Opinion Bernie Sanders: Medicare For All's Moment Is Here. Don't Back Down.

[Uncle Joe]

(snip)

As the House this week held historic hearings about Medicare for All, we must remember that this transformation did not happen by accident. It happened because Americans from all walks of life understand that we have a dysfunctional health care system designed to make huge profits for the drug companies and the insurance companies, while tens of millions remain uninsured or underinsured and we pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs.

(snip)

This group’s members aren’t patients or consumers or people impacted by our current health care system — they are insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry’s lobbying group. These groups spent $143 million on lobbying in 2018 to try to preserve a system that is a disaster for millions of Americans, but that is making big money for CEOs. In 2017 alone, while Americans were getting crushed by higher premiums and prescription drug prices, the top 65 health care CEOs made $1.7 billion in compensation, and the 25 highest-paid CEOs in the pharmaceutical industry made roughly $440 million.

(snip)

In 1960, America elected John F. Kennedy after he campaigned in support of Truman’s idea. That election prompted a health care bill to finally begin being debated in Congress, and Kennedy at the time noted that “what we are now talking about doing, most of the countries of Europe did years ago.”

Of course, the legislation was initially blocked by Republicans and conservative Democrats, who argued that if the proposal passed, it would be nothing short of the end of the republic. Americans, though, were not deterred — they fought back with a 1964 election landslide that was so enormous, the new Congress was all but forced to immediately pass what is now known as Medicare.

(snip)


https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/berniesanders2020/bernie-sanders-medicare-for-all

[samnsara]

1. i was on board with this until Joe pitched the Hybrid model....now i kinda like that one.

[Uncle Joe]

2. Why were you on board with it before?

[Demsrule86]

3. I like the hybrid model too...we won't be forcing folks to do stuff they don't want to.

[NYMinute]

4. MFA is suicidal

People love their current employer provided plans and they will resist it tooth and nail.

We lost in 1994 and 2010 -- got our asses kicked -- over just the perception that we were taking away people's health care.

"Medicare for those who want it" is proposed by Biden, Beto and Buttigieg and THAT is a winning strategy.

[bahrbearian]

5. LOL your funny!

[Uncle Joe]

6. The key word is perception and who wins the perception wars.

"We lost in 1994 and 2010 -- got our asses kicked -- over just the perception that we were taking away people's health care."

Medicare for All not only gives the American People health care but more freedom as well, not being dependent on or tied to their employer for the sake of getting health care.

You can quit your job, get fired, laid off or have your company close and move to Mexico or China and you will still have your health care.

[NYMinute]

7. Neither the 1994 nor the 2010 plan was taking away people's existing coverage

but just that perception caused a bloodbath .. we lost late Ted Kennedy's seat in Massachusetts for heaven's sake.

MFA is suicidal. You can never convince me that it is better no matter how many volumes you write.

If you want to change perceptions, you may want to try to change the perceptions of 3/4th of the Democrats about Bernie and see how far you go.

[Uncle Joe]

8. Did you read the OP?

(snip)

Recall that in the mid–20th century, President Harry Truman first proposed guaranteeing health care to seniors. This idea was billed as radical, “un-American,” and an attack on basic freedom that would be a political loser. And because of that withering assault, the idea stalled in Congress for years — until voters made their voices heard.

In 1960, America elected John F. Kennedy after he campaigned in support of Truman’s idea. That election prompted a health care bill to finally begin being debated in Congress, and Kennedy at the time noted that “what we are now talking about doing, most of the countries of Europe did years ago.”

Of course, the legislation was initially blocked by Republicans and conservative Democrats, who argued that if the proposal passed, it would be nothing short of the end of the republic. Americans, though, were not deterred — they fought back with a 1964 election landslide that was so enormous, the new Congress was all but forced to immediately pass what is now known as Medicare.

(snip)

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/berniesanders2020/bernie-sanders-medicare-for-all

The push for Medicare was not a straight line success.

[NYMinute]

9. In the 60's there was massive support

from all stakeholders because senior care is expensive and the government picking the tab was supported.

Nice spin though.

[Uncle Joe]

10. Read that slower and go back to the 50s when it was first proposed by Truman,

that was the point.

[NYMinute]

12. So what? It was not supported in the 50's

It was supported in the 60's when senior care became expensive and unaffordable to 90% of the seniors.

[Uncle Joe]

15. Why would Truman propose health care for seniors if it was already affordable in the 50s?

Recall that in the mid–20th century, President Harry Truman first proposed guaranteeing health care to seniors. This idea was billed as radical, “un-American,” and an attack on basic freedom that would be a political loser. And because of that withering assault, the idea stalled in Congress for years — until voters made their voices heard.

Do you believe health care to be expensive or un-affordable in the year 2019?

[NYMinute]

16. Please ask Truman. I can't answer for him.

[Uncle Joe]

18. You don't have to answer for him, just use logic.

[NYMinute]

21. Logic says medicare for all is suicidal. nt

[Indygram]

11. Medicare for America is better

It can also pass.

[NYMinute]

13. Yep

or "Medicare for those who want it" aka Obamacare with public option.

[crazytown]

14. How will Senator Sanders get MFA through the Senate?

None of the advocates here answer it.

Here is what Bernie said in 2010


Sanders: Single Payer Never Had A Chance

“It would have had 8 or 10 votes and that’s it,” he said, addressing a topic central in the minds of many who the bloggers and left wing talk show hosts gathered for the 4th annual Senate Democratic Progressive Media Summit in Washington reach everyday.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/sanders-single-payer-never-had-a-chance

Support has improved since then but to suggest there are 60 or even 51 votes for it is pure fantasy.

This is a dead parrot

[Uncle Joe]

17. Well if Bernie were nominated and elected President there is no doubt

the Senate would change as well.

As Medicare for All is a central core issue of his, Bernie would have a mandate and the message from the American People to the Congress would be crystal clear.

Even Bernie's staunchest opponents would see the writing on the wall of the new political reality and they would be on the defensive for a change.

[crazytown]

19. It is assumed that the Senate will do the President's bidding

but they won’t. The history of the Senate says some will go their own way. They take pride in their independence. Then there are the likes of Lieberman - Senators fully owned by the ‘Health Care’ Industry.

[Uncle Joe]

20. Nothing is assumed that the Senate will do the President's bidding but

the new Senate will know that a President Bernie Sanders (if nominated and elected) is doing the peoples bidding, and that with good use of the bully pulpit carries a lot of weight.

[NYMinute]

23. I see unicorns flying across rivers of chocolate milk

and pooping golden nuggets.

[NYMinute]

22. He couldn't even get single payer passed in Vermont. nt