Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz faced one of the toughest votes of his career in 2010.
It was his second term in the House, and Walz 6-term republicanBecoming a complex Second Democratic Party He has represented Minnesota’s rural 1st district since the 1890s. But he made a dangerous vote to pass the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s landmark health care law that Republicans have since tried to kill.
Walz’s district was decidedly red, and he had a few Blue Dog-type people. momentHe did not join the problematic group of conservative Democrats that influenced Obama. Too many headachesIf you’re a long-time Daily Kos reader, you’ll remember:
Most of these headaches are related to the Affordable Care Act and have been brought about by the so-called surge. tea partyA “grassroots” movement was created Mostly funded by billionaire Koch brothers And big oil companies. But conservatives were strong, and there were many prominent Democrats who were afraid to support the Affordable Care Act. The House initially Obamacare passed on November 7, 200939 Democratic Party I voted against it..
Walls wasn’t one of them. When the final version of the bill came back to the Senate on March 21, 2010, Walls I voted The Democratic majority again passed historic legislation.
Here’s how he did it: Explained his vote Expand health insurance coverage to all Americans.
Middle-class families in southern Minnesota want to go to the doctor and get the care they need without the control of insurance companies or the government. They want reliable, hassle-free coverage and the peace of mind that they won’t have to worry about their insurance company cutting them off when they get sick.
For the past three years, I have traveled across southern Minnesota, listening to people’s stories and learning how to improve our health care system. The people who have shared their stories with me are honest, hard-working people. They don’t want relief or special treatment. They just want a fair deal. One of those people is Sheila Weiser. When her son Michael was diagnosed with a rare liver disease, she just wanted him to get the treatment he needed to recover. When Michael graduated from college, he was kicked off his parents’ insurance, and because of his pre-existing condition, no insurance company would cover him. By the time Sheila could have helped Michael, his disease had progressed so much that he was dead. No mother should have to go through that, and if this bill had passed years ago, Michael might still be with us today.
When it came to the toughest votes in Congress, Walls put his constituents first and voted in their best interest. It was risky, and the vote did some damage to his constituents. In 2008, he was nearly 30 points Margin. The margin of victory is just 5 points In 2010.
Since becoming Minnesota governor, Walz’s record on health care policy has been impressive. 2 years in a rowWalletHub ranked Minnesota as the best state in the country for health care based on 44 key indicators including cost, accessibility, and health outcomes.
Under Walz’s leadership, the North Star State Register a record In the ACA plan. Over 146,000 Minnesotans purchased health insurance through the exchange in 2024, a 13% increase from 2023, and 60% of enrollees saved an average of $6,460 a year on their health insurance premiums thanks to the premium tax credit.
“As governor, he fought to preserve the Health Care Access Fund, which provides access to health care to 1.2 million Minnesotans.” Healthnews wrote:. “He also signed legislation strengthening protections for seniors in institutional settings, championed legislation to increase transparency in prescription drug costs, and signed the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, which capped the cost of insulin. insulin price.”
Worlds Signed comprehensive reproductive rights legislation. He signed the state’s existing abortion protection law into law in January 2023. He followed up in April 2023. To establish Three more bills passed to make Minnesota a safe haven for people from other states seeking abortions and gender-reassignment surgery, including a ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people in the state.
Walz’s compassion and dedication to the people he represents is reflected in his record of fighting for health care for all. In addition, he is simply A really nice and ordinary guy.
Our health will be safe with Harris and Walz. Let’s get them to the White House. Donate now!
