Another brainfart article about what Democrats should do inserted itself into my newsfeed this morning.
The premise is one you see all the time in these kinds of articles: that Democrats had better not push for Medicare for All, because if they do, Republicans will crucify them for it in 2020.
I mean, come on, you saw it, Donald Trump said the word socialism in a rally the other day.
And he’ll keep saying socialism, until you stop the Medicare for All nonsense, and also, bring him a shrubbery.
Which, OK, except that, even House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is conceding now that it was healthcare that cost Republicans the House in November.
Twenty-eight million: that’s how many Americans don’t have health insurance. And this is supposed to be something that we should be proud of, because before Obamacare, the number was 44 million, so, now there are only 28 million without health insurance.
Another 41 million are considered underinsured – basically, paying for health insurance that they can’t afford to use, because of high deductibles and co-pays.
And then, give you one guess what the number one reason cited in personal bankruptcy filings might be?
If you guessed medical costs, ding, ding, ding.
But, well, shrubberies – nice shrubberies, not too expensive – are hard to come by, so, Trump is going to keep saying that word.
People who even know what socialism is and let it impact how they vote are already not going to pull the lever for somebody advocating for Medicare for All, so, whatever.
As it turns out, most of them are already on the public dole – Social Security and Medicare are big in the senior set that watches Fox News around its soaps and the Wheel of Fortune/Jeopardy hour.
It’s the rest of us who are uninsured, underinsured, filing for medical bankruptcies.
Not able to afford going to the doctor unless a limb actually falls off.
‘Tis but a scratch … I’ve had worse.
None of this is an issue in Medicare for All, but that’s not why we don’t have it.
Insurers make too much money with the messed-up way we currently do things to give up the game without a fight to the death.
We spend twice as much per capita on healthcare than Germany, Sweden, France, Canada, countries with universal healthcare, socialism, whatever you want to call it, and have a healthcare system that the World Health Organization ranks 37th, just behind Costa Rica and Dominica, but, hey, Slovenia, at 38, Cuba, at 39, they got nothing on us.
This seems to be the American Way anymore – spend a lot more for a lot less results, and pretend that the big issue is what some old guy might.
The problem I had with the article in my newsfeed isn’t with the cipher who wrote it; it’s that Democratic Party leaders actually think this way.
Republicans, give them credit, they stand for something.
What they stand for – a social conservative, white nationalist redistribution of wealth from the working and middle classes to the already wealthy – reprehensible.
But, again, credit where credit is due, Republicans tell you what they’re going to do, and then, God forbid, but they do it.
I used to think that Democrats are too scared of their own shadows for their own good.
You know, We want to do what’s right, but, now, let’s not go offending anybody about it.
I’m not so sure about that anymore, though.
I’m starting to come around to the idea that all Democrats are interested in is winning elections, if even that.
Because if you win, you have to do something, other than complain and raise money, which is about all Democrats seem to be good for anymore.
Column by Chris Graham
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