Is Single-Payer Inevitable?
By Thom Hartmann A...
The list of Senators supporting Bernie's Medicare-for-all bill is growing by the day.
Is single-payer healthcare on the verge of becoming the default position of the Democratic Party?
Oregon's Jeff Merkeley, New Jersey's Cory Booker, New York's Kirsten Gillibrand and Rhode Island's Sheldon Whitehouse are officially on board the single-payer train.
All four senators revealed yesterday they are co-sponsoring Bernie Sanders' Medicare for all bill, which is set to be introduced later this week.
Booker revealed his decision during an interview with New Jersey public television:
"I'm signing onto Medicare-for-all, which I'm excited to do this week. Senator Sanders and myself and others are going to be announcing some legislation. I'm signing on to some other with my colleagues, all of us working towards this understanding that if you look at American history, it's always been advancements towards greater equality, greater access, greater opportunity."
Now, in my opinion Bernie could have won the presidential election, and now it appears as though his policies are winning over the Democratic Party.
Is single-payer now all-but inevitable, at least as the mainstream Democratic position?
Comments
#2
Roll on Bernie, roll on. Finally a man in Washington with character and principals.
#3
Single payer would stimulate the Economy by giving US citizens more money to spend.
Regulating price gouging would do the same.
#4
It would be a miracle if we passed single payer. We have too many GOP's being miserly to anything below the ultra rich.
#5
Thom is such an optimist. There is so much money against single payer. It seems single payer has no hope. How can it make it nationally, if it can't make it in California?
#6
This will never fly on Brietbart. The alt right anti globalist will have nothing to do with Bernies socialist ideology. They're too ignorant to see that it costs less.
#7
I know Im off topic but; (paraphrasing) Khrushchev said they would bury us without a shot and that our freedom would be our demise. At that time no one knew the technology that would be available. Kinda funny they used FACEBOOK for the usurpation of America. Lets hope others awake. The assault on education since 1980 has resulted in this They caught us sleeping and; not educating our own. Of course though, it was as plain as a stop sign but, hate and bigotry and mysology of same colluded to become the perfect storm. I guess we will see..... I'm a stocking up though. The human race continues to disappoint! Hope no others are watchin'!
#8
To me it seems to all be appeasement rhetoric to keep more people from walking away from the corrupt democratic party. I would need to see progress and bills passed to belive it!
#9
I have to agree with the consensus so far. It would take a "sea change" dwarfing Irma within the Democratic party to even make a real start toward single payer. Ninety percent of our Democratic legislators are feeding off of the same corporate money that fuels the Republican party. Oh yes, they talk the talk. But most of them are simply professional politicians that know very well upon which side of their bread the butter is lavishly applied. I dislike the Republican credo for its miserly treatment of the poor and middle class. At least they don't try to hide it. I absolutely despise the Democratic Party for its hypocrisy.
#10
Right on my brother, nothing could be more obvious than single payer, but alas we all now pay the price for someone's deceit.
I have to smirk at the progessives, the liberals in the D.P. who are now backing Bernie,
I say screw em, where were they when we really needed them.
Good luck to us all, I knew I shoulda run!
Sincerely
Kevin Whalen
Cambridge Ma
PS, where's Wasserman working?
PSS The only question we can all ask ourselves now is "Can You Swim" ! I think I'll grap a copywrite on that one!
#11
This will never happen. If lefty California with the worlds 5th largest economy can't figure out how to do this on its own it will never happen nationally.
#12
The legislative promotion of Single-Payer by Bernie and the progressive dems equals full on offense......finally. Getting the message out will require lots of political rallies because the corpse media won't touch this. Bernie would draw massive crowds with Single-Payer as the theme. Without a doubt, this is how the Dems can win in 2018. Throw in raise the cap and the Dems take the House and Senate back.....that is if we can stop election fraud.
Being negative about this not standing a chance with the Kochpublicans in power misses the point. Just promoting Single-Payer is a springboard for success.
BTW: Over four feet of rain in Houston, most of Florida without power, and not a word about climate change from the corspe media.
#13
It is hard to believe there is no compassion for fellow man in American politics
What kind of character will ignore a sick human?
Shame on politicians
Supposed to be so upright and Christian and all!!!
#14
Outback, how goes the battle against the fires in your neck of the woods?
#15
Hephaestus nailed it. Simple compassion for other human beings is the missing ingredient in American politics. Congressional floor speeches that address the issues of ordinary citizens may sound good but seldom translate into meaningful legislation unless compassionate, and passionate, members of Congress (historically Democrats and some notable independents) fight hard to make it happen.
And 2950-10K is right that progressive Democrats are finally going on offense with one of the most important issues of the day and in the minds of the electorate, and that they should be applauded and cheered loudly at as many well-attended public rallies as possible to break through the corporate media sound barrier. Arguing against the chances of success as a reason not to support politicians when they're doing the right thing is a self-defeating, self-fulfilling prophecy.
Medicare for all is what most people in America (and the world) want and expect their government and taxes to make happen. They most certainly prefer that their hard-earned taxes should flow considerably more toward the people's biggest everyday concerns than to subsidize endless corporate resource wars for profit -- corporations (and their owners), by the way, who constantly try to weasel out of their fair of taxes, shifting the cost of their wanton destruction of our environment and our health onto the backs of low-paid wage slaves, while the greediest and most ruthless skip away with their booty of ill-gotten gains and the wealth of the nation.
Since we're still a people's representative democracy, in theory anyway, "Just promoting Single Payer is a springboard for success." Well put, 2950-10K!
Focus on the present, not the past. Right on, Gary Batch -- go, Bernie! Medicare for all!
#16
Trump is unpredictable. His stab at health care has been an embarrassment.. He might make a run at single payer with the Democrats just to punish his party.
#17
2950 (#12): I wasn't suggesting we should give up on single payer. I was simply suggesting that it won't be achieved by wishfully thinking that the Democratic Party will regain its progressive orientation. I have argued long and hard on this blog that a new, vital, progressive party is what we need (perhaps germinated by the likes of Sanders, Warren, et.al) not some delusional hope that the Democratic Establishment can be dragged back to the left, kicking and screaming. It's too late for that, and the longer we cling to this false hope, the less likely it is that we can capitalize on the momentum created for a third party that resulted from the DNC's deplorable treatment of Bernie Sanders and his supporters.
deepspace: Thanks for asking. Actually, we've had remarkably few fires here in the Idaho Panhandle due to a record number of consecutive days without measurable precipitation (i.e. T-storms), which of course is a double edged sword. The smoke however from fires in neighboring states and BC has been horrific. Thankfully, things are clearing out now. I hope your travels have taken you to friendlier climes.
#18
They have and they haven't. Back home now, under an unbreathable pall of smoke.
It's getting harder and harder to find unaffected regions these days with the effects of anthropogenic climate disruption accelerating much faster and more intensely than earlier models suggested. It most definitely is a deadly serious worldwide phenomenon, by far the most important issue of the day, one that dwarfs every other problem short of, perhaps, the ever-impending threat of nuclear annihilation.
Haha, other than those happy-sh*t realities, traveling is always fun and interesting. It seems, however, that most regular people, even though they're too polite to say so to your face, view America as a malignant empire and a pariah state, raping the world for its resources and reaping chaos in the process. Yes, it is always interesting -- we've strayed far from the inspiring image of the noble hero of WWII and great savior of Western democracy.
#19
Check it out: Amy Goodman, as usual, had a very poignant and timely show this morning.
#20
Just watched a Bernie interview on single payer, questioning costs. Single Payer supporters, including Bernie: PLEASE point out that getting rid of employer paid healthcare premiums is not the ONLY benefit to business. If presented as a comprehensive overhaul, it would save employers by dramatically reducing the cost of Worker's Comp Insurance, which can range from 1 1/2% of payroll to as much as 100% of payroll.
Other benefits to individuals: Copays, drug costs (which are brought up), but ALSO State Disability Insurance (includes healthcare payments), and a portion of auto insurance (Uninsured Motorist).
Of course, the auto insurance and liability companies would have to actually reduce premiums, rather than taking windfall profits!
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