TROY– Today, the Michigan Democratic Party held a press conference outside Mike Pence’s Troy rally slamming the administration’s attacks on health care for Michigan working families. From their first day in office, Mike Pence and Donald Trump have worked relentlessly to gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions, strip health care coverage from millions of Michiganders, and slash funding for Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security Disability Insurance.
“We’re standing here today in front of a Children’s Hospital because Mike Pence and Donald Trump have broken their promise to protect Michiganders’ health care,” said Oakland County Democratic Party Chair Vaughn Derderian. “From day one, they’ve worked relentlessly with Congressional Republicans to strip health insurance from Michigan’s working families. With some of their first actions in office, this administration attempted to gut protections for pre-existing conditions and strip health care coverage from millions, including 720,000 Michiganders. When they failed at that, they proceeded to propose budget after budget, each time finding new ways to cut funding for critical health care programs. We’re going to hold this administration accountable for their attacks and turn this state blue.”
“In his incessant rush to dismember the Affordable Care Act, Donald Trump has come out with nothing better, and substitutes reasonable solutions with broken promises,” said Pontiac Mayor Deirdre Waterman. “He has shown insensitivity and a total lack of understanding of the need to provide affordable, quality health care options that everyone can afford. In budget after budget he fought to slash critical programs like Medicare and Medicaid, thus taking them from so many who depend on them. We stand out here today as the voice, speaking loudly and emphatically for those who you cannot hear. We want real solutions to real problems, not fake solutions and empty promises.”
“With my past cancer diagnosis, I wouldn’t have health care if not for the Affordable Care Act,” said Karen Adams. “Donald Trump’s attacks on the ACA and his work to gut pre-existing conditions would leave me, and so many like me, without the care we need. Nobody should go bankrupt because of a medical emergency in the richest nation in the world. We can’t allow Trump to claw back the coverage we fought so hard for. We need to expand health care, not take it away.”
