Obamacare supporters rally
Demonstrators gather downtown to protest future attempts to repeal healthcare law.
Demonstrators gather to protest future attempts to repeal health law.
The Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act suffered a major blow last week, but supporters of the law forged ahead Saturday with rallies nationwide — including one in Los Angeles — protesting any further attempts to undermine the existing healthcare system.
The Our Lives on the Line day of action has been planned since June, touted as a show of force against repeal efforts. Our Lives on the Line is a coalition of progressive and healthcare organizations.
Early Friday, three Republican senators defied their party leaders in voting to defeat the so-called skinny repeal of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the skinny bill would have left 16 million more Americans uninsured, and caused insurance premiums to soar.
On Saturday, around 100 people gathered near City Hall in downtown L.A., holding signs that read, “Healthcare is a human right” and “Keep your tiny hands away! ACA is here to stay!,” sometimes using the signs to shield themselves from an unforgiving sun.
Mike Stutz, who joined three others in dressing up as a zombie, held a sign that read: “GOP Healthcare Horror! Their bad ideas just won’t die!”
“As these zombies warn us, we cannot rest,” said L.A. City Councilman Mike Bonin. “Like the evil, knifewielding slasher in a horror movie, they are coming back. They are coming back for your healthcare, they are coming back for my healthcare — they are coming back because they have a deadly determination to strip millions of people of what keeps them healthy and what keeps them alive.”
On Saturday morning, President Trump tweeted a warning: “If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon!”
The resounding message throughout the rally was that the battle isn’t over, with speakers encouraging attendees to keep up the fight.
In the crowd was Rachel Rosen and her 7-year-old daughter Orly, dressed in a doctor’s costume. Mother and daughter listened as elected officials, activists, patients and medical professionals took the stage.
“Donald Trump is playing with our healthcare,” Orly said, not looking up from the toys in her hand. “We want him to stop.”
“I don’t think they’re going to give up too easily because the Republicans have been committed for years to ending Obamacare,” Rosen said.
Speakers offered praise for the three GOP senators — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and John McCain of Arizona — who voted against the repeal bill, as well as ordinary voters who pressured their elected officials.
“No matter how much credit we give them, this victory belongs to all of you. For everyone who made calls, marched, told their stories or were just plain loud, thank you so much,” said new Rep. Jimmy Gomez (DLos Angeles). “This defeat is a major victory for workingclass families in this country.”