In order to bring new people into the socialist movement through Medicare for All, we need to go out and talk to people! Meet people where they’re at. At their doors, in their workplaces, in community spaces, and public places. Connect with them over an issue and introduce them to socialist politics.
The structure of a campaign:
-
Demand: what do we want to win, specifically? Our demand should bring us closer to universal, single payer healthcare at the national level and build a base in our community and chapter willing to fight for it and eventually more. In 2022-23, we want to see:
- Pledges from Congressional candidates to reject corporate healthcare industry campaign contributions
- Pledges from Congressional candidates to only support legislation that upholds the 5 Principles of Medicare for All
- A floor vote on the New York Health Act and CalCare
- City Council (local/municipal) resolutions for Single Payer, Nothing Less, with a special focus on cities in the South and in non-Medicaid Expansion states as well as cities with majority non-white populations
- Labor union resolutions in support of federal or statewide single payer
- Target: who/what has the power to respond to the demand of our base?
- Opponents: who/what will try to stop us?
-
Strategy: our overarching method to win our demand
- Political pressure campaigns
- Corporate pressure campaigns
- City council resolution campaigns
- Establishment of a labor healthcare caucus/committees
- Anti-privatization campaigns, or a fight against the closing or downsizing of healthcare services
- Always tie our messaging to a larger fight against the influence of capital in healthcare!
-
Tactics: a series of escalating actions you will take to pressure your target, develop your organizers, build your numbers and power. DSA guides like this one as well as the Medicare for All committees from 2019 and 2021 detail many of these approaches.
- Canvasses to drive calls and messages of support to a political office
- Canvasses to gather pledges that a constituent will withhold their vote/donation unless an action is taken, such as like a floor vote on a legislation
- Letters to the editor and opinion pieces
- Birddogging at town halls and board meetings
- Appearing at or holding rallies and speeches
- Holding health fairs
- Providing strike and union contract campaign support
- Creating a statewide coalition for universal healthcare
- Calling parties to follow-up with your contacts
- Strategic research on your opponents and targets financing and funding backgrounds & publicizing your findings
- Popular political education sessions on socialism and universal healthcare
- Allies: the individuals and groups who support your demand and will actively help you win
