Schumer:
I’m going to support a plan that can pass.
That’s a fine, pragmatic statement but I hope it does not mean that Leader Schumer isn’t going to lead.
I’m guessing he’s positioning himself so he doesn’t have to be a follower. (And yeah, medicare-for-all does work better as a slogan than as a basis for legislation.)
Why is that? Since it’s a single payer system already in place, what mitigates against expanding it?
TPM - Reprinting tweets with zero information or commentary, in the hopes of becoming as successful as Drudge?
And they wanted to replace Pelosi?
“And makes the donors happy, no matter what the people want.”
DEmopublican Chuckie money Schumer is owned by the giant banks, insurance companies, and Wall Street. The Clinton-Obama democrats never ever fought for working families and the middle class! Medicare must be enhanced and it needs to replace and remove the corrupt insurance Giants, for-profit greedy bastard hospitals, and the Wall Street rulers. Democracy has been losing for 30 years…and Schumer is no better than McConnell! Democratic socialism is the solution…Obama and Clinton are why the working class voted for Trump!
Sounds like he is trying to be a realist here. I know a lot of folks won’t like him for saying that
Ok. But why is this a realistic position?
Why is it unrealistic to expand the single payer system we have already?
Why? Because the present system does not provide universal coverage that assures access to health care for all of us.
Medicare is available to Americans who are eligible. If we expand eligibility to cover everyone then I don’t understand what you are saying.
Medicare pays for only 80% of health care. This is a barrier to universal coverage which provides access to all.
Bearing in mind that he is the MINORITY leader, he has less clout than, say, Nancy Pelosi. He has done a fine job keeping the Dems together so far so I expect that to continue. Still the majority of the Senate is Republican which will limit what can practically be accomplished in the next 2 years.
Yep and it works well for me
Yes, I’d just like him to justify, or earn, or live up to, his title!
Hate to break it to Schumer but a plan that can pass will provide neither the best nor the cheapest health care for all Americans. Unless he’s talking about the Trump plan that will provide “insurance for everybody” with “lower numbers, much lower deductibles” while also forcing drug companies to negotiate directly with the government on prices in Medicare and Medicaid.
I don’t see that as a barrier. I see that as something that can be changed legislatively.
@jtx - yeah us too.
Show me your policy that covers 100%.
First of all, Medicare (which I have) is ok but not great. For example, it doesn’t cover some important types of blood testing such as the lipid panel. Secondly, while it pays a lot, you will always pay out of pocket or buy a supplemental policy which is going to be prohibitive for people below a certain income level, especially families. A lot of changes would have to be made to make it suitable for everyone.