Mike Quigley: “8 years ago, our Nation was in the midst of the Great Recession. It was the worst economic downturn since the Great…”

“8 years ago, our Nation was in the midst of the Great Recession. It was the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, unprecedented in both severity and duration. It was an economic tailspin that blindsided many, devastated millions, and robbed good people of their savings, their security, and their way of life. It was a disastrous combination of irresponsible lending, overly complex derivatives, and inadequate regulatory oversight that led to a near collapse of our financial system. Over the course of this economic catastrophe, more than 5 million Americans lost the roof over their head, and another 9 million lost the paycheck they relied on to support themselves and their families. People were terrified for their futures, and for the first time in generations, it looked as if moms and dads might have it better off than their sons and daughters. This chaos and despair extended far beyond economics. At the end of 2008, almost 16 percent of the population was uninsured. This meant that over 50 million Americans were crossing their fingers, holding their breath, and hoping to avoid any unpredictable, unanticipated, and uncontrollable health concerns that would turn their lives upside down. Simply being a woman or having asthma was enough for insurance companies to deny you quality care, and basic preventive and primary care services were hard to come by.…”