Even as President Trump continues to undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and peoples’ health care coverage, the Center for American Progress released a bold new plan for universal health care today. The plan, entitled Medicare Extra for All, guarantees universal coverage for all Americans. Modeled after the highly popular Medicare program, Medicare Extra for All would be available to all Americans, regardless of income, health status, age, gender or insurance status, and preserves employer based coverage as an option.
The plan is based on the idea that health care is a right, not a privilege—something that some members of Congress and conservatives refuse to acknowledge. Medicare Extra for All rebukes features of Trumpcare, so that individuals with pre-existing conditions would be eligible for coverage and premiums would be capped to ensure affordability. It’s clear this type of plan is what the American people want. They are tired of the endless fight for quality health care. To learn more about the new proposal, check out the full report here.
ACTION OF THE DAY
No Rest During Recess. This week, Congress will be in recess—but that doesn’t mean we’ll be taking the week off. Here’s some actions you can take starting today!
WHAT’S TRENDING
Guns on a National Stage. Last night, CNN hosted an intense, emotional town hall in Florida with survivors of the Parkland shootings, parents of the survivors, local officials, elected representatives, and the NRA spokeswoman. One of the most talked-about moments came when one student asked Senator Marco Rubio if he would stop accepting donations from the NRA—Rubio refused to agree. The town hall came just hours after Trump hosted a listening session at the White House, where he seemed to do everything but listen. In fact, he refused to listen to some participants’ calls for a ban on assault weapons, instead arguing for arming teachers. Read why that’s a bad idea here.
CPAC. Today is the start of the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual event that tends to draw some of the most extreme conservative voices. The event began this morning with Dana Loesch, the NRA spokeswoman, and Wayne LaPierre, the CEO of the NRA. Both individuals blamed pretty much everything and everyone but guns for the massacre in Parkland—from the media to the FBI. Stay tuned this weekend for more extreme viewpoints to get a chance in the spotlight—and follow us on Twitter at @CAPAction for updates.
THINKING CAP
Black History Month. The Thinking CAP podcast continues its celebration of Black History Month by hosting Kenneth B. Morris Jr.—the great-great-grandson of Frederick Douglass—on this week’s show. Morris speaks about Douglass’s legacy and what America’s students are not learning in classrooms about slavery. He also speaks about Colin Kaepernick’s activism, as well as the United States under Trump. Listen here.
UNDER THE RADAR
Global Human Rights Under Siege. Today, Amnesty International released its’ annual State of the World’s Human Rights report, “the most comprehensive overview and analysis of human rights around the world today.” The report finds that human rights are at high risk in the world today, especially under the leadership of Trump in the United States. In fact, Amnesty International Secretary General Salil Shetty directly addressed the Trump administration in a press briefing, saying, “What we find in 2017 is that hateful rhetoric crossed over into hateful reality.” But the report does give hope—that activists are fighting back. Read the full report here.