Today I’m writing this piece to ask a simple favor of everyone whom my words reach: Please support the M4M4A events happening in 52 major cities across the United States.
Who’s making this call? A very broad coalition of leftist and liberal groups who are sick of seeing their fellow man left without healthcare during a pandemic. This coalition consists of Yellow Vest Actions, The Movement For A People’s Party, Healthcare Is A Human Right, Far South Chicago Coalition, Young EcoSocialists, various DSA and Sunrise Movement chapters, Single Payer Action Network Ohio, Illinois Single Payer Coalition, various chapters of the Green Party, various chapters of the NAACP, and some chapters of Black Lives Matter. I’d say it’s a truly historic coalition, and just a taste of what can be done when we focus on the collective good. (see https://m4m4all.org/coalition.php for the whole list)
I’m sure some are thinking “of course!” And some may be more skeptical. But these are grassroots events that organizers have been working hard for with NO support from any mainstream political parties or politicians.
Studies in 2020 indicated that over 70% of Americans support a Medicare For All policy. It got tossed around and thrown aside after the campaigning was done, pretty typical of Democrats, I suppose.
It’s time for America to rise up and DEMAND it. Mass movements drive change.
Almost all European countries have healthcare available for all citizens. Most European countries have systems of competing private health insurance companies, along with government regulation and subsidies for citizens who cannot afford health insurance premiums. Countries with universal healthcare include Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Isle of Man, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
Why do we deny this same basic right to American citizens? For all this talk about being the “greatest country on Earth” we’re sure missing the mark.
Why is this necessary, you may ask?
Each year in the United States, more than 45,000 people die due to lack of access to healthcare. (according to a Harvard University study)
We pay MORE, on average for healthcare than ANY OTHER NATION, and the quality of care doesn’t reflect the extra cost. Our seniors are burdened with ridiculously high prices on life-saving medications, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, etc. Our working class is burdened with ridiculously high cost of health insurance, often tied to an employer, for insurance with extremely high deductibles and co-pays.
So where is all of this happening? In an ever-growing list of cities (52, if I remember correctly)
These marches can be found in a full list with much more information at https://m4m4all.org/marches.php
There’s a carpool sign up, and detailed information for every march on this list… Let’s make it historic!
I know many of us (including myself) have lost faith in electoral politics in a big way. It’s time to take the power back, and no longer take “no” for an answer! Solidarity!
