Vox: Republicans are about to make Medicare-for-all much more likely

[Virginiá]

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/6/15/15787626/mitch-mcconnell-single-payer-medicare-all

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I hate to say it, but in a way, Republicans passing their awful sham healthcare bill may be necessary. Once they do that, they will feel the wrath of tens of millions of upset voters who have either lost insurance/seen their premiums spike themselves, or know family/friends who have experienced such a devastating issue. The result is a backlash that could sweep Republicans out of power and clear the way for Medicare (or Medicaid)-for-all.

This is what puzzles me about Republicans - why do this? Do they seriously think the public isn't going to punish them if they pass this bill? Their best option is to just accept the reality of ObamaCare, make some relatively minor changes to it and call it a day. Instead, they are doing progressives a big favor by laying waste to PPACA in a bid to shift more money to wealthy people, and when all is said and done, the only viable option left is a single-payer/public option type solution, as everything else has been discredited in some form or another.

I just have to say then - How stupid are the politicians of the Republican Party?

[Hindsight was 2020]

I seriously don't get why they are doing in this over the top fashion that they accused the democrats of doing with Obamacare (passed in the night, no transparency) that concedes the high ground to dems when they take power back in congress

[Matty]

I'd prefer it tried at state level first

[Technocracy Timmy]

The passage and implementation of Obamacare itself made it incredibly unlikely to repeal. The GOP since Reagan haven't been able to get rid of entitlements or large scale social programs (with the exception of when a Democratic president wanted to reform welfare). Their desires to do so almost always end up in a strong backlash (SS privatization in 2005/2006) or never actually amount to anything substantial beyond small cuts.

[Green Line]

Let them eat cake

[The Mikado]

Medicare access for all isn't single payer, it's a public option. Medicare would just go into competition with private insurers: if it's cheaper or provides better coverage, people will use it, if not, they won't.

[Virginiá]

I seriously don't get why they are doing in this over the top fashion that they accused the democrats of doing with Obamacare (passed in the night, no transparency) that concedes the high ground to dems when they take power back in congress

Part of Mitch McConnell's strategy is basically to do whatever it takes in the moment, and this is based on the idea that people will not remember (or perhaps even care if Republicans themselves do the same thing they criticized Democrats for later on). This is why Mitch shamelessly lies even when there is copious amounts of proof showing otherwise. He correctly (usually) gambles that most people will not make the connections and call him out on his hypocrisy. Mitch is actually pretty smart, but to be him and do what he does, requires a certain type of ruthlessness & shamelessness that most people lack. I wouldn't be surprised if Mitch was a straight up sociopath, tbh.

However, regardless of what the voters remember, I also don't get why Republicans themselves are not trying to avoid adopting the same damaging behavior Democrats had. In fact, Republicans have ratcheted everything up 10-fold. I don't recall Democrats not holding any public hearings on PPACA, or trying to shut down press access. What Republicans are doing now with healthcare is extremely reckless and deeply unfair to the country.

The level of desperation Republicans are exhibiting right now in their bid to get tax cuts for the wealthy makes me genuinely wonder who exactly they are answering to.

[Lincoln Republican]

Medicare for all is truly a worthy goal.

With Medicare, all Americans should be cared for totally, without exception, from cradle to grave, funded through personal and corporate taxation, employee deductions.

Those who can pay more should pay more.

One plan for all, total coverage, cut out the waste and graft in the medical system, then total Medicare for all would be affordable.  

[Suburbia]

Single payer is one of the big proposals that I agree with socialists, leftists.

The Republican Party sucks at healthcare, period.

[Yank2133]

I seriously don't get why they are doing in this over the top fashion that they accused the democrats of doing with Obamacare (passed in the night, no transparency) that concedes the high ground to dems when they take power back in congress

Part of Mitch McConnell's strategy is basically to do whatever it takes in the moment, and this is based on the idea that people will not remember or perhaps even care if Republicans themselves do the same thing later on. This is why Mitch shamelessly lies even when there is copious amounts of proof showing otherwise. He correctly (usually) gambles that most people will not make the connections and call him out on his hypocrisy. Mitch is actually pretty smart, but to be him and do what he does, requires a certain type of ruthlessness & shamelessness that most people lack. I wouldn't be surprised if Mitch was a straight up sociopath, tbh.

However, regardless of what the voters remember, I also don't get why Republicans themselves are not trying to avoid adopting the same damaging behavior Democrats had. In fact, Republicans have ratcheted everything up 10-fold. I don't recall Democrats not holding any public hearings on PPACA, or trying to shut down press access. What Republicans are doing now with healthcare is extremely reckless and deeply unfair to the country.

The level of desperation Republicans are exhibiting right now in their bid to get tax cuts for the wealthy makes me genuinely wonder who exactly they are answering to.

I think McConnell realizes that the senate is safe in 2018 regardless whatever happens to the ACA. The House Republicans are the ones who are going to eat this **** in the midterms.

[progressive85]

I'd prefer it tried at state level first

It would be wise to have it tried out in the big states first- like California and New York...  perhaps they can do it in an incremental way

[Pericles]

I seriously don't get why they are doing in this over the top fashion that they accused the democrats of doing with Obamacare (passed in the night, no transparency) that concedes the high ground to dems when they take power back in congress

Because Mitch McConnell knows that Trumpcare is so unpopular, poisonous and self-destructive that if he were to allow the public to know what was in the bill it could never pass. The only hope for Republicans is to pass the bill before we find out what's in it.

[Virginiá]

I still think single-payer is 10-20 years off. Until the younger generation (Millennials) start making gains in government, it just wont happen.

I think ultimately it will depend on when Democrats take back Congress/White House with large majorities, and how bad the healthcare system has been messed up by then. Republicans seem poised to screw it up pretty royally all to free up cash for upper-income tax cuts, so that could hasten the arrival of some form of the progressive dream.

Still, though, that could take years. 10 years at least sounds about right.

[Pericles]

I still think single-payer is 10-20 years off. Until the younger generation (Millennials) start making gains in government, it just wont happen.

It's about to be Democratic-party policy, or at least something close to it will, and then in 2020 when Democrats regain the presidency and the Senate, or 2024, they will enact it into law.