In a massive display of resistance against the GOP agenda to destroy the ACA and one of unity among Democrats, tens of thousands of Union leaders, Healthcare advocates, rank and file Democrats and elected officials, protestors are attending over 70 rallies around the nation today. Our First Stand: Save HealthCare rallies are being held to send the message to Republicans:
“You are not going to destroy the Affordable Care Act!”In Michigan, 8,000 attendees stood in frigid weather to protest 30 million Americans being thrown off of healthcare and an estimated 40,000 dying each year due to lack of healthcare.
Thousands attend Sanders health care rally in Michigan
WARREN, Mich. (AP) — Thousands of people showed up in freezing temperatures on Sunday in Michigan where Sen. Bernie Sanders called on Americans to resist Republican efforts to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law, one of a number of rallies Democrats staged across the country to highlight opposition.
People lined up four abreast to get to the rally in the parking lot of Macomb County Community College in the Detroit suburb of Warren. Labor unions were a strong presence and people also carried signs including "Save our Health Care," and "Michigan Stands."
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to overturn and replace the Affordable Care Act and majority Republicans in Congress this week began the process of repealing it using a budget maneuver that requires a bare majority in the Senate.
"This is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. It is time we got our national priorities right," Sanders told the rally.
He has been one of the strongest advocates for the law, which has delivered health coverage to about 20 million people but is saddled with problems such as rapidly rising premiums and large co-payments.
Michigan!
Please see Peregrine Kate’s first hand report from the event.
x YouTube Video xPlanned Parenthood Pres @CecileRichards now on stage in Warren, Michigan for #OurFirstStand. Watch live: https://t.co/rcDbs08D9hpic.twitter.com/QdL9oLX171
— Our Revolution (@OurRevolution) January 15, 2017 xIt's 28 degrees in Warren, MI, but that didn't stop 6,000 people fighting to save our health care. #OurFirstStandpic.twitter.com/g4Jsu4Qo23
— Josh Miller-Lewis (@jmillerlewis) January 15, 2017Massachussetts!
Thousands protest health care repeal at Faneuil Hall
Mayor Martin J. Walsh and members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation gathered with thousands of area residents Sunday afternoon to denounce plans by the president-elect and Republicans in Congress to revoke President Obama’s signature health care law.
“Donald Trump hasn’t even been sworn in,” US Senator Elizabeth Warren said to a chorus of boos from the crowd, “but he and his Republican allies are already trying to ram through repeal of the Affordable Care Act.”
A massive crowd, estimated at more than 6,000 by city officials, packed the plaza outside Faneuil Hall for the rally, many of them carrying signs with messages such as “Don’t make America sick again,” “Single payer now,” and “Patients over politics.”
“We are here today — thousands strong in Boston, and at more rallies all across this country — because we will make our voices heard,” Warren said. “If Republicans try to rip health care out of the hands of millions of Americans, we will fight them every step of the way.”
xAll across the country today, Dems are hosting #OurFirstStand rallies to #savehealthcare. Boston is ready to fight back. pic.twitter.com/trBFuajayb
— Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) January 15, 2017Illinois!
x.@RepSchneider: "Health care is a right!" #twill#SaveACApic.twitter.com/D8ICEuTWCt
— SEIU HCIIMK (@SEIUhciimk) January 15, 2017New York!
xHealthcare is a right, not a privilege. Congress: stop playing politics with the lives of New Yorkers who depend on the ACA. #OurFirstStand
— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) January 15, 2017 xMy sign today #OurFirstStand#SaveACA#NewYorkpic.twitter.com/wusCXemvGm
— Another Nastywmn (@betty_spagety) January 15, 2017New Jersey!
xCrowd here is energized and ready to stand up and fight for the #ACA! #ProtectOurCarepic.twitter.com/CaJVt8hezf
— CWA New Jersey (@CWA_NJ) January 15, 2017North Carolina!
xHappening now in #Raleigh#NC - @RepDavidEPrice addresses hundreds at a #KeepNCCovered rally. #SaveACA🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/NZobvC6kGN
— LWV North Carolina (@LWVNCarolina) January 15, 2017Oregon!
x#saveourhealthcarepic.twitter.com/j32LDSsODz
— Oregon Democrats (@ORDems) January 15, 2017California!
xFired up and ready to talk about why we must save the Affordable Care Act. Millions of lives are at stake in this fight. #OurFirstStandpic.twitter.com/jMwcZ190EP
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 15, 2017 xKicking off Trump inauguration week w a message: you're not gonna throw tens of millions of Americans off healthcare w/o a hell of a fight pic.twitter.com/Yp6mS957fF
— Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) January 15, 2017Iowa!
xOutstanding turnout for "#OurFirstStand rally! Thanks to everyone who organized the event & came out in the cold weather! #iapoliticspic.twitter.com/VlqmMdzIMa
— IowaDemocraticParty (@iowademocrats) January 15, 2017Maine!
xYUGE crowd in Portland, Maine at the #Medicare4All rally today. Crowd is chanting "I have a Dream! Universal healthcare!" #OurFirstStandpic.twitter.com/SXKZe8d7av
— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) January 15, 2017Virginia!
xAn incredible rally to #ProtectOurCare in Richmond today. Packed with Virginians who want to #SaveTheACA. I'm ready to fight for you! pic.twitter.com/NiKlpvObIa
— Senator Tim Kaine (@timkaine) January 15, 2017Ohio!
xHuge crowd at Cbus #OurFirstStand rally to protect ACA and not #MakeAmericaSickAgainpic.twitter.com/F8NBJcceNg
— Samantha Herd (@samherd) January 15, 2017Rhode Island!
xProud to stand w/ 100's of #RI'ers sending a clear message to PEOTUS & Congress today: the #ACA, #Medicare& #Medicaid must be protected! pic.twitter.com/WHldrITouF
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) January 15, 2017Washington!
xThank you to the more than 2,000 people who showed up to our event to save health care! https://t.co/hTOAvMMtHH
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) January 15, 2017Kentucky!
xPIC: A packed house with @RepJohnYarmuth& a forum on the importance of protecting the #ACA and Kentucky's Medicaid expansion #healthcarepic.twitter.com/diEjqZ95mG
— KY Democratic Party (@KyDems) January 15, 2017Florida!
Kossack Native Gator spoke at the rally! Stay tuned for their post on this.
x👩ðŸÂ½â€Â⚕ï¸Â👨â€Â⚕ï¸Â👩ðŸÂ»â€ÂðŸÂ«ðŸ™‹ðŸÂ¾â€Â♂ï¸ÂBrave #Florida families, doctors shared their stories today: #ACA saves lives! #Tampa#OurFirstStand#SaveHealthCarehttps://t.co/BvAnVYQXcr
— US Rep Kathy Castor (@USRepKCastor) January 15, 2017New Mexico!
x100s of people rallied in #ABQ to say #SaveACA. I'm fighting to #KeepNMCovered. pic.twitter.com/0Jv524d6US
— Tom Udall (@SenatorTomUdall) January 15, 2017Vermont!
xBurlington High School auditorium is PACKED for #OurFirstStand Rally with @RightsVT@OurRevolution@ppnne& many others! #vtpolipic.twitter.com/P5iptkhgAT
— Dustin Tanner (@dtanner2194) January 15, 2017Pennsylvania!
Connecticut!
x1,000 people in Hartford, CT today (incl your #BrandNewCongress Twittertrix) took #OurFirstStand to fight for #HealthCareForAll. pic.twitter.com/wpphnoVWLw
— Brand New Congress (@BrandNew535) January 16, 2017Hawaii!
xHundreds at the Hawaii rally. pic.twitter.com/rdqXK9Wrdg
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) January 15, 2017New Hampshire!
x#OurFirstStand in New Hampshire. pic.twitter.com/7YkKcGvVJ0
— Vince Greco (@VinceGreco83) January 15, 2017Georgia!
x#OurFirstStand to #SaveACA in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/ysh9JMNIV6
— Grant Christopher (@GE_Christopher) January 15, 2017Indiana!
Kossack and ACA activist annan was a speaker at the event.
xHoosiers are still streaming into the statehouse! #OurFirstStand#SaveACApic.twitter.com/lyihV5NQtt
— Indiana Democrats (@INDems) January 15, 2017 Healthcare is a human right. Today we defend that right. xLast week, GOP began first steps to gutting #ACA. Today, Americans are joining together for #OurFirstStand to tell them to #SaveHealthcare.
— Al Franken (@alfranken) January 15, 2017.
As Republicans begin the process to give tax breaks to the wealthy and throw millions of Americans off of healthcare, Democrats are standing together to resist the GOP and save healthcare.