Dear Common Dreams Readers:
Senate Republicans Just Made Clear Their Desire to Gut Essential Healthcare Services
With his amendment rejected, Sanders says Trump 'can tell Americans he lied or tell Republicans to back off and not cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid'
"Trump has a choice," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted. "Either he can tell Americans he lied or tell Republicans to back off and not cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid." (Photo: Lorie Shaull/flickr/cc)
Senate Republicans on Tuesday rejected a Sen. Bernie Sanders-introduced measure to defend Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
The vote on Amendment 19, which Sanders (I-Vt.) also introduced Tuesday, was 49-49, short of the 60 it needed to advance.
It was attached to Sen. Mike Enzi's (R-Wyo.) budget resolution which sets in motion the repeal of Obamacare.
As Common Dreams reported, the amendment would have required a three-fifths majority in the chamber to approve cuts to the entitlement programs in order "to prevent the Senate from breaking [President-elect] Donald Trump's promise that 'there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.'"
Sanders highlighted those promises on Twitter on Tuesday, posting 13 of the real estate mogul's comments, including these:
1. July 25, 2011: “The Answer to both Social Security and Medicare is... not cuts on the elderly.”https://t.co/5Nu5jNI223
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 10, 2017
3. Dec. 5, 2011: “We as a society must also make an ironclad commitment to providing a safety net.”https://t.co/TR0pWQKpkn
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 10, 2017
5. January 24, 2015 : “I’ll probably be the only Republican that doesn’t want to cut Social Security."https://t.co/DT2mz79Fmo
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 10, 2017
11. November 3, 2015: “You can’t get rid of Medicare. You know, Medicare’s a program that works.” pic.twitter.com/uzWXhy9po6
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 10, 2017
12. March 10, 2016: “I will do everything within my power not to touch Social Security.” pic.twitter.com/Q6ORt3ljeJ
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 10, 2017
He also included a comment made Sunday by incoming White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who said: "I don't think President-elect Trump wants to meddle with Medicare or Social Security."
Sanders later tweeted: "Trump has a choice. Either he can tell Americans he lied or tell Republicans to back off and not cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid."
Sanders' amendment was backed by the registered nurses union National Nurses United, with its leadership calling it "essential for the well-being of our patients, their families and communities."
Meanwhile, Sanders and his allies are still calling for a day of action on Jan. 15 "to save healthcare from Republican attempts to throw 30 million people off health insurance."