Both Republicans and Democrats seem to agree that health care needs to be better. For the Republican Party, they have shown us their desire. With the House of Representatives voting on Thursday to overturn many of the hallmark pieces of the Affordable Care Act in favor of their American Health Care Act. The AHCA is nothing less than a death sentence for millions of Americans and a massive gift to insurance companies.
The Democrats, however, only want to add what they believe are incremental improvements to the ACA, ignoring the fact that the majority of Americans, including many Republican voters, want single-payer health care.
Moments after the devastating vote, a reporter asked House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi if the Democrats would finally support single-payer, to which she answered, “no,” without skipping a beat.
This, coupled with the party’s choice to throw all their weight behind Hillary Clinton’s campaign, instead of Bernie Sanders who would have taken populism toe-to-two against Donald Trump, shows the ever growing disconnect between voters and the Democratic Party.
By party standards, Sanders represented the left, meaning he stood to the left of center, while Clinton and the neoliberal establishment inside the party pushed further and further right of center.
The party believed it knew what the American people wanted and put all their weight behind the only candidate who could have lost to arguably worst presidential candidate in US history.
Yet, even after the defeat over health care in the house, many voters are looking to the party to offer resistance and hope. Even Democrats, losing on the House floor sang “hey hey hey, goodbye,” with such cocky arrogance, alluding to the fact that Republicans could lose seats in the 2018 midterms for their health care vote.
These voters are going to be gravely disappointed when they realize the party has no plan B. Democrats are offering nothing to voters in the form of hope. They pulled funding from critical local elections and handed victories to Republicans. They have even turned their back on what are assumed liberal values when Pelosi said that the Democratic Party had room for pro-life Democrats.
“Democrats are offering nothing to voters in the form of hope.”
In fact, even Sanders found himself in hot water after stumping for an anti-choice Democrat.
Voters need to finally realize that calling Representatives and #Resist hashtags on social media are not going to win them health care or win them the election.
The American people should be in the streets like they were during the Muslim ban. Occupying insurance companies, government buildings, and the offices of each and every official who voted to strip the American people of health care.
They should also be in the offices of every single Democrat demanding a single-payer solution now. No alternatives. The health-care-for-profit model must be destroyed.
If the Democrats refuse to do it, which they will, the American people need to seek representation elsewhere, taking their votes to radical third parties.
It’s time the US voters embrace the left in all its forms and realize they are all the US has left to stand against the tyranny being carried out by both parties.
If we have learned anything since the election of Trump it’s that when we take to the streets we make a difference.
Our voices helped crush Trump’s Muslims travel ban.
Our voices helped deplatform racists like Charles Murray, transphobic bigots like Milo Yiannopoulos, and white nationalist neo-Nazis like Richard Spencer. The left has proven to the world there is strength in numbers and power in civil disobedience.
We rightfully found the strength to stand up against racism and bigotry. Now it’s time we find the strength to stand up for health care as a human right for every single American.
Originally published at www.danarel.com on May 5, 2017.
