Pushing the healthcare debate to the left

I happened to be biking by Oregon’s Capitol yesterday and was struck by all the commotion. At the steps of the building were anti-healthcare reform advocates. (And “anti-healthcare” seems fitting.) They were sporting messages such as “no Obamacare” or “no government run ‘socialist’ healthcare.” Little did they realize that Obama wants to keep healthcare fundamentally the way it is, i.e. in the hands of big business. Fortunately there was a counter-protest across the street that appeared to be organized, at least in part, by Physicians for a National Health Program, as well as Move-On, Mad as Hell Doctors, and Willamette Reds. The doctors and other allies I talked to seemed to have their facts straight. Even as the most advanced industrialized nation we don’t have National Healthcare, unlike other countries, and yet we pay the highest taxes for healthcare, double the cost of other wealthy countries. It doesn’t seem to make sense until you realize that healthcare in the U.S. is a multi-billion dollar industry run merely for private profit, not public need. Pre-existing condition? Sorry, you’re fucked.

Being the good socialist that I am I tried to inject my radical ideas into the movement. I brought up the need not just for a single payer system, which itself would be a big improvement, but for healthcare as a whole to be nationalized under workers’ control. That’s right, all the healthcare companies. And since both of the twin parties of the ruling class are in bed with the corporations, nothing less than people mobilized in the streets can make this a reality. The capitalists won’t give anything up without a fight!

Refreshingly, my ideas were warmly received for the most part. Aside from a closet socialist who demeaningly believed the masses “are not ready for socialism,” and wants to run for office as a green instead of raising revolutionary consciousness, like a principled leader, and a self-declared “capitalist” it was a rewarding exchange of ideas and very educational. For many, an anti-capitalist program was the order of the day. (I wish I responded to the “capitalist” by clarifying with “you mean you are a proponent of capitalism. Or do you own a big business like Bill Gates?”)

There was one nutty person who tried to engage with counter-protesters one-on-one. He even tried to enter one of the activist’s RV. While I was there I instinctively put my back to him and kept him away from the line of people, who generally did not want to be confronted and debated by the other side (assuming he was a right-winger). Anyone want to organize security? This type of thing isn’t uncommon.

It was a relatively truncated experience because I am a busy man but it felt good to be myself around other activists and know that that revolutionary spark is alive.

For more on this issue please check out http://www.socialism.com/drupal-6.8/?q=node/232