There Is Only One Way Out: California Must Pass Single-Payer Health Care And Make It Work.

The tragedy that soon will have been Obamacare is about to reach a climax.

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My guess now is this passes by ONE VOTE. (They won't make one more vulnerable R vote for this than they have to.)https://t.co/8E4ZwIaqvMpic.twitter.com/Ekh6Ca4AdC

— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) May 4, 2017

Tomorrow the House of Representative will vote to kill tens of thousands of their own citizens, put hundreds of thousands into bankruptcy, deny health coverage at any plausible cost to millions and economically terrorize tens of millions others with higher health costs.

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This is a rare "life or death" vote. Thousands will die if this bill becomes law.  Upton amendment is just political cover for cowards.

— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) May 3, 2017

Even were Democrats to take back control of the House and the Senate in 2018, there will be no mitigating these effects as long as a Republican holds the White House.

And what would such a mitigation be, even if we are lucky enough to defeat The Donald or The Pence for 2021? Would that be re-passing Obamacare with all its warts, caveats, convolutions and lack of coverage for still tens of millions? Would sane people do that knowing that Republicans, once they re-retake power, can repeal it again? That seems like the lamest idea since invading Iraq.

No, sane people must unite under the banner of universal health care. Whether it be Canadian style (aka 'single payer'), French or  German style (mandatory, universal public or private insurance with cost controls and lots of regulation), British style (essentially taking over the entire health care system) or American style (Medicare for All, without premiums, a la HR 676) I don't really care. But it has to happen, and it has to happen in such a way that there is, effectively, no going back. Obamacare was a disaster not so much because it was not universal, though that was a horrible flaw, but because it could - easily, as we are being shown - be gutted, drawn and quartered.

And that brings us to California and SB 562, single-payer universal health care for all Californians. Without stealing any state's or singer's thunder, if we can make it work here, we can make it work in other states, and ultimately anywhere (nationally).

Single-payer health care will get rid of insurance companies. Once they are gone, and people realize how insane it was to have them in the first place - how insane it was to have to worry about costs and bankruptcy while worrying about getting well - there will indeed be no going back save by an imposition of a dictatorship of the 1%.

So every beacon will soon turn and focus on Sacramento, illuminating California Senator Richard Lara, the original sponsor of SB 562. Reporters and advocates will wait breathlessly for the economic study due soon that should put forward a financial path for the legislation. And then all eyes will be on the California Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Senator Lara is the chair, which will consider SB 562 next - now that it passed the Senate Health Committee.

It's time to make it happen here in California. Join and/or support Healthy California, the coalition making universal health care happen.

Healthy California is a campaign of over 4 million Californians building a statewide movement to win guaranteed healthcare for ALL California residents. We represent over 150 community and labor organizations made up of nurses, teachers, patients, doctors, union members, business leaders, faith and immigrant rights community, progressive political organizations, healthcare advocates and providers, to ensure healthcare is a human right in the Golden State.

Cal your California legislators and tell them they MUST pass universal health care — our lives depend on it.

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It's the year 2020, I'm homeless and dying from lack of healthcare but relieved that Democrats have made marginal gains in the midterms

— Christopher M (@mammothfactory) May 4, 2017