'This Is Not a Drill': Less Than One Week to Defeat 'Barbaric' Trumpcare Bill

Ben Wikler and Karine Jean-Pierre of MoveOn.org speak to the crowd at the 'Don't Take Away Our Care' rally in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday, June 25, 2017. (Photo: Screenshot/Facebook Live/MoveOn.org)

'This Is Not a Drill': Less Than One Week to Defeat 'Barbaric' Trumpcare Bill

Americans mobilize nationwide to defeat Republican's attempt to pass cruel legislation that would strip health coverage in name of tax giveaways to the wealthy

As people mobilize nationwide under the #ProtectOurCare banner in a collective bid to defeat the Republican Party's plan to strip healthcare coverage from millions in order to give the nation's wealthiest a massive tax break, Sen. Bernie Sanders was helping lead the charge over the weekend as he joined MoveOn.org and others on a rapid-response bus tour designed to galvanize opposition in key states.

"This is not a drill," said MoveOn.org's Ben Wikler on Sunday morning in Columbus, Ohio as he called the current moment a "code red" situation for the resistance movement aimed at stopping President Trump and his Republican allies.

With stops in three states on Saturday and Sunday--the tour is aimed at key Republican Senators identified as targets: Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia.

"The Senate's health care legislation is an especially cruel and destructive transfer of wealth to the wealthiest American's at the expense of kids, low-income Americans, the elderly, those with disabilities, and the nearly 23 million Americans who could lose their coverage as a result of health care repeal efforts," said MoveOn when it announced the tour. With only a slim majority in the Senate, the GOP can only afford to lose two members in order to pass their contentious bill.

On Saturday night in Pittsburgh, Sanders delivered a blistering attack on the GOP's Trumpcare approach--calling it both "barbaric and immoral"--and cited a study by Harvard healthcare policy experts that estimated as many as 28,000 people would die unnecessarily if such legislation becomes law. "We must not allow that to happen," declared Sanders.

Watch a portion of Sanders' remarks from Saturday night's packed rally in Pittsburgh:

Repeating his call for a Medicare for All system, Sanders on Sunday morning said, "Here's a crazy idea: We should join the rest of the world and guarantee health care to all, rather than take it away from 23 million people."

Watch the complete rally in Charleston, West Virginia on Sunday afternoon:

Watch Sunday morning's rally in Columbus, Ohio:

Watch the complete rally in Pittsburgh on Saturday night:

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.