Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said the state of healthcare in America is “barbarism,” in an upcoming episode of Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) podcast.
In a preview of Wednesday’s episode of “Bernie: The Podcast,” Ocasio-Cortez expressed her sadness about the high costs of healthcare and housing and the difficult choices many Americans must make, as she committed again to fighting for progressive change.
“It is barbarism that people have to choose between medicine and rent,” Ocasio-Cortez said in the preview released Sunday. “It is barbarism that people worry about being homeless every four weeks. It is barbarism that when someone has a physical ache or pain, and they fear it could be cancer but can't afford to see a doctor.”
“This is barbarism. And if we don't demand and win unions healthcare, wages, ending endless war, then we will condemn ourselves to barbarism and I refuse to give up,” she said. “I refuse to accept that future. That's not a life. So, to live, we have to fight for each other.”
The two public figures have become mainstays in progressive politics and played a key role in the beginning of the Biden administration in passing the progressive policies in the Inflation Reduction Act, including capping insulin at $35 for those covered by Medicare and letting Medicare negotiate directly with drug companies. Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders are both supporters of “Medicare for All” legislation.
Sanders launched the podcast nearly two months ago, in conjunction with his book, “It’s Ok to Be Angry about Capitalism.”
