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"Thousands of lives are on the line if this barbaric bill passes," said Kai Newkirk, mission director of Democracy Spring. (Photo: Our Revolution/Twitter)
#SitInSaveLives: Arrests Nationwide as Groups Mobilize to Stop Trumpcare
"Sometimes the consequences of legislation for real people can get lost. Nonviolent direct action can dramatize and clarify the reality."
Jul 06, 2017
| #SitInSaveLives Tweets |
Arrests were reported at sit-ins and protests outside the offices of U.S. lawmakers nationwide on Thursday as progressive groups mobilized in anticipation of a mid-July vote on the Senate GOP's Trumpcare bill, which would strip health insurance from 22 million people, dismantle Medicaid, and potentially kill thousands per year.
Democracy Spring, Our Revolution, Democratic Socialists of America, The Working Families Party, UltraViolet, and other organizations joined in what has been described as "a mass act of civil disobedience." The groups made one simple demand of the senators whose offices they occupied: Vote 'no' on the so-called Better Care Reconciliation Act.
Hundreds of activists across the country joined the action. Some delivered speeches from inside their senators' offices while others--like residents of Pennsylvania and Kentucky, home to Sens. Pat Toomey and Mitch McConnell--were forced to protest outside in the rain after being denied entry. Many arrests have been made, but the exact number is unknown.
Democracy Spring compiled a list of links to video streams of sit-ins across the country.
Haley Saucier explains why she is protesting and risking arrest by sitting in at Senator Cassidy's office #SitInSaveLives #StopTrumpCare pic.twitter.com/Wujk8sfm04
-- Emley Kerry (@emleykerry) July 6, 2017
Kai Newkirk, mission director of Democracy Spring, told Common Dreams that the goal of the day of action is to "move Americans to raise their voices against this attack on our healthcare even louder."
"Sometimes the consequences of legislation for real people can get lost. Nonviolent direct action can dramatize and clarify the reality," Newkirk said. "Thousands of lives are on the line if this barbaric bill passes. People in red and purple states across the country are sitting in today, willing to go to jail, to show just how wrong this bill is and how crucial it is that we escalate the fight to defeat it."
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
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democratic socialists of americaour revolutionrepublican partytrump resistancetrumpismultravioletus senateworking families party
| #SitInSaveLives Tweets |
Arrests were reported at sit-ins and protests outside the offices of U.S. lawmakers nationwide on Thursday as progressive groups mobilized in anticipation of a mid-July vote on the Senate GOP's Trumpcare bill, which would strip health insurance from 22 million people, dismantle Medicaid, and potentially kill thousands per year.
Democracy Spring, Our Revolution, Democratic Socialists of America, The Working Families Party, UltraViolet, and other organizations joined in what has been described as "a mass act of civil disobedience." The groups made one simple demand of the senators whose offices they occupied: Vote 'no' on the so-called Better Care Reconciliation Act.
Hundreds of activists across the country joined the action. Some delivered speeches from inside their senators' offices while others--like residents of Pennsylvania and Kentucky, home to Sens. Pat Toomey and Mitch McConnell--were forced to protest outside in the rain after being denied entry. Many arrests have been made, but the exact number is unknown.
Democracy Spring compiled a list of links to video streams of sit-ins across the country.
Haley Saucier explains why she is protesting and risking arrest by sitting in at Senator Cassidy's office #SitInSaveLives #StopTrumpCare pic.twitter.com/Wujk8sfm04
-- Emley Kerry (@emleykerry) July 6, 2017
Kai Newkirk, mission director of Democracy Spring, told Common Dreams that the goal of the day of action is to "move Americans to raise their voices against this attack on our healthcare even louder."
"Sometimes the consequences of legislation for real people can get lost. Nonviolent direct action can dramatize and clarify the reality," Newkirk said. "Thousands of lives are on the line if this barbaric bill passes. People in red and purple states across the country are sitting in today, willing to go to jail, to show just how wrong this bill is and how crucial it is that we escalate the fight to defeat it."
| #SitInSaveLives Tweets |
Arrests were reported at sit-ins and protests outside the offices of U.S. lawmakers nationwide on Thursday as progressive groups mobilized in anticipation of a mid-July vote on the Senate GOP's Trumpcare bill, which would strip health insurance from 22 million people, dismantle Medicaid, and potentially kill thousands per year.
Democracy Spring, Our Revolution, Democratic Socialists of America, The Working Families Party, UltraViolet, and other organizations joined in what has been described as "a mass act of civil disobedience." The groups made one simple demand of the senators whose offices they occupied: Vote 'no' on the so-called Better Care Reconciliation Act.
Hundreds of activists across the country joined the action. Some delivered speeches from inside their senators' offices while others--like residents of Pennsylvania and Kentucky, home to Sens. Pat Toomey and Mitch McConnell--were forced to protest outside in the rain after being denied entry. Many arrests have been made, but the exact number is unknown.
Democracy Spring compiled a list of links to video streams of sit-ins across the country.
Haley Saucier explains why she is protesting and risking arrest by sitting in at Senator Cassidy's office #SitInSaveLives #StopTrumpCare pic.twitter.com/Wujk8sfm04
-- Emley Kerry (@emleykerry) July 6, 2017
Kai Newkirk, mission director of Democracy Spring, told Common Dreams that the goal of the day of action is to "move Americans to raise their voices against this attack on our healthcare even louder."
"Sometimes the consequences of legislation for real people can get lost. Nonviolent direct action can dramatize and clarify the reality," Newkirk said. "Thousands of lives are on the line if this barbaric bill passes. People in red and purple states across the country are sitting in today, willing to go to jail, to show just how wrong this bill is and how crucial it is that we escalate the fight to defeat it."
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