What Democrats need to do to win the House in 2018: first, avoid a civil war

Scheduled for Sky Hi News July 17-19, 2017
Regardless of how the repeal/replace Obamacare Congressional action plays out, the Democrats will have to be on the same page and not divided by an ideological split of whether to go for their hearts desire of Medicare for All or to repair the damage done by the Trump administration to anything resembling Obamacare.   Democrats have an opportunity to take more House seats in 2018 by running against the on the record of Republicans who voted  to take 23 million off the insured ranks. To have a civil war within the  Democratic party in 2018 and 2020 between the partisans for Medicare and fixes to Obamacare  means both Medicare for All or fixing Obamacare  would be the road to failure for both.

The Sanders and Clinton wings must  make peace and unite on  a short term goal. If they fail to do this, Democrats will remain powerless to influence any repairs to the health care system.  It is a dilemma that could be reconciled by seeing fixes to Obamacare as a short term goal while not giving up on Medicare for All down the line. The Democratic Party ‘s unified , winning goal should be best for consumers and achievable in the short term, not what is best for the ideologues. Most consumers are not ideologues; they just want good health care coverage  they can afford.

I personally support Medicare for All as the long term solution to covering as many people as possible with comprehensive health insurance. It also makes the most sense extending affordable comprehensive health insurance to the most people at the lowest cost, if experience in other countries indicate. It is a proven, popular method easy for the public to understand. I am on Medicare and I wish those under 65 could be, too. I have a choice of a private physician and while Medicare covers 80% of certain costs, I also pay about $45 more a month for a supplemental.  It works well.

I also realize that patching Obamacare type insurance would delay increasing public support of Medicare for All, but to let Obamacare type insurance fail  as a strategy to bring us closer to the time of Medicare for All  could gain enough  public support would cause much suffering in the transition time.  Putting  consumers close to desperation by opposing fixes  in order  to expedite  bi-partisan public acceptance of Medicare for All is doing harm to the very persons about whom liberals  profess to care.  It is not a way to make friends and influence voters in 2018 or 2020.

What about a Democratic Party alternative plan? Fixes to Obamacare type of insurance such as providing more subsidies for insurers  and stabilizing  the market to   cover rural areas would address a major failure of Obamacare. To lower premiums and out of pocket expenses without destroying the benefit package of essentials would address other major concerns of consumers who want lower lower premiums and less out of pocket costs.  Requiring drug companies to compete for the right to be providers could lower prescription costs.   To stop  undermining  the financing system needed to make private insurance affordable  on the exchanges or through Medicaid  is another. This means reducing or eliminating the tax relief to the rich as the original GOP plans  provided. These  proposals could make  a platform that would have appeal to all but the hard core libertarians and Trump loyalists.

Post note: in the Senate debate on repeal/replace, the GOP will attempt to troll and divide the Democrats by proposing a single payer system. Sanders will not fall for the tactic, per Vox, and will vote "no" because he, too, believes for now the ACA/Obmacare must be preserved. https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/2017/7/26/16048136/bernie-sanders-daines-single-payer


http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/23/public-support-for-single-payer-health-coverage-grows-driven-by-democrats/

https://www.usnews.com/news/ken-walshs-washington/articles/2017-01-18/republicans-take-over-washington-in-full-control-of-the-country

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-congressional-map-is-historically-biased-toward-the-gop/

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/democrats-continue-line-behind-bernie-sanders-health-care-232205359--abc-news-topstories.html

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/democrats-continue-line-behind-bernie-sanders-health-care-232205359--abc-news-topstories.html