Good news, people — at last, congressional Democrats have gotten a clue, grown some spine and are beginning to act like… well, like Democrats!
In particular, a majority of Dems in the U.S. House are responding to the rising public demand that decent health care be treated as a right for everyone, rather than being rationed by profiteering insurance conglomerates. Nearly six of 10 Dems in the House have now signed on to Rep. John Conyers’ “Medicare for All” bill, which is being carried in the Senate by Bernie Sanders.
So — Hallelujah, progress!
Yes, but there are many speed bumps to overcome before the Democratic Party gets onto the moral high road of politics — Rep. Nancy Pelosi, for one. When the leader of House Democrats was asked if the party should make health-care-for-all a major issue in Congress and in the 2018 elections, she replied with a flat “no.” Basically, Pelosi says “the American people” aren’t ready for it — by which she really means that the narrow slice of the public that inhabits her world — health industry executives, lobbyists and campaign donors — aren’t ready. Meanwhile, a good 60 percent of regular Americans are damned sure ready, telling pollsters that our government has a responsibility to ensure that everyone gets the care they need.
Let’s be blunt: When it comes to the fiery leadership that America’s grassroots people want and need, the Democratic Party establishment is weaker than Canadian hot sauce. When you’ve got 60 percent of your party’s rank-and-file congressional members ready to go, and 60 percent of the public is also ready to go — it’s time to go! The national party’s “leadership” must get going on health care for all, or the leadership itself must go.
To help push both the party and the issue forward, go to www.NationalNursesUnited.org.
This opinion column does not necessarily reflect the views of Boulder Weekly.
