![\"Senator](\"https:\/\/morgancountyusa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/bernie.jpg\")
Senator Bernie Sanders<\/p><\/div>\n
Now, according to Sanders\u2019 staff, it\u2019s not going to happen.<\/p>\n
In putting single payer on the back burner, Sanders reverted to his November 2016 position<\/a> when his staff told activists that no single payer bill would be introduced in the Senate because the Democrats wanted to focus on defeating the Republicans.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one thing for Bernie Sanders to lead his followers back into the established Democratic Party,\u201d consumer advocate Ralph Nader said. \u201cBut why can\u2019t he pull the Democratic Party to adopt his highly popular agenda, led by single payer, which garnered many millions of voters last year? Those voters must be starting to wonder.\u201d<\/p>\n Kevin Zeese of Health Over Profit<\/a> said that Sanders decision not to introduce the single payer bill \u201cshows what Sanders\u2019 priorities are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe has always said saving the Affordable Care Act (ACA) comes before creating single payer,\u201d Zeese said. \u201cBut it\u2019s a mistake. Sanders says he wants to fix the problems of the ACA. How do you fix problems like 30,000 people dying every year? Single payer Medicare for all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSanders is reverting to his original position from last year \u2014 I\u2019m not going to introduce single payer because we have to show a united front against Trump,\u201d Zeese said. \u201cBut it could be weeks before the Senate does anything.\u201d<\/p>\n One hundred and nine Democrats (109) in the House<\/a> have already signed onto John Conyers (D-Michigan) single payer bill \u2014 HR 676.<\/p>\n Not one of those Democrats is from Connecticut, Nader\u2019s home state.<\/p>\n And Nader today sent a letter<\/a> to the five of them \u2014 Congressmen Joe Courtney, John Larson and Jim Jimes and Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro and Elizabeth Esty.<\/p>\n \u201cNot one of you \u2014 members of the Connecticut Congressional delegation \u2014 has co-sponsored HR 676,\u201d Nader wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cThis despite majoritarian support, with a recent Pew poll showing 85% of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents saying the federal government should be responsible for health care insurance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are you not representing your constituents on this critical reform that, as demonstrated in other countries, is much more efficient, provides much more choice and has better outcomes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe uniformity of your non-participation in this growing legislative movement sticks out like a sore thumb.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven colleagues of yours from Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee are co-sponsors.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt would behoove you in your forthcoming town meetings during the Congressional recess next week to discuss the reasons why for so many years you have avoided endorsing HR 676.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have asked several people in Connecticut, who are your voters, why you have taken your rejectionist stance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTheir responses boil down to one word \u2013 Aetna.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSurely you don\u2019t believe that, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr is it another word \u2014 Pelosi. Surely you don\u2019t believe that, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s have the explanation come not from third parties or hearsay but straight from each of you \u2014 in some detail, please.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe uninsured and underinsured people of Connecticut would be interested in your responses. So would I.\u201d<\/p>\n (From Single Payer Action News Wire<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Last month, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) promised single payer activists that he would introduce his single payer bill in the Senate within the next couple of weeks. Now, according to Sanders\u2019 staff, it\u2019s not going to happen. In putting single … Continue reading