Why I am for Klobuchar

[kennetha]

Given the political difficulty of starting from scratch in the American political system, given how heavy a lift the ACA was already ... what with the blue dogs causing the Democrats to lose nerve on the public option, and the Supreme Court dealing the ACA a serious blow on Medicaid expansion. ... and given that the ACA is now broadly supported, and given the public option seems now like it can be easily framed as the moderate sensible alternative in comparison with Medicare for All, and given the added fact that Medicaid expansion has actually gained some momentum, it would seem to follow that the public option would be much less of a political lift than Medicare for All and together with a renewed push on Medicaid expansion would get us to universal coverage from where we are now much more quickly, with far less division and disruption.

Or so it seems to me. So I think I have decided that I cannot support any democratic candidate in the primaries who is do or die for Medicare for All.

And remember the public option was once derided by the right as a stealth way of moving us toward “socialized medicine.” And even some on the left explicitly saw it as a foot in the door for single payer. It was in fact that combination that caused the blue dogs to lose their nerve and torpedo it. It is a measure of progress that the public option can now be sold not as the “radical” proposal but as a sensible, centrist mainstream proposal that even a blue dog could love and embrace!

On the other hand, Biden is just so...

Hence I think that leaves Klobuchar for me!

Took me awhile, but that’s the candidate I am plopping down for. No more sitting on the sidelines for me!

I am uninterested in debates about whether in a situation in which we were free to start from scratch and design a healthcare system from bottom up we would opt for the simplicity of Medicare for All or the hodgepodge complexity of ACA + Public Option + Medicaid Expansion. Politics is the art of the (really) possible, not the merely conceivable. The (really) possible is highly path dependent. Public Option, given our path, is really possible, perhaps even likely. Medicare for All is not.

[stonecutter357]

1. good let's go Joe !

[snowybirdie]

2. Like her too

Watching these debates, I'm reminded that the very first debate between Nixon and Kennedy had one overriding issue that was discussed at length. It was so important and one voters were very concerned about. That issue was the future of Quemoy and Matsue. Seems laughable now and who knows what issues future presidents will have to address. Pick the candidate you feel can handle the future the best! Vote Blue No matter Who!

[wysimdnwyg]

3. I have to admit, I've learned a lot about Klobuchar from the debates, and I like what I see

She's smart, reasonable, and always in control, which is more than I can say for some (<cough>Bernie!<cough> ). I do think we're going to eventually get to MfA, or some reasonable facsimile of that, but going to that right now is going to be a VERY hard sell. Yes, there are people who want to go there now, and my idealist side agrees. But the pragmatic side understands that a public option (call it Medicare, or whatever you want) is the logical next step.

I'm not yet ready to put Klobuchar in my top three, but she's definitely climbing the list.

[redstateblues]

4. I really like her. She needs to start getting traction or sadly she will be out of the race.

[Hortensis]

5. Good candidate, nice to hear someone speaking up for her.

Curious, though, about why Klobuchar gets a pass for not stopping Lieberman from threatening to kill the whole bill if the single payer option wasn't removed, while house Democrats get bashed for only winning almost everything against the blue dogs -- including the single payer option, but not everything?

Is it just that you like her? Understandable if it is.

[customerserviceguy]

6. She did "meh" last night

I liked a couple of her zingers, but I've seen pundits describe them as cringe-worthy, especially, the "Houston, we have a problem" one.

Once the cutoff is five percent in four polls, I don't think she'll still be standing on the debate stage. Biden is not falling apart as fast as some have been counting on.