Protestors trying to prevent the horrific "Trumpcare/AHCA" plan from becoming law have been making headlines nationwide over the last few weeks. In late June, gruesome video taken outside of Mitch McConnell's office showed ADAPT disability advocates being ripped from their wheelchairs and dragged out of the Capital in 90+ degree heat. The optics are nauseating and are a testament to the lengths the Republican party will go to to staunch the voice of their voters.
Well, today McConnell upped the ante by having clergy arrested. What would Jesus do? I don't think he would support a group of passionate, caring, religious members of the upper echelon of religious organizations being handcuffed and dragged out purely because they were protesting a dangerous "death bill" masquerading as a "healthcare bill" that will lead to the death and suffering of tens of millions.
The group was a mix of Christian and Jewish clergy, united in one voice of "moral resistance" against this horrific bill.
Chants: “If we don’t get it? Shut it down!” and “What do we want? Health care!” filled the air. A rabbi blew a shofar in a symbolic start of the act of protest.
Pastor Traci Blackmon gave an impassioned speech:
We are here to make sure that you to do what you were elected to do. As I look at this plaque with your name on it, it says that you represent the people of Kentucky. And I happen to know that the people of Kentucky will suffer if this health care bill passes. You may be OK. Your friends may be OK. But the people who put you in office will suffer because of this bill. It is time to stop calling God by other names when you really want to call God “capitalism.” It is time to stop cloaking your greed in religious language.
I’m here to tell you that there ain’t nothing right about the religion that’s happening in these halls. This should be where we come for help. And yet we are coming crying out on behalf of the people to stop some of the most egregious legislation that we have seen in a long time.
If you can turn your backs on 22 [million] additional people, don’t tell me that you are pro-life. If you can turn your backs on people who are suffering from conditions that will no longer be able to be treated, don’t tell me you are pro-life.
Here are some tweets, as the event unfolded:
The arrest:
Just a reminder, Trumpcare 3.0 just came out a few hours ago and it is just as bad, if not worse than the previous versions. Huge cuts to Medicaid, punishment for those with pre-existing conditions, limited "basic medical care" and major tax cuts for insurance companies.
