Supporters of the Affordable Care Act gathered to protest the health care law’s repeal in rallies across the country on Sunday.
The demonstrations were in response to an appeal by Democratic leaders in Congress for a day of action against ACA repeal, the defunding of Planned Parenthood and other policies promoted by the incoming Donald Trump administration.
Perhaps the highest-profile gathering was a rally at Macomb County Community College in Warren, Michigan, that drew thousands of people. Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and several other members of Congress addressed the large crowd that had waited in long lines in below-freezing weather to attend the event. Many who have received health insurance thanks to the ACA shared their emotional stories as well.
When Sanders finally took the stage after his colleagues, the roar of the audience and chants of “Bernie, Bernie Bernie” made it clear that for many in the crowd, the Vermont senator was the main attraction. Sanders’ political action nonprofit, “Our Revolution,” live-streamed the event on YouTube and Facebook.
“This is the wealthiest country in the history of the world,” Sanders said. “It is time we got our national priorities right. The United States today and I hope everybody in America understands it: We are the only major country on Earth not to guarantee health care to all people as a right!”
True to his democratic socialist form, Sanders, who won an upset victory against Hillary Clinton in the Great Lakes State presidential primary, went beyond defending the ACA.
“So our job today is to defend the Affordable Care Act. Our job tomorrow is to create a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system,” he exhorted the crowd.
There were some 70 similar rallies across the country, according to Sanders. Photos on social media show significant crowds in Portland, Maine; Richmond, Virginia; Tampa, Florida; Boston, New York City and many other metropolises.