Dear MoveOn member,
145 days. That's how long it's been since the House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act—a bill with comprehensive stimulus for COVID relief—and in all that time, Trump, Mitch McConnell, and the GOP-controlled Senate have refused to move it forward.
Less than three hours. That's how long it took for McConnell to announce his plans for a Supreme Court power grab after news broke of the tragic death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
There's a common thread tying together the fight for the Supreme Court, the debates over COVID relief in Congress, and this election: In each case, Trump and the GOP have a clear goal in mind—to disregard public health and take away our access to health care.
A crucial part of their dangerous agenda includes dismantling the Affordable Care Act—a key legacy of the Obama administration and a lifeline to health care access for millions of Americans.
On November 10, 2020, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in California v. Texas—a lawsuit originally brought by a group of 20 states represented by Republicans—that seeks to entirely overturn the ACA and hand power over our health care back to giant insurance corporations. That's one reason Trump and McConnell are desperately trying to ram through a Supreme Court nominee—so that when they lose the election, they'll still have put in motion the demise of the ACA.
Their selection is Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who has openly criticized the Supreme Court's 2012 decision holding that the ACA's individual mandate was constitutional.1 If she makes it onto the Supreme Court, all indications are that she would side with the conservative justices who are hoping to gut the ACA without thinking twice.
The news of Trump's own COVID-19 infection draws even starker the contrasts in our health system. Trump is getting immediate care, rapid tests, and all the support he needs to confront the virus. Too many others have been left with no protection, little access to testing and care, and the threat of large medical bills. And now, Republicans are pushing to strip health care from tens of millions already living in economic insecurity amidst a pandemic that the government has failed to control.
Trump's announcement of Barrett as his Supreme Court pick has drawn a line in the sand: They'll do whatever it takes to grab power and wrest away our access to health care. But we've beaten back attempts by Republicans to take away the ACA before, and we'll do it again.
Our access to health care is on the line. If Trump and the GOP are successful, the Supreme Court could overturn the entire ACA, ending its protections for 135 million Americans with preexisting conditions and ripping health care away from 23 million Americans, even as the coronavirus continues to ravage the country.2
Let's be clear: Trump and the Republicans are attacking health care DURING A PANDEMIC. Not only that, but their refusal to provide real relief from the economic crisis they've exacerbated only puts tens of millions of more Americans who are unemployed and underemployed in a precarious position, unable to afford the health coverage they need.
Trump is able to get access to premium health care and doesn't have to worry about paying for insurance coverage. And the same goes for the White House staff who may have been in contact with him.
But for those of us who have preexisting conditions or have lost health insurance due to the economic crisis or are in otherwise precarious situations, we aren't afforded the same sense of security. The ACA, while not a perfect system, has been a critical lifeline for those of us who would otherwise not be able to access or afford health care.
The GOP hasn't taken a beat to pause from their Supreme Court power grab.3 But here's what they've underestimated: our ability and desire to look out for and care for one another, and our resolve in fighting back against their repeated attempts to take away our access to health care.
Throughout this pandemic, people all across the U.S. have come together, despite their differences, to look out for and support one another.
We've witnessed hundreds of mutual-aid networks pop up across the country, with neighbors helping out neighbors with grocery, medicine, and other essentials.
We've witnessed essential workers put their lives on the line to make sure we all had access to food, health care, mail and package deliveries, and so much more—and we've seen people show them their support and appreciation.
We've witnessed one of the largest uprisings in U.S. history, with people from different races and different places coming together to demand justice for Black victims and survivors of police violence.
But even as we've come together, Trump and the GOP have done everything they can to try to tear us apart—promoting white nationalist violence, spreading fear and mistrust about the election, and diverting billions of dollars into the hands of the wealthy and giant corporations. And now, with their attempted Supreme Court power grab, they're coming for our health care.
With just under a month to go until November 3, and voting already underway, it's time for us to come together once again, to send a clear and loud message to Trump and the GOP: We are united against your attempts to dismantle the ACA and gut our health care. We've shown how we protect each other amidst a crisis, and now we'll stay strong to protect health care access for ourselves and tens of millions of our fellow Americans.
Share the above graphic on Facebook today to let everyone know how you feel.
Thanks for all you do.
–Mohammad, Eric, Ankur, Mary, and the rest of the team
P.S. If you're not on Facebook or Twitter, you can simply forward this email to friends and family to help spread the word about protecting our health care!
Sources:
1. "Trump court pick Amy Coney Barrett's past critiques of Obamacare face scrutiny," NBC News, September 26, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/144827?t=20&akid=276952%2E40999114%2EXtfCuY
2. "Fact sheet On Trump lawsuit To overturn ACA," Protect Our Care, September 22, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/144828?t=22&akid=276952%2E40999114%2EXtfCuY
3. "Six people at Judge Barrett’s ceremony have tested positive, adding uncertainty to her hearings." The New York Times, October 2, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/144884?t=24&akid=276952%2E40999114%2EXtfCuY
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