2. Every week, there are over one thousand benefits in the U.S. by musicians for other musicians in health crisis. These range from small ones at the corner bar to larger efforts such as the series of benefits for Sweet Relief, the organization founded by Victoria Williams, that will be held in LA in April with such artists as Puddle of Mudd, Michael Penn, Jerry Cantrell, and Michelle Shocked (scott@littledogrecords.com). Support every one of these that you can and let us know your thoughts about how we can knit all these isolated efforts together to create a powerful musical movement for health care.

3. Email us at rockrap@aol.com with information about any musician for musician benefit you know of.

4. The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) has a new contract with the music industry in which the number of artists eligible for health care benefits has been greatly expanded. This contract is a breakthrough that establishes a new morality--it breaks the obscene link between access to health care and income level. If you're in AFTRA, be sure you find out about the new health care agreement. If you're not in AFTRA, tell somebody about it who is.

5. On August 25-29, the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign (kwru.org) will set up "Bushville" in northern New Jersey. This encampment will focus attention on the dirty deeds of the Republican National Convention across the river in New York City. It will also serve as a prelude to the August 30 "March For Our Lives" from New Jersey to New York City, a march that will press demands for health care, housing, education, and jobs. A cultural festival is being planned for August 29th. If you are interested in participating, contact kwru@kwru.org or the March Hotline (888-231-1948).

6. Wherever there is any activity around the struggle for health care--a strike, a hospital closing, a benefit--add your talents to the mix. For example, contact Jobs With Justice (tfaulkner@cwa-union.org), a nationwide coalition of unions and community organizations which is staging "Health Care Action Day" this week in dozens of cities. Jobs With Justice has a very active Artist Program and they would be glad to hear from you.

7. All this activity needs a vision of how the problem of health care delivery can be fundamentally solved. Check out the Just Health Care campaign.