President Obama visited my town today in Central Illinois. I was not among the 1300 who drew from a lottery and got to see him in person, but I did watch parts of the livestream. Jen Hayden has posted the most sharp jabs at the GOP, which was pretty amazing. But what I didn’t expect was this:
From the Hill:
"Democrats aren't just running on good, old ideas like a higher minimum wage. They're running on good, new ideas like Medicare for all," Obama said.
And where was I when I heard this part of the speech? In a clinic, getting a stage 1 (slightly less) cancerous mole removed from my back. I’m lucky because I have a decent HMO through my state insurance plan. But not everyone does and I think they should have quality healthcare in a timely manner as I do.
Obama and establishment Democrats rejected the premise of Medicare for all and single payer health care during his eight years in the White House. But Obama previously supported single payer when he was a senator from Illinois.
The idea has gained momentum in the party following the insurgent presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in 2016.
Now, 16 Democrats in the Senate are co-sponsors on Sanders's Medicare for all legislation.
I’m hoping more Dems running in this midterm will go heed Obama’s call for that good idea. Andrew Gillum’s on board. So are Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, Kevin DeLeon, Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley, Kamala Harris, Kristen Gillibrand and Cory Booker. Healthcare is a right, not just a privilege as Bernie Sanders and Kristen Gillibrand have said on more than one occasion.
Let’s move that train down the tracks and show the voters that we are all in this fight together for our lives.
