Tag: Improved Medicare for All

Barry Hermanson encourages advocates in the fight for good, affordable health care to embody the slogan “Don’t mourn. Organize!”, while acknowledging that winning is difficult, but not impossible. Hermanson also proclaims the reality of value in numbers – the more people engaged in the struggle, the greater the possibility of claiming the prize.

Voting is critical in this November 3, 2020 election, whether it’s a vote for or against a candidate or issue. “Tens of millions of registered voters did not cast a ballot in the 2016 presidential election, and the share who cited a ‘dislike of the candidates or campaign issues’ as their main reason for not participating reached a new high of 25 percent,” according to a Pew Research Center analysis of new Census Bureau data.

A killer like healthcare denial or scarcity is still free to claim lives and roam our neighborhoods in spite of all kinds of laws passed in the name of justice and equality.

San Francisco Greens want an Improved Medicare for All bill introduced in the California State Assembly or Senate at the beginning of the next legislative session in January 2021.

Democratic Party leaders in Washington and Sacramento prioritize profit in healthcare over the needs of patients. Campaign donations from the for-profit industry keep us tied to a healthcare system that is rationed on your ability to pay for private insurance, co-pays and deductibles.

On the Muppets show in the 1970s, Kermit the Frog sang, “It’s not easy being green.” It isn’t easy being a Green Party candidate. There are advantages and disadvantages. I was a Democrat until 2001, at age 50, I registered to vote with the Green Party. Greens value people, planet and peace over profit. Leaders in the Democratic Party do not. I am a candidate for Congress because San Francisco voters do not have an advocate for peace in Washington.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi is a leading proponent of only incremental change to our broken healthcare system, and legislators at the state level are following her lead. Sens. Lara and Atkins have stopped advocating for SB 562. Sen. Scott Wiener, Assemblyman David Chiu and Assemblyman Phil Ting all say they support Medicare for All. How long must we wait before these Democratic Party leaders do something to help us achieve better healthcare at a lower cost?