As you can imagine, some people were shocked that anyone would challenge the most progressive congressperson in Washington. Others, however, immediately started sharing with me their everyday struggles and challenges that they wanted ME to pressure Barbara Lee about.
Mission accepted. This campaign is all about PRESSURE!
We are compiling these issues of concern to our community and will bring them to light to demonstrate that when we lack the very basics, in the most progressive district, of the most progressive state, with the most progressive representation, we need change.
We were assured that with a “public option” the healthcare system would evolve toward the kind of healthcare that other countries have taken for granted for decades. The Congressional Progressive Caucus, of which Barbara Lee was a chair leading up to 2009, said their support firmly hinged on having a “robust public option.” They quickly backed off “robust” and said at least some kind of public option, and when it came down to it the Progressive Caucus folded with no public option.
The last Congressperson holding out for the public option was Dennis Kucinich. He was taken up in the presidential jet and soon after he went along with the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare. In some ways US healthcare is better than before, but while costs to patients continue to skyrocket, this system is not nearly as equitable, comprehensive and efficient as a single payer, improved and expanded Medicare for all system.
Healthcare is just one example where the progressives in Washington fall far short of what is needed by everyone, from seniors to students to babies. There’s no excuse for this in the wealthiest country in the world.
In this election, I hope you vote with me, because I will pull Congress toward the health of people, not the profits of corporations.
If you have a moment, I invite you to watch my ‘Green Way Forward’ video, below.
To our health!
Laura
Laura Wells for Congress, District 13
www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/387084/laura-wells
www.LauraWells.org
www.cagreens.org
@LauraWellsCA