Lance Armstrong Unhappy With Candidates

[OzarkDem]

As well he should be.....

Letter today from Lance Armstrong


Right now, the nation's eyes are on Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and several other states that have not traditionally played a deciding role in presidential primaries. In my hometown of Austin, the airwaves are flooded with commercials, the candidates are everywhere, but what's missing is an honest dialogue about how to fight cancer.

Yesterday, I was convinced we had done enough to start that dialogue at the Democratic debate. I submitted an op-ed to the Austin American-Statesman: Armstrong: Candidates, Texans have spoken: We care about cancer. The LIVESTRONG Army took to the streets. I called in every favor I could think of.

Yet despite our efforts, here in my own city – where my Foundation is headquartered, where thousands have turned out to support our cause – we still weren't able to get the candidates to tell us what they'd do about cancer.
I said a year ago that I was getting impatient, and now I've flat out had enough.

I've had enough of the media and candidates ignoring the 560,000 Americans who will lose their lives to cancer this year. I've had enough of the blatant disregard for the nearly 12 million cancer survivors alive today and the challenges that they still face. I've had enough with a government that says cancer is a problem but won't fund the necessary research to make any real advances.

I've had enough, and I need your help.

If you are getting this email we know that (1) cancer has affected you in some way and (2) you live in a state that has yet to vote. I need you to help me get the candidates on the record. Flood their rallies, attend their debates, overwhelm their town halls and ask them one of these questions:

"What would you do to decrease cancer deaths in this country?"

"Would your administration be in favor of a national ban on smoking in public places?"

"If elected President, would you work to significantly increase funding to the NCI and CDC?"

Let's get the dialogue going.

[EmilyAnne]

1. Isn't he a Republican? Anyway, I think health care reform relates to cancer. n/t

[Coexist]

2. what is he smoking? Healthcare gets more press than Iraq.

[Mike03]

3. Well, Yes and No

He should be unhappy with the current candidates, but he ought to at least admit that John Edwards was on top of this.

Sounds like he isn't exactly paying attention.

[rox63]

4. People who get cancer and have access to health care will probably be diagnosed earlier

That alone could save millions of lives.

[lligrd]

5. Unfortunately, The Last 7 Years Have Left Us With Even More

pressing issues than health care to fix.

[TheDonkey]

6. So now Hillary supporters are just anti-anyone in 2008?

sheesh

[TheDebbieDee]

9. Can you back that statement up with the name of any other Hillary

supporter?

Can you?

Give it a rest already and help your candidate reach out to other Democrats (Hillary supporters among them) the way you helped him reach out to repukes!

[ronnykmarshall]

11. Thank you!

I think a LOT of fences need to mended.

[TheDebbieDee]

7. He must mean that he wants a candidate that promises

to pour millions or billions of tax dollars into cancer research.

God knows that these pharmaceutical companies don't want to find a CURE for cancer - finding a cure for anything wouldn't improve their bottom line!

[OzarkDem]

28. Try reading what he wrote

Cancer is one of the biggest killers of Americans and the death rate is rising.

[Egnever]

8. Those roids kicking in there lance?

[monmouth]

10. He's a royal pain in the a$$...sorry..n/t

[Maddy McCall]

12. My father is a cancer survivor. I certainly support him in getting answers to his questions.

[Avalux]

13. What exactly are the candidates supposed to do?

"Cancer" is such a constellation term and if he really, really, really wants to do something on the research and development end, he's gonna need to get the private sector to fund it. As far as what do to after one gets cancer, then he needs to push for a change in our healthcare system, primarily prevention.

His cause is noble but he needs to realize it's not as simple as he'd like it to be.

[Bluenorthwest]

17. Yeah, most cancer survivors think it is simple

You are really a class act there.

[Barack_America]

14. Is either candidate in favor of cutting research funding?

I don't recall reading that and it's kind of a big issue considering that's where my paycheck comes from.

Both are advocating expanding healthcare coverage, which WILL lead to a decrease in cancer deaths via earlier detection.

Neither can push a ban on smoking in public places considering that: it is really a state and local issue , IMO.

[VenusRising]

15. Did he ask this of Bush on their little bike rides together?

I understand his concern, but his answers should be found under the category of health care.

[From The Left]

16. Please. Lance is Just Mad His BFF Bush Can't Run Again

He's a Bush loyalist.

[karynnj]

18. There is nothing wrong with asking these questions, but his method is annoying.

Instead of showboating, he could have gone to the three campaigns and asked for answers to the three questions saying he would send the campaigns' positions to his list of people for whom these are important issues.

In 2006, when he has a forum, both John Kerry and Elizabeth Edwards both participated in ways far beyond what anyone could have asked. (Senator Kerry spoke of his father's painful death from the same cancer that he was treated for at an extremely early stage, thanks to his wife's insistence that the trend be considered even though the measurement was below the established threshold - something now done, but not then. This was an intensely personal speech by a relatively private man. Elizabeth Edwards, likewise, spoke of her cancer - which at that time she thought she had beaten. Again a very personal contribution.)

Here are some of the things in one Obama document found after 1 minute using google:

"Underinvestment in prevention and public health. Too many Americans go without
high-value preventive services, such as cancer screening and immunizations to protect
against flu or pneumonia. Providers are not adequately reimbursed for helping patients
manage chronic illnesses like diabetes or asthma.11 Similarly, community-based
prevention efforts, which have helped to drive down rates of smoking and lead poisoning,
for example, are under-utilized despite their effectiveness."



http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/HealthPlanFull.pdf

I'm sure it would take the same length of time to find Hillary's plan.

[girl gone mad]

19. Why all the hate for Lance?

Having spent a lot of time in Austin, I've witnessed how much time, energy and money he has devoted to the cause of cancer research, prevention being a big part of that effort.

So we hate him because he bicycled with Bush? Are DUers really this shallow? That well-publicized ride was a means of promoting exercise (again, to highlight prevention), raising awareness and convincing Bush to fund cancer research. Good for Armstrong that he was able to put politics aside for his cause.

I can't imagine for a minute that he's a Republican. No, Universal health care is not enough. No, private funding is not enough. When's the last time privately funded researchers cured any disease?

Sometimes this board can be so petty.

[Maddy McCall]

20. Good post.

:thumbsup:

[sellitman]

22. Thank you for that.

Go Lance!

[ncteechur]

24. It appears that he has been a dickhead to all the women in his life

and he is reportedly a republican, and the last I heard was that he was seeing one of the Olsen twins?

It is safe to say that I don't like the guy. But he is a great cyclist and I'm glad he survived.

[matcom]

21. Matcom Unhappy With Tour De France Contestants

film at 11

[OzarkDem]

29. Here's hoping you don't get cancer

or you'll be thinking differently of Lance's work.

[DURHAM D]

23. What an ass.

Hillary, Dennis, Edwards and Richardson appeared at his forum last summer. Obama skipped it.

John Kerry sucked up to him repeatedly but as I recall Lance withheld his endorsement.

Isn't Lance planning to run for Governor of Texas as a Republican?

[OzarkDem]

26. Lance is doing a fantastic job

He's working on cancer research, access to health care and support services for cancer survivors.

May you be fortunate enough to never need the things he's advocating for.

Its a non-partisan issue and Dems have been doing as crappy a job with it as the GoP.

[Araxen]

25. Is Cancer research really that underfunded?

I'm not trying to be mean but it's an honest question. I'm sure there are alot of other diseases that get alot less funding than cancer research.

[OzarkDem]

27. Not just research, also access to treatment

doesn't do any good to conduct research if no one can afford the treatment.