I have been an Emergency Physician for 20 years. Last year I went to a town hall to talk healthcare with my Congressman Bill Huizenga. He called on me, and a 15 minute debate over the future of healthcare ensued. I told my stories about patients over the years who could not afford their care due to high co-pays, high deductibles, or a lack of insurance. He said patients needed “skin in the game” when it came to their healthcare.
Two weeks later we met with a group of healthcare providers privately and he openly wondered why constituents who lived in trailer homes could afford satellite dishes but could not afford healthcare. That night at a second town hall with 1200 people in attendance I asked him if he thought healthcare was a right. His answer: “I do not think healthcare is a constitutional right.” (At 0:49 of the video)
A few weeks later I decided to run against him.
We have been driving around our district in a refurbished 24 year-old RV bringing the message of Universal Healthcare, strong public education and environmental protections to voters in every town.
We have raised nearly 3x as much as any Democrat in the history of Michigan’s Second Congressional District without taking a dime from corporate PACs.
We have had Democrats, Independents, and Republicans sign on and support our campaign of ideas, and hope, and promise against an incumbent who peddles in a politics of fear and divisiveness.
I have been endorsed by the Indivisible Project, Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress. I have the support of the NEA, AFT, Sierra Club and the AFL-CIO. I have the endorsements of the UAW, OE, UA, IBEW, and most regional skilled trade unions.
Now I need you to join the movement to flip this Red district Blue, to take back the Democratic Party, to take back the US House, and to take back this country.
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Watch my interview with The Young Turks: