Now is not the time for us to wait for others to decide where we go from here. Racism is not new in America. Sexism is not new. Differences between Democrats and Republicans are not new, but to have one party decide that it is okay to go on vacation for many weeks while the people sit around and suffer because we have an administration that does not want affordable healthcare because its name is Obama Care. President Barack Obama, with the help of then Democratic Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, brought affordable healthcare to the people of America.
I distinctly remember how we went about naming the healthcare bill. I proposed to friends at the White House it should be called ‘Obama Cares.’ Others had input. I was so excited when they only removed the S and we lovingly called it Obamacare!
Since that glorious night when my friend, the late Dick Gregory and I were escorted into the packed room by then Congressman Keith Ellison right down front so we could see and hear everything about the bill. I guess that glorious night of the bill passing after much debate about what Democratic supporters of the bill were proposing, some Republicans couldn’t stand the success. Some began trying to figure out how to take the people’s affordable healthcare away.
After years of trying, but coming up with no other plan, I heard Donald Trump answer a reporter when asked for the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act that he had a CONCEPT! So many years later Republicans are still trying to put Trump’s concept into a better healthcare bill! It’s time for them to stop blocking healthcare that is not only for Democrats, but also for their own constituents, because President Obama didn’t say his plan was for only Democrats!
If the rest of the Supreme Court can’t join Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson and Justice Elena Kagan in doing the right thing, it is up to we the people, to stand firmly up and decide we know better than the rest of the Courts who seem comfortable ignoring the Constitution while they so often vote for Trump instead of where our Constitution says what rights the people have.
Trump is being credited with 21 of 23 important cases in the Supreme Court, so that tells us whose side others are on. It’s not WE THE PEOPLE! In every future election, let’s do our part because nobody is going to save us but us.
Let us teach all people, including Hispanics, and white women that many gave their all to give them the right to vote, too. Had we recognized that, Hon. Kamala Harris would be President of the United States, and we would not be going through this misery.
Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of The Dick Gregory Society.
