SAVE Our Health Care! Democrats Must Stand Firm

By Terry A. Cummings, JD

Every single day this government shutdown drags on, I feel the weight of it — because it’s not just numbers on a spreadsheet or political noise on TV. It’s real people. It’s parents who can’t get their kids’ prescriptions filled. It’s seniors sitting by the phone waiting on their Medicare renewals. It’s families wondering what happens if someone gets sick and help doesn’t come in time.

During my career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the federal government had three major shutdowns. For employees who are determined to be crucial, as I was, we continued to report to work every day, we performed our duties and tried to hold on financially. So, I absolutely understand the tremendous toll a government shutdown takes not only on federal workers, but on the services and protections provided.

Let’s be clear: this shutdown isn’t just about politics. It’s about people’s lives. When the government stops, so do the programs that keep our communities healthy and safe. Medicaid applications get buried. Affordable Care Act (ACA) services slow to a crawl. Families who depend on federal health lines are left in silence. And for folks already struggling to pay medical bills, that uncertainty is terrifying.

I refuse to accept that. Democrats must stand firm — no backing down, no deals that trade away our health care for political convenience. The Affordable Care Act has changed lives. It’s made care more affordable, it’s saved lives, and it’s given millions of Americans peace of mind knowing they can see a doctor without going broke. That progress is worth fighting for.

And you know what? Even some Washington Republicans are starting to say it out loud. I’ll admit — it’s strange territory for me to agree with Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene — but she’s right about one thing: the ACA matters. She knows that taking it away would devastate families in her district and mine alike, especially in rural communities where there’s already a shortage of care. That recognition matters. It shows this isn’t a left or right issue — it’s a life issue.

This shutdown may look like a political standoff, but let’s not get it twisted — it’s really about whether working Americans can afford the care they need. Democrats must hold the line because our health, our safety, and our dignity are on that line too.

So, I’m saying it loud and clear: health care is not a bargaining chip. It’s a lifeline. And we must keep standing, fighting, and speaking up until every family in this country can count on the care they deserve.

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about politics — it’s about people. And that’s something worth standing firm for. And let me say this: Democrats in Washington have drawn a line in the sand. They are not willing to play games while families suffer. We are fighting for the folks who can’t afford another setback — for the moms choosing between medicine and groceries, for the veterans waiting on care, for the kids who deserve a healthy start. If that means standing up to power, WE MUST ALL DO IT! If it means holding this line until the last minute of the last day, WE MUST BE READY.

Because when it comes to our health care — Democrats must not back down. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.

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Author Bio: Terry A. Cummings, JD is a proud Democrat, and State Representative of District 39 in Georgia. She is committed to defending affordable health care and protecting working families.