VAN NUYS : Nader to Address Valley Gathering

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader will address two activist groups in Van Nuys on Saturday.

Nader will speak at a joint meeting of Seniors for Action, an 8-year-old political advocacy group based in Van Nuys, and the San Fernando Valley National Health Coalition, which is made up of many of the Seniors for Action members.

Belle Palmer, president of Seniors for Action, said Nader spoke to the group four years ago. His agenda for change is similar to that of the two groups, she said.

“Nobody agrees 100%,” Palmer said. “But basically what he’s trying to do is what we’d like done.”

Palmer said the goals include reducing government bureaucracy, cutting the federal budget deficit, decreasing the unemployment rate, lowering insurance rates and bringing down health care costs. Every week, the 150-member Seniors for Action group hosts a guest speaker to address one or more of those issues, and holds an open discussion on current events once a month.

“We’re a very active group of seniors,” Palmer said. “We don’t take trips or play cards. We stick to political and health issues.”

The event will be held at the Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks Center at 5040 Van Nuys Boulevard at 11 a.m., with a brief question and answer period following the speech. Admission is free.