DescentBB

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Two weeks before the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, 52 percent of Republicans told a HillTV/HarrisX poll that they support expanding Medicare to all Americans, a proposal mostly famously promoted by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The other 48 percent of Republicans opposed the idea, the poll found. The 'Medicare for all' idea was unsurprisingly more popular among Democrats (92 percent support) and independents (68 percent support). Overall, 70 percent of Americans supported expanding Medicare to everyone, including 42 percent who strongly favored the idea.

Whoa. Get these folks some Che t-shirts. In their defense, a lot of these people are of the "get your government hands off my Medicare," "Democrats want to raid Medicare to pay for socialism" variety. The ones who say they support ACA but hate Obamacare.

On a positive note, I think this is the one issue that can end a lot of the polarization, because it exposes people to the idea that the people they vote for are complete frauds that don't have their well being in mind. "I support protecting those with pre-existing conditions" said the politician who spent the past decade doing everything in their power to stop the protection of those with pre-existing conditions. Normally I'd say people will continue to eat up the bullsh!t as they always have, but I think we've past the point where it's untenable. Healthcare spending is simply extracting too much. Too many people are being placed in dire financial situations because someone got sick, and are realizing it doesn't have to be that way.

I think it's the type of issue that, once that dam inevitably breaks, could lead to less polarization in other areas of wide common support. Like environmental policy.

It's a small bright spot where I can actually imagine things getting better instead of worse.

Not if Mr. Magoo has his way.

http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik ... story.html

Plus, they don't really want to tackle our nation's soaring deficit that they made worse with their precious "huge tax cuts for the wealthy that will pay for themselves" idea. I haven't heard Paul Ryan quip about that one for awhile. In fact, Republicans have come up with a face-saving solution. If they keep congress this November, they'll most certainly go after entitlements like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to cut spending. If they happen to lose, they'll abdicate all responsibility and just blame the Democrats.

https://slate.com/business/2018/10/mitc ... -lies.html

Tunnelcat wrote:I haven't heard Paul Ryan quip about that one for awhile.

He's too busy jerking it to Atlas Shrugged.

But really, if McConnell wants to go after Medicare and Social Security, have at it. They are third rails for a reason. I have great respect for Republican mind control, but they're already past the limits of credulity. I don't think they can memory hole their tax cuts so soon to gut Grandma's SS check. They'll have a revolt on their hands and sh!tting on immigrants and avocado toast won't save them.