I’m feeling especially exhausted today. This week I was going to write something sweet and cute about my pregnancy, maybe something about my cat’s attachment or something about all the pregnancy books I’ve read. Yet I can’t. I can’t bring myself to ignore what happened Thursday and what continues to go on every day in our political system. Things that are happening that will affect me and potentially my child moving forward. I have to sit, feeling angry and helpless, trying to figure out what we can possibly do to stop this country from being run into the ground.
For those of you who don’t know, Thursday May 4th, Donald Trump’s Health Care reform bill was passed through the House of Representatives (barely). It now has to go onto the Senate, where it will hopefully be re-written or fail. Googleing the bill was not easy, so I suggest if you want to read the bill and all of its amendments directly (as opposed to opinions and reports about the bill from news agencies), you can find it on Congress.gov here. You will remember that the original bill failed in March, so the bill that made its way through the House of Representatives yesterday was a revision on it.
I can get into all the reasons I think this revised bill is unacceptable. My main concern being that is leaves millions without coverage and allows for discrimination based on age, gender, and preexisting conditions. I personally strongly believe in Universal Healthcare and that it is a shame that people in the United States can’t get behind that yet. This new bill is not a step forward though.
To be clear, Trump really does not care about the people of the United States. Not those of us who are just trying to get by in life at least. Not the majority of us who do not hold money or power. He cares about money, corporations, and, dear god will he ever let us forget, his ego. This bill isn’t about reforming and improving health care, it’s about beating Obama. He is a petty child and we gave him power over our country.
This post isn’t for those of us who already know what trash Trump is, because I know we’ve been fighting this whole time, even before he was officially inaugurated into office. We aren’t surprised, and we don’t need to be swayed to take action. None of us are looking at each other, shocked that he continues to tout laws that support the wealthy and the corporations and that discriminate against women, transgender individuals, or basically anyone that isn’t white.
This is a call to all of you who voted for Trump. Those of you that thought he was going to bring about positive change, or that he was better than Hillary, or that he genuinely cared about the people. Fact: he doesn’t. Trump is a bad person, and he always has been. I can cite instances of his blatant sexism, ableism, and racism, but shouldn’t have to because you probably already know about it. There is nothing he is going to pass that is ever going to benefit you unless you are a wealthy white male.
So join us in the fight against Trump. Open your eyes and evaluate if this is the type of person you really want running your country. Call your representatives, all of them, no matter what your party is. Call them out on their decisions, now and in the future. Fight for human rights and advocate for a United States that really is great. Kicking people while they are down, refusing health care to people who need it (or making it unaffordable, same thing in my opinion), or fearing anyone who is different from you is not “great”.
To find your representative, visit congress.gov where there is a list of all your Senate and House representatives and their contact information. Stay involved. Let them know what you want. Make your voice be heard.
If you still believe Trump is doing a good job, please tell me how. I would love to understand how so many U.S. citizens continue to defend him and his actions. I need to understand how people can listen to him discriminate against others, throw tantrums, behave as though he has a mental illness (or at the very least is a narcissist), and still find him to be an acceptable president. What does a “great” United States look like to you?
