"She will die": Nationwide sit-ins confront GOP politicians hiding from their constituents

Activists protested at the offices of Republican senators in 21 states who, instead of facing their constituents, decided to duck and cover over the Independence Day holiday.

The coalition includes Our Revolution, #AllofUs, Democracy Spring, Democratic Socialists of America, The People’s Consortium, Progressive Democrats of America, ResistHere.org, Ultraviolet, and Working Families Party.

In a statement, the groups said their “actions are part of a larger movement to create a single-payer, Medicare for all system that guarantees everyone health care regardless of their income.”

Republicans have attempted to cut off public criticism of the health care bill, which proposes massive cuts to Medicaid of over $770 billion. The result would create a shortfall in care for millions of people, contribute to thousands of deaths and see at least 22 million people stripped of their health insurance.

It would also kill over a million jobs.

The rain did not deter protesters of all ages from going to Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell’s office in Louisville, Kentucky, where they protested against the bill he drafted in secret with lobbyists.

Five people were issued federal citations for trespassing, including William Corey Nett, who has cerebral palsy and was there alongside his care worker, Sarah Mack.

She told the Courier-Journal that the McConnell plan would take away the Medicaid waiver Nett currently relies on to help pay for his care. But Nett also explained that the protest isn’t just about him.

“No matter how old you are,” he said, “if you’re in good health or bad health, if you’re a grandma or not, because everyone is affected by Medicare and Medicaid.”

Chanting in the rain outside McConnell's office #SitInSaveLives #StopTrumpCare #Louisville pic.twitter.com/bHdV9kqWzm

— Cheesekube (@cheesekube) July 6, 2017

92-year-old civil rights hero Tom Moffett on his way into see @SenateMajLdr in Louisville office. pic.twitter.com/30EjBSnvPK

— DJ Alderman (@mxmareralph) July 6, 2017

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy refused to see Haley Saucier, one of his constituents who has an autoimmune disorder that would cost her $40,000 a month to treat.

Without those treatments, she could die within two months. Currently, she relies on the Medicaid expansion put in place by Obamacare to cover her treatment. The Republican plan rolls back the expansion and puts people like Saucier in peril. As Emley Kerry, who covered Saucier’s protest wrote, “She will die.”

She was later arrested at Cassidy’s office.

Haley Saucier explains why she is protesting and risking arrest by sitting in at Senator Cassidy’s office #SitInSaveLives #StopTrumpCare pic.twitter.com/Wujk8sfm04

— Emley Kerry (@emleykerry) July 6, 2017

At Arkansas Sen. John Boozman’s office, Planned Parenthood documented the sit-in taking place there. In one tweet they noted, “Debbie Murphy is afraid to get cancer screening for fear she may be diagnosed with a pre-existing condition.”

The Republican law would turn back the clock, allowing insurance companies to raise prices for patients with pre-existing conditions, in some cases to the point where they would no longer be able to afford treatment.

Debbie Murphy is afraid to get cancer screening for fear she may be diagnosed with a pre-existing condition. #SitInSaveLives #ProtectOurCare pic.twitter.com/Ru3DWmAaWV

— Planned Parenthood (@PPGreatPlains) July 6, 2017

Healthcare not wealthcare! #SitInSaveLives #ProtectOurCare @JohnBoozman #arpx pic.twitter.com/9NshunIIcJ

— Planned Parenthood (@PPGreatPlains) July 6, 2017

"No cuts to #Medicaid!" #sitinsavelives #protectourcare @JohnBoozman #arpx pic.twitter.com/OFYUACju4h

— Planned Parenthood (@PPGreatPlains) July 6, 2017

Protesters at Sen. John Cornyn’s office in Austin chanted “Trumpcare’s got to go,” while others called for an expansion of Medicare instead of the contraction in services and care that Cornyn and his allies are pushing for.

https://twitter.com/BeckieLough/status/883014960338653186

Getting ready for the rally at @JohnCornyn's office. #StopTrumpcare #ProtectOurCare pic.twitter.com/Mg4FWobvvO

— Indivisible Austin (@indivisibleATX) July 6, 2017

The #handmaids are here to tell #CornynVoteNo. We are here to #SitInSaveLives! @JohnCornyn are you listening? #BCRA #AHCA #MedicaidForAll pic.twitter.com/9T3Xatm2bi

— Beth Cozzolino Santiago (@BethCozzolino) July 6, 2017

#cornynvoteno We are out here in 98 degrees fighting for our health care pic.twitter.com/MmwqbTMCM6

— Leila Levinson (@Vets_Children) July 6, 2017

Democratic congressional candidate Derrick Crowe was arrested during the protest. He later wrote, “I was arrested standing up for millions of American’s healthcare. The fight is not over.”

First arrest. That's your TX 21 candidate @electcrowe pic.twitter.com/P2sjYWFZEG

— Susan "Prof. of Lesbian Dance Theory" Schorn (@SusanSchorn) July 6, 2017

Republicans have stirred up a strong sentiment of resistance in America with the cruel bill they put together in secret, attempting to ram it through without public scrutiny.

But they went too far, and despite their attempts to hide, massive resistance is underway, and there is undoubtedly more to come.