Biden Opposes Medicare For All The Same Way Conservative Democrats Used To Oppose Medicare

I admit it... gladly, proudly: I've always detested Joe Biden. Loathed the guy-- in the '70s he was an outright racist, not even hiding it-- and then went on to be one of the most conservative Democratic shitheads in the Senate, along with Joe Lieberman (CT), Henry Jackson (WA), John Stennis (MS), Max Baucus (MT), Ernest Hollings (SC), James Exon (NE), Russell Long (LA), Herman Talmadge (GA), J. Bennett Johnston (LA), David Boren (OK), Blanche Lincoln (AR), Howell Heflin (AL), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Richard Shelby (then a Dem-AL), David and Mark Pryor (AR), John Breaux (LA), Zell Miller (GA), Evan Bayh (IN) and Mary Landrieu (LA).

What I'm interested in, though, is policy. And, as expected, Biden is the worst of the viable Democratic candidates when it comes to issues-- all issues; he's not good on anything. That's because he's a conservative, vaguely trying-- for the sake of a primary where liberals are in a majority-- to sound somewhat progressive. It doesn't work. Instead he sounds confused and out of his depth. He seemed to suggest Medicare-For-All should be off the table because his son died without having it. Biden makes me want to puke. I wouldn't vote for him under any circumstance-- not even if I lived in a swing state. That's because I vote for candidates who I want to see in office, not because they're the lesser of two evils.

On Tuesday, Common Dreams published a piece by Eoin Higgins, Critics Denounce Biden's Use of Tragic Family Story to Attack Medicare for All as Both 'Manipulative' and 'Cynical'. Biden isn't as bad as Trump, but he's more like Trump than anyone else running for president. Higgins reported that Biden's new ad "uses his personal story of familial loss as an attack line against Medicare for All." The ad is disgusting and misleading and most people are giving it the thumbs down, "as a cynical ploy that obfuscates the similar kind of pain that millions of people could endure  under a Biden plan that would leave them un- or under-insured. Characterizing the commercial-- in which Biden recounts losing his first wife and daughter in a 1972 car accident and his son Beau to brain cancer in 2015-- as 'so manipulative' towards potential voters, writer Natalie Shure said on Twitter that the former vice president was using his life story to swipe at the Medicare for All proposal supported by his top Democratic primary rivals. 'Single payer would equitably support *all* families through their darkest moments,' tweeted Shure. 'Obamacare doesn't; nor would Biden's plan.' Journalist Chris Person was even harsher on Biden. 'This is easily the cruelest, dirtiest, and most manipulative thing Joe Biden has done so far,' said Person, 'dangling his son's cancer against the fight for Medicare For All.' Media critic Adam Johnson, in a tweet, called Biden's use of his family tragedy 'extremely cynical... Again he's equating those pushing Medicare for All with GOP trying to undermine Obamacare by misleading what it means to tear it down BUT this time the added bonus of using images of his dead children!' added Johnson." See why the guy disgusts me?

"Health care is personal to me," Biden tweeted in an announcement of the ad. "Deeply personal."

In response, journalist Walker Bragman pointed to the deficiencies in Biden's plan and how the proposal would leave Americans on the wayside.

"Your own website acknowledges that your plan isn't universal," said Bragman. "As much as three percent of the population-- 10 million individuals-- would still be left out."

"Your family was fortunate to have had money and care," Bragman continued. "What's your response to those who wouldn't be better off under your plan?"

His own incremental, reactionary plan is what big donors who have funded his repulsive political career say they can accept... likely after "bipartisan compromises with McConnell make it even worse. Can you see why we called him Status Quo Joe?

Yesterday, Morning Consult's new poll was clear about what Democratic primary voters want: Medicare For All. As more people learn what it is, more people prefer candidates who promise to fight for it. "As distinctions between Democratic presidential hopefuls become increasingly stark nearly six months before the 2020 Iowa caucuses," wrote Yusra Murad, "a new survey finds enthusiasm within the party’s electorate for a candidate that supports Medicare for All over building on the Affordable Care Act has surged over the course of 2019." The new poll indicates that voters will take into account a candidate’s support for implementing a Medicare for All system over preserving and improving the ACA in deciding who to back for president.

Among Democrats, net support (the share of those who said that attitude would make them more likely to back a candidate minus the share who said they would be less likely) grew from 35 points in January to 52 points in the latest poll, which surveyed 1,987 registered voters, including 768 Democratic voters.

This dynamic is also playing out in congressional races, where the DCCC has instructed their generally conservative and pro-corporate candidates to duck questions about Medicare For All or-- when pushed hard enough-- to mislead voters about their positions. On their skimpy websites, DCCC candidates, talk in vague terms about "universal healthcare" but never admit they oppose Medicare for All. The DCCC played the same game last cycle. Of the new freshmen members elected last cycle, the DCCC-backed candidates are generally opposed to Medicare for All now. The only freshmen who have signed on to Pramila Jayapal's Medicare for All bill in the house (of 117 Democrats), H.R. 1384, are primarily members the DCCC didn't support in 2018:

• AOC (D-NY)
• Ilhan Omar (D-MN)
• Rashida Tlaib (D-MI)
• Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)
• Veronica Escobar (D-TX)
• Chuy Garcia (D-IL)
• Jimmy Gomez (D-CA)
• Debra Haaland (D-NM)
• Jahana Hayes (D-CT)
• Andy Levin (D-MI)
• Joe Neguse (D-CO)
• Lori Trahan (D-MA)

Only half a dozen co-sponsors were supported by the DCCC:

• Jared Golden (D-ME)
• Josh Harder (D-CA)
• Katie Hill (D-CA)
• Mike Levin (D-CA)
• Katie Porter (D-CA)
• Susan Wild (D-PA)

Among the candidates for Congress strongly supporting Medicare-For-All are Mike Siegel (TX-10), Marie Newman (IL-03) and Jason Butler (NC-02). Each has opponents who are against healthcare, Michael McCaul (R-TX), Dan Lipinski (Blue Dog-IL) and George Holding (R-NC). "Medicare for All," wrote Mike this morning, "is the best approach to guarantee quality care for every American. Unfortunately, DC Democrats consistently attempt to dissuade me from full-throated support for Medicare for All; my primary election opponents prefer to say they are fighting for "access" to healthcare. But on the campaign trail, every day, I learn more stories of folks who won't be covered by other programs. For example: two retired Los Angeles teachers living in Harris County; the husband, a bit older, wasn't approved for a non-invasive cancer treatment by Medicare Advantage, and had to choose surgery instead. He is eligible for Medicare, but his younger wife's health insurance is tied to his, and if he left their current plan, she would go uncovered. Or another example: a disabled teenager who depends on long-term supports and services, who must rely on an inadequate patchwork of state and federal programs, supplemented by his family's major contributions. All of these folks would have piece of mind, and excellent care, under Rep. Jayapal's bill. We need to fight hard for Medicare for All, because "meeting in the middle" on healthcare means leaving countless people behind. Half-measures will lead to more deaths and bankruptcies, more closed hospitals and ruined families. We need to keep fighting not for what is convenient, but for the best possible result for all of us."

Marie Newman had a similar perspective: "I support Medicare For All because my district does. They tell me everyday they are sick to death, quite literally, of not being able to afford prescription drugs needed for their family, getting abusive run arounds from insurance companies, skyrocketing costs and unpredictable/surprise fees. I back up my district and always support them, which is why I support Medicare for All."

Jason Butler, the newest Blue America endorsee told us today that "Ensuring healthcare for every American is the moral imperative of our age. Expanding Medicaid will ease the suffering of millions of Americans and help to build a healthy future for the children of our nation. I fully support Pramila's Medicare for All bill and if elected, will fight to make sure every American has access to affordable and quality healthcare."

Eva Putzova, Chair of the Flagstaff Living Wage Coalition, is running in massive AZ-01 for a seat occupied by a Republican pretending to be a Democrat, Blue Dog Tom O'Halleran. He opposes healthcare; she'll fight for it. This is what she told me today: "I support the Medicare for All bill introduced into the House by Rep Pramila Jayapal. Presently, there is no other legislation in the House of Representatives that guarantees universal, quality, affordable, healthcare for all people in this country. The premise of the Jayapal bill is 'everyone in, no one left out' which is exactly what we need. My friend's mom spent the last days of her life on the phone with her health insurance company that kept denying her cancer treatment claims because she didn't want to leave her children with the medical bills. As long as health insurance and pharmaceutical companies keep buying willing politicians they will be resistant to support a truly universal healthcare system. We need to get rid of both-- corporate greed and institutionalized political corruption."

Half a dozen of our strongest primary candidates backing Medicare for All, against Democrats who don't, also had something to say about this today. Brianna Wu is running for the Boston area seat held by anti-healthcare New Dem Stephen Lynch. "It's no surprise the corporate DCCC backed Democrats in Congress won't let Rep. Jayapal's Medicare for All bill go anywhere. The DCCC has made its disdain for progressive ideas and candidates well known. Count my opponent, Stephen Lynch, among them. Lynch voted against Obamacare, then has the audacity to try to attack Republicans who want to destroy it. He claimed in a town hall just last week that he is 'persuadable, but not persuaded yet' about Medicare for All. I guess the fact that thousands of his constituents in Massachusetts are losing their health insurance isn't persuadable enough for him. If you wonder why these 'Democrats' put up so much resistance to progress, be it Medicare for All, climate change, or anything else, just take a look at their campaign finance filings and see what industries and corporate PACs donate to their campaigns. When I get to Congress, Medicare for All will have a champion, and we will get it done."

I hope we see Kim Williams working together with Brianna Wu in 2021. The Central Valley progressive is running for the seat occupied by reactionary Blue Dog Jim Costa. "There’s a difference between a promise and a plan," she said yesterday, "and we’ve heard too many promises before. The crisis we face in this country is real. Half a million Americans file bankruptcy each year because they cannot afford medical expenses while insurance companies make billions in profits. There’s a reason a majority of us support real reform. Unfortunately, not all members of the Democratic Party agree. We have incumbents who parrot Republican talking points and moderate challengers who either don’t understand the topic or are too afraid to upset the DCCC. But we don’t have to settle for either. I strongly support Pramila Jayapal’s Medicare for All bill. Half measures and empty talk will only prolong people’s suffering. Her plan is our best shot at bringing about the systemic changes we do separately need."

Here's how Rachel Ventura came to run for Congress in the first place: "In February 2019, I approached my Congressperson, Bill Foster, about co-sponsoring Jayapal's Medicare for All bill. Foster's contributions from Big Pharma and Insurance companies along with his refusal to support improved, expanded Medicare for All pushed me into this race. Even after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed, we remain a nation that has 29 million uninsured citizens and millions more who are under-insured. Those who have access can hardly call it "affordable" and many people avoid going to the doctor at all even for check-ups which can prevent future illness. According to Opensecrets.org Big Pharma and the for-profit health care system spent over 50 million buying influence over both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. It is no wonder Democrats are avoiding the issue and refusing to sign onto Medicare for All. As a mother working two jobs and had to go two years without insurance, I can relate to those who are navigating this broken system. I guarantee I will never back down from this fight."

It isn't just Jessica Cisneros-- the progressive running in South Texas for a seat occupied by the most Republican of Texas Dems, Henry Cisneros-- who favors Medicare-For-All. Her whole volunteer has is backing it. "Our campaign strongly supports Pramila Jayapal's Medicare for All bill because that is what our district in TX-28 needs," she said earlier. "Texas has the highest rates of uninsured residents, and South Texas also has one of the highest rates of poverty. As a result, many of us here have family members and friends who have passed because they could not afford medical care. Those that are able to cross into Mexico go for cheaper checkups and prescriptions, but we're upset that this is our reality. The majority of voters we've spoken to are excited about Medicare for All because that means we don't have to crowdfund our treatment or rely on another country for our healthcare. We're proud to champion this policy because we know our district and the U.S. deserve better."

Mark Gamba is the mayor of Milwaukie and he noticed that the congressman who represents his part of Oregon, Blue Dog Kurt Schrader, isn't helping, but hindering progress. So he decided to run himself. "Here we are," he told me, "in the richest country in the world, and we are spending more per capita on healthcare than any other nation in the world, and yet we are 11th in health outcomes of the top 11 industrialized countries. While spending more per capita on healthcare, we fail to provide health insurance to millions of Americans, and millions more can’t access their health benefits because of cripplingly high deductibles. All of the rest of the world has solved this issue. The only reason we haven't is that we treat healthcare as profit center rather than a system for keeping our families healthy. The status quo, corporate sellouts in Congress, like my opponent, are getting big fat checks from the insurance and pharmaceutical companies. They will not be changing their tune anytime soon. I fully support Congresswoman Jayapal's Medicare for All Bill. It will assure that health care is a human right and that every American has access to high quality medical care, and it will save Americans money. To the naysayers I say: Really? The whole rest of the civilized world can do this for their people but it's too hard for America to do? Nonsense! We can and we will, as soon as we replace the corporate sellouts with progressives."

Jamaal Bowman, the progressive opponent to New Dem Eliot Engel, is someone we can expect to fight for legislation that will benefit working families. "I strongly support Rep. Pramila's Medicare-for-All bill. It's time to design a healthcare system that works for everyone. No one should die or be turned away because they lack healthcare coverage. We are the wealthiest country in the world and its time for us to take care of our people. Rep. Pramila's bill does just that."