Abdul El-Sayed Critiques U.S. Political System
During a rally on Sunday, Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed characterized the U.S. political system as “sick,” despite expressing his love for the country where he was raised. This statement came as he wrapped up his “The People vs. the Powerful” tour at Grand Rapids’ DeVos Performance Hall.
At the event, he was joined by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, both of whom also criticized President Donald Trump, political leaders, corporations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
El-Sayed, an Egyptian-American physician and former public health official, reflected on the “incredible” educational opportunities he received in America, including public university and medical education funded by the National Institutes of Health.
“No, don’t get me wrong. I love America. I know exactly what it has given me,” El-Sayed mentioned, stressing his knowledge of what his life could have looked like in the absence of those opportunities. Yet, he acknowledged recalling the country’s darker moments throughout its history.
He suggested that Trump is not the root cause of the troubles within American politics but rather a glaring symptom of deeper issues. “Donald Trump himself is not the disease of our politics. He is just the worst symptom of the disease of our politics,” he stated.
El-Sayed defined this “disease” as a system that enables corporations, billionaires, and special interest groups like AIPAC to manipulate politicians for their advantage. Ocasio-Cortez resonated with this message earlier, advocating for political solutions that address the underlying problems rather than just the symptoms.
El-Sayed proceeded to address the health care system, voicing that medical debt ought to be eliminated and contrasting it with federal spending on campaigns and foreign aid. He emphasized, “Medical debt should not exist,” noting that the nation’s total medical debt of about $225 billion could potentially be bought off for just around $2.25 billion.
Following this, he labeled ICE as a “rogue agency” that should be abolished, stating, “ICE has nothing to do with immigration. It aims to normalize paramilitary groups on the streets and weaponize the concept of immigration against the Constitution. It cannot be reformed; it must be abolished.”
El-Sayed further declared himself a “danger” to various political and business interests, including health insurance companies and certain Democratic leaders. “If you’re Blue Cross Blue Shield, I’m dangerous,” he asserted. “If you’re Chuck Schumer, who trades politicians like trading cards, I’m dangerous.”
