And They're Off! The Democratic Candidates for 2020

[JBS]

80 % of people may not call themselves progressives, but that's because people are bad with labels. About 80 % of Americans support raising the minimum wage. That is a progressive agenda. If only 20 % of Americans call themselves progressives, but 80 % support progressive agenda of raising minimum wage it tells people aren't good at labels. Corporate media of courses uses this confusion to advance their right-wing narratives. Pretty much all progressives policies are very popular (over 50 %) on poles, even when framed in ways to get as low support as possible. As Kyle Kulinski says: "People are not stupid. They are misinformed."

I am totally aware of the parallel systems. In the medicare for all system all of those would be combined to provide the care. Single payer is not about how care is provided. It's about how it's paid for. That's what it means, the money comes from single payer, the government instead of many sources including insurance companies and the government.

Comparing healthcare results is difficult and often happens with anecdotes which doesn't give good overall picture. I have heard that Medicare and Medicaid are popular programs in the US. That of course doesn't mean they are free of problems. Trump has taken funding away for example. When the US healthcare system is compared to healthcare systems of other countries the results are not flattering. The US spends about twice as much per capita on healthcare than European countries in average and has average results to show for it. Also, the US remains the ONLY developped country in the world not to quarantee healthcare as a right. Now that millions of people have lost their job-tied healthcare because of coronavirus epidemic, the number of Americans not insured or underinsured must be close to 100 million (was 87 million before the epidemic)!

Medicare for all is not only about healthcare, but about personal freedom and financial security. When your healthcare is not tied to your job, you are free to leave it (if you don't like it) for something else, for example starting your own business. Employers don't have healthcare as their leverage to screw you over. Going on strike doesn't meand losing your healthcare. So, medicare for all gives regular people power and that's good in democratic society (and also why the top 1 % now having all the power doesn't like medicare for all). It's about not worrying about healthcare bills and if they drive your family on the street while bank takes your house.

Sigh. You simply don't understand simple things. If people actually supported those progressive ideas, they would vote for candidates who push those ideas. Instead they vote for other candidates. Which mesns they don't really support all those progressive ideas.

You also serm to think the idea of raising the minumum wage is unique to progressives. It isn't. You are totally off base in thinking the media is biased in favor of the right. Why do you think the GOP hates the media?

And where did you get that 87 million uninsured figure? The highest pre-virus figure I ever saw was about 30 million. Because of the virus we could now be at about 90 million uninsured (probably 20 million or so directly unemployed, plus assume two dependents, which many don't have, and a spouse with their own job and health care, which at least some do). But that's a false figure, since almost anyone in that category can maintain coverage through COBRA for 18 months as long as they pay the premium.  I guess Kyle never explained COBRA to you.

[Herman]

Damn!
I have been writing too much here.
I was supposed to stay away!
I go to watch music theory videos![/size]

correct

[Herman]

You are totally off base in thinking the media is biased in favor of the right. Why do you think the GOP hates the media?

unfortunately the game is a little more complicated than this.

[71 dB]

Sigh. You simply don't understand simple things. If people actually supported those progressive ideas, they would vote for candidates who push those ideas. Instead they vote for other candidates. Which mesns they don't really support all those progressive ideas.

No. They don't vote for the canditate they agree politically the most, because corporate media lies them that candidate can't win and they need to vote for "most electable" candidate. People are misled. That's what YOU don't get.

And where did you get that 87 million uninsured figure? The highest pre-virus figure I ever saw was about 30 million. Because of the virus we could now be at about 90 million uninsured (probably 20 million or so directly unemployed, plus assume two dependents, which many don't have, and a spouse with their own job and health care, which at least some do). But that's a false figure, since almost anyone in that category can maintain coverage through COBRA for 18 months as long as they pay the premium.  I guess Kyle never explained COBRA to you.

30 million is people without insurance, the rest 57 million is people who are underinsured. They have insurance, but it doesn't cover enough.

[Karl Henning]

No. They don't vote for the canditate they agree politically the most, because corporate media lies them that candidate can't win and they need to vote for "most electable" candidate. People are misled. That's what YOU don't get.

30 million is people without insurance, the rest 57 million is people who are underinsured. They have insurance, but it doesn't cover enough.

So, setting aside for debate "but it doesn't cover enough"

Thank you for conceding that "87 million uninsured" is rubbish

[Florestan]

Anyone of us might be mistaken . . .

All animals are mistaken but some are more mistaken than the others.

As Kyle Kulinski says: "People are not stupid. They are misinformed."

He surely can teach a thing or two about misinformation.

[71 dB]

So, setting aside for debate "but it doesn't cover enough"

Thank you for conceding that "87 million uninsured" is rubbish

Go back and read my post again. I wrote:

"...the number of Americans not insured or underinsured must be close to 100 million (was 87 million before the epidemic)!"

[Karl Henning]

"If I suck on the Kulinski teat, how could I possibly be mistaken?"

[Karl Henning]

Obama formally endorses Biden. No surprise, as the latter served as his Veep.

[JBS]

So, setting aside for debate "but it doesn't cover enough"

Thank you for conceding that "87 million uninsured" is rubbish

To be fair, he did say "uninsured and underinsured" when he gave that figure.  But of course by Kulinski's standards, since nothing in our system is available on demand for free, there are 330 million uninsured.

[Karl Henning]

To be fair, he did say "uninsured and underinsured" when he gave that figure.  But of course by Kulinski's standards, since nothing in our system is available on demand for free, there are 330 million uninsured.

Thx

[JBS]

No. They don't vote for the canditate they agree politically the most, because corporate media lies them that candidate can't win and they need to vote for "most electable" candidate. People are misled. That's what YOU don't get.

A whole bunch of people voted for Warren, Buttigieg, Harris, Bloomberg, even after it was obvious  those candidates had no chance. So, your premise is wrong. They didn't vote for progressive candidates because they know what the progressive candidates propose have multiple flaws.
They also know that Biden is a lot more progressive than you think he is. You in fact are the one who has been seriously misled.

[JBS]

unfortunately the game is a little more complicated than this.

It is, of course. But to say the media is biased in favor of the right would be true only if people like Biden, Pelosi, and Al Sharpton are members of the right.

[Mirror Image]

Damn!
I have been writing too much here.
I was supposed to stay away!
I go to watch music theory videos!

I wish you would!

[Karl Henning]

He won't do what's good for himself....

[Mirror Image]

He won't do what's good for himself....

Indeed not.

[MusicTurner]

Russians etc. can go home; the Finns have got the Sisu 

[Karl Henning]

Warren endorses Biden; my guess is, she waited out of courtesy to Sanders.

[Herman]

It is, of course. But to say the media is biased in favor of the right would be true only if people like Biden, Pelosi, and Al Sharpton are members of the right.

Well, I wouldn't put Biden anywhere near the Left.

And remember the way the failing New York Times used to slag off Hillary Clinton relentlessly.

Most new media tirelessly keep to the Both Sides Now model which tends to favor the Right.

[71 dB]

SHOCK: Kyle Kulinski & Krystal Ball TURN ON BERNIE SANDERS & GO OFF On Him!

From "not me, us" to "not us, him."