Oh, here we go. Here's where Bernie disputes the fact that polls consistently show a majority of Americans favoring single-payer. ... What? Wait a minute! The central facts don't even mention any polls. Check this out:
- Nearly all persuadable voters—those who don’t automatically side with or against us—have health insurance. (In fact, about 94 percent of voters are insured. The uninsured, unfortunately, don’t tend to vote.)
- About 3/4ths of insured Americans are satisfied with their health insurance.
- When Americans hear about a health care proposal, they immediately think “how is it going to affect me and my family.” That’s their overarching, overwhelming concern.
That means when average American voters consider a new health care policy, their paramount concern is that the policy allows them to keep the health insurance they have. Union members—who usually can be counted on to support progressive policy—are among the most adamant that they be permitted to keep their health insurance. Why? Because unions tend to negotiate better insurance for their members than the rest of us have!
No matter how good a single-payer system might be in theory, these voters are easily turned against any plan that they think might force them off their current health insurance. That’s what the 1994 “Harry and Louise” ads were all about—claiming that the Clinton plan would force Americans to “pick from a few health care plans designed by government bureaucrats.” The Harry and Louise ads thoroughly scared voters—and that’s why they were so effective.
How do we know this? Over the past two years, progressive groups have conducted an unprecedented amount of public opinion research about universal health care. Usually it’s the conservatives who have all the polling data. This time, our side has the upper hand. In fact, I believe progressive advocates have more polling, focus group, and “dial group” research on this than on any issue in history. That research shows that, even if a single-payer proposal starts out with a majority of Americans in support, it won’t hold majority support after the insurance industry clobbers it with ads.
Wow, Bernie. Your polls find what everybody else's polls find? That a majority of Americans want single-payer? AND on top of that they predict the future? They predict that if the private insurance companies spread a bunch of lies, people will believe them? And will that happen in a vacuum, Bernie? Or will it happen in one of two situations: (1) progressive astroturf groups stick their hands under their fat asses and whimper, (2) groups representing majority opinion push back hard with our own aggressive talking points on behalf of single-payer with the advantage of honesty, simplicity, and the "obvious facts" you yourself noted at the very top of your article? Did you poll into the future on both of these scenarios? And did you notice that the health insurance companies are hammering you with lies even though you pre-compromised? Didn't see that one coming, huh?
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