Bernie Sanders Breaks With Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez On 'Medicare For All' Strategy

[TomCADem]

It is unfortunate that AOC has found herself beholden to Bernie such that they have continued to pressure her to ignore her constituents in the midst of a pandemic to help prop up Bernie's failed Presidential bid. I think she actually has a bright future given that she is willing to speak out sometimes to the chagrin of Bernie. Unlike Bernie, she is a Democrat and does not seem to have bought into this idea among many Bernie surrogates to oppose any reforms short of complete single payer, which only serves to harm the American people.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-medicare-for-all-aoc-compromise_n_5e4ca74dc5b65f25da512ce3

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), one of Bernie Sanders’s most vocal and visible allies in his presidential campaign, said last week that Democrats may have to “compromise deeply” on the Vermont senator’s signature “Medicare for All” plan to get the legislation passed. Sanders, however, pushed back Tuesday, insisting his policy proposal is “already a compromise.”

Ocasio-Cortez, who endorsed Sanders in October, is a fervent proponent of Medicare for All, but in an interview with HuffPost’s Matt Fuller, she said she was realistic about the political process as well.

“A president can’t wave a magic wand and pass any legislation they want,” she said, adding that “the worst-case scenario” if Sanders is elected president is that Democrats “compromise deeply and we end up getting a public option.”

“Is that a nightmare? I don’t think so,” she added.

[The Magistrate]

1. She Is A Sensible Young Woman, Sir

She ought to a have a splendid political career.

[BidenBacker]

2. Shouldn't that be Ocasio-Cortez breaks with Bernie?

Who's in charge of this operation? Who's calling the shots in this movement of his...him or her?

“A president can’t wave a magic wand and pass any legislation they want,” she said, adding that “the worst-case scenario” if Sanders is elected president is that Democrats “compromise deeply and we end up getting a public option.”

“Is that a nightmare? I don’t think so,” she added.

AOC growing up a little. Bernie not so much.

[George II]

3. That's what I thought at first - it was the other way around.

[BidenBacker]

4. Hey, George

you think it's too early to welcome AOC to the Biden & Buttigieg health care plans that include a public option?

Or should we wait until after Bernie's people crucify her first for being an Establishment sellout to see if she survives it?

I'd hate to waste money on balloons and party hats in case she doesn't make it.

[George II]

5. I think we should wait, no telling how it'll go at this point.

[BidenBacker]

6. Okay, will do

Maybe instead of wasting money on party stuff that may not be needed I'll instead buy "The Art of the Deal" and send it to Sanders. We know that Trump didn't write it and that Bernie never read it.

Or rather than give any royalties to Trump I could instead buy a copy of this...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2018/02/07/10-ways-to-make-people-like-you-from-how-to-make-friends-and-influence-people/#cdb305a4bb45

Hooboy, sure looks to me like ol' Bern is 0-for-10 on those Carnegie lessons.

[NCProgressive]

7. I am shocked -- she is maturing and learning

Good for her

[Hortensis]

13. Well, baby steps? Being able to see and admit reality

does put her way ahead of Sanders. But she really needs to stop lying about Democrats and to break with dishonesty as a major strategy, or her district will eventually replace her.

The public option IS our Democratic plan that we intended to include from the beginning. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid had it studied and written and fought for two years to include and pass it. We would have passed the public option 3 years ago now if some very bad things hadn't happened in 2016 -- that she was part of.

So, lying that it would be a "deep" Democratic "compromise" is a huge insult and also a betrayal. We don't need another matured ruthless anti-Democratic Party liar, and certainly not a far more competent one.

We'll see eventually how much she wants to hold onto her seat and advance within congress. Sanders himself was corrupted into always-resentful compliance by his determination to keep his cushy job, but not interested in actually, you know, working and becoming effective. She may be different and evolve that way.

[TwilightZone]

8. She bailed on Sanders after the Joe Rogan nonsense.

She's apparently a lot more pragmatic than I gave her credit for. Or she's learning quickly and adapting. Any or all would be good.

[The Magistrate]

12. She Has The 'X-Factor', Sir

No question about it. A rookie looking at a great career....

[brush]

9. We'll see what happens. She did early on call herself a democratic socialist...

foolishly, I might add. America will not elect a socialist, and a democratic socialist is still a socialist.

Sanders, who should know better after living in this country for nearly nine decades, had to find that out the hard way.

Twice.

[Gothmog]

10. sanders does not have a magic wand

There will be no magical voter revolution in the real world

[nbsmom]

11. She backed Cisneros v. Cuellar in TX 28

Cisneros lost, and AOC learned a lesson: Down-ticket and coattails are a thing.

We need to get the Senate back no matter what. It’s not going to happen with Senator Sanders.

AOC is smart—she knows that her future isn’t with Bernie.