When we fight, we win

Nick Guthman
Jul 28, 2017 · 3 min read
Hundreds gather on steps of the Capitol demanding the Senate #KillTheBill. Senator Corey Booker leading the crowd.

A few months ago, I laid out an argument for why Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and the GOP should abandon the health care fight. The New York Times corroborated my argument, highlighting that:

“In the end, Republicans relearned a lesson that has bedeviled them since the New Deal: An American entitlement, once established, can almost never be retracted.”

But after Republicans in Congress campaigned on “Repealing and Replacing” Obamacare for seven years, they tried every trick in the book to make good on their promise. We, the people, stopped them.

Members of the Disability community risking arrest in the Hart Senate Office Building, July 25.

For the past month or so, I’ve spent hours upon hours on Capitol Hill organizing and live-streaming the countless rallies to #ProtectOurCare. Each day, people from all across the country made their voices heard. Special recognition must be given to the disability community who, without them, we would not have won this battle. All over the country, the folks at ADAPT put their lives on the line, risking arrest as they chanted, “Rather go to jail, than die without Medicaid.” We must all come together now and advocate for the Disability Integration Act.

People were so determined to #KillTheBill that our chants could be heard on the Senate floor as they were voting on the final version of their ‘skinny repeal.’ We shared our stories about how the Affordable Care Act saved lives of friends and family. We sang songs of freedom, of hope, of unity. And throughout the battle, we kept our eyes on the prize and made sure the Republican Caucus knew we weren’t backing down.

Because of the courage of regular people all across the country, we were able to persuade three Republican Senators to vote against this awful bill. That being said, there are 49 Republicans in the Senate and 217 Representatives in the house who voted to take health care away from 15–30 million Americans. That is harrowing. We have public officials running our country who voted to take health care away from the millions of people who employ them. We deserve better.

On a personal level, I feel energized. I feel hopeful. I feel like this is what democracy looks like. If we can win on this issue, I am confident that we can win on tax reform, infrastructure, and more. But we can only win, when we organize.

Although it may never be over, my message coming out of the healthcare battle is that we, the people, have enormous power. We have the power to stop Donald Trump from destroying our American values of freedom, fairness, and progress. So what’s next?

The GOP will continue to craft legislation that benefits the wealthy and hurts everyday Americans. It is likely they will try to pass a tax reform bill and we will have to fight with the same persistence that we brought to the health care battle.

But as the August recess approaches, we must turnout en masse at local town hall meetings. Republicans across the country must come out of August recess knowing that the Resistance is stronger than ever and we won’t stop standing up for what’s right. Democrats should feel support for their strength and leadership in pulling out all the legislative stops they have as this Congress tries to hurt the American people. And we should feel invigorated by our power to push for a progressive agenda as 2018 rolls around.

The fight is not over. If you haven’t gone to a rally or protest in your community, now is the time. There’s nothing to be afraid of because we are all in this together.

Let’s take a moment to breathe, and let’s get back in the fight. Because when we fight, we win.

At the Capitol at 2:45 am on Friday, July 28 after last-minute rally to #ProtectOurCare, where we proved victorious in our efforts to #KillTheBill. Pictured: my colleagues and friends Andrea Haverdink and Ben Davis

Nick Guthman

Written by

progressive political organizer, hand-made pasta maker

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