Just a day after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2017, President Donald Trump—who strongly supported the Republican Party's plan to strip health insurance from tens of millions of Americans—took aim at the proposed legislation on Twitter, calling single payer a "curse on the U.S. and its people" and vowing to "veto" the bill if it ever reaches his desk.
The Vermont senator quickly responded.
"No Mr. President, providing healthcare to every man, woman, and child as a right is not a curse," Sanders wrote, "it's exactly what we should be doing."
"What is a curse is your support for throwing 23 million off health insurance," Sanders then added. "That's the curse and we won't allow you to get away with it."
Bernie Sanders is pushing hard for a single payer healthcare plan - a curse on the U.S. & its people...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017
...I told Republicans to approve healthcare fast or this would happen. But don't worry, I will veto because I love our country & its people.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017
No Mr. President, providing health care to every man, woman and child as a right is not a curse, it's exactly what we should be doing. https://t.co/sNeq6YZHDw
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 14, 2017
What is a curse is your support for throwing 23 million off health insurance. That's the curse and we won't allow you to get away with it.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 14, 2017
In introducing the Medicare for All Act of 2017 this week, Sanders slammed Republicans for their attempts to dismantle Obamacare, arguing that their efforts prove they have "no credibility on the issue of healthcare."
"To my Republican colleagues: Please don't lecture us on healthcare," he said. "In the last few months you, the Republican Party, have showed the American people what you stand for when you voted for legislation that would have thrown up to 32 million people off their health insurance they have and give huge tax breaks."
Dozens of grassroots organizations—and groups representing small businesses—are lining up behind Sanders' plan to replace the current for-profit system with a federally funded program that guarantees health insurance to all as a right.
According to recent polling data, most Americans believe it is the federal government's responsibility to provide healthcare to every American.
For this reason, notes The Week's Ryan Cooper, Sanders' Medicare for All plan is "great policy and even better politics."
