Singing for single payer health care in U.S. Special

Single payer advocates are taking to the streets to create awareness of another option for health care reform: single payer or “Medicare for All."

Lamenting the lack of Congressional or mainstream media interest in a single payer reform option, grassroots activists are taking the message directly to the people. On Sunday, August 2, activists in Minneapolis chose the entrance to the Metrodome in Minneapolis before a Twins game as a place to get the word out. They added some levity to their demonstration by singing songs created by the Raging Grannies, an international group of women activists working for non-violence and economic justice. Minnesota musician Roger Cuthbertson and Tom Hooley were joined by a half dozen other activists who sang, held banners and handed out literature on single payer. The main message is to encourage people to contact their legislators and ask them to support the single payer legislation already introduced in Congress, said Cuthbertson.

“It’s urgent for us to hit the streets now, as Congress continues its process of whittling down the public option plan down to nothing more than a cruel joke,” he said. “Let's keep demanding what we really want, not settling for the crumbs the insurance industry wants to leave us.”

Activists have been singing the praises of single payer all across the country. Granny Ruth Robertson, member of a Raging Granny group (or “gaggle” as the grannies say) in Menlo Park, California, held a 44th birthday party for Medicare on July 30. The grannies led senior citizens and other single payer supporters in songs based on old tunes, but updated in support of health care reform. Below are lyrics to two of the Raging Grannies health care songs: Medicare Battle Hymn Mine eyes have seen the wonders of a single payer plan In nineteen sixty five the Congress said, now, yes we can They passed a single payer plan, they called it Medicare And we're so glad it's there Chorus: The lobbyists will try to fool ya THE-Y-- will think up lies to scare ya They work for corporations who are surely not your friends So don't believe their spin We've got to stand together and to fight for what is fair to educate the public and to make them all aware that what we need is public FI-nance linked to private care You'll be so glad it's there chorus Rock a bye baby Rock a bye baby, don't you get sick Your mom and dad will go broke real quick Grandpa and Grandma wish it weren't true big rich insurers don't care about you Rock a bye tax cuts helping the rich You're out of luck-- if YOUR kid gets sick Health care insurers rack in the cash if you are POOR, they'll treat you like trash Rock a bye profits that's what they love Kids and grand-PA-rents merit a shove Everyone IS in danger it's true Cuz big rich insurers don't care about you