 industrialized nations and their paths to a more uniform health care systems- and discuss with us your issues, concerns, and comments about the current health care debate happening in the US.

All constructive opinions and criticisms are welcome- looking forward to seeing you there!

(On a side note, the bill in the House can be located here: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3200/text )

What: Health Care Event:
Featuring the film "Sick Around the World"

When: Wednesday, September 9 at 7pm
Where: American Women's Club of Zurich Clubhouse

The ongoing Health Care debate in the United States has dominated the US headlines and led to the US health care system being compared to many other countries. To provide insights, and hopefully answer some questions, we will show the PBS Documentary "Sick Around the World" (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...roundtheworld/). This documentary explore how five other capitalist democracies -- the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Switzerland -- deliver health care, and what the United States might learn from their successes and their failures. We will view this film and then have a guided discussion. All are welcome!

There will be a cash bar available and light snacks will be served.

Public Transportation

Stauffacher - Trams 2/3/6/9/14 and Bus 76
Bahnhof Wiedikon - Trams 9/14 and Bus 76
Bahnhof Selnau - Tram 8