PHOTO/HARVEY FINKLE
DETROIT, MI — The leadership of both parties in Congress appear to be headed for some kind short-term, bipartisan deal on healthcare access. They should be fighting for the expansion of Medicaid in the 18 states that have refused to do so.
The leadership of the healthcare movement must prepare and carry out a battle for the expansion of Medicaid in those states. It is somewhat like the battle against the extension of slavery in the 1850s. We have to fight for the extension of Medicaid as part of the war to pass H.R.676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act.
This means we have to replace the state legislators and governors who oppose expansion of Medicare with leaders who will fight for it. This will be one of the key struggles in 2018 and 2020.
The other key struggle in 2018 and 2020 is to elect leaders in the House and Senate who support H.R. 676 instead of the leaders in the recent battle to defund the Affordable Care Act who refused to introduce H.R. 676 in the Senate.
In 2020, we will elect the next president. Our candidate must support H.R. 676. There is no other choice. This struggle for healthcare access is too important for the people of this country to leave in the hands of the present leaders in Congress. And that is precisely what the Trumps, Scaramuccis and their ilk would like us to do.
So, healthcare movement, get it together. John Brown fought against the expansion of slavery in our past history. He would fight for the expansion of Medicaid today and for H.R. 676 in the coming years.
