MEDICARE FOR ALL: A HILL TO DIE ON

 A HILL TO DIE ON

Do not be surprised if the Republican leadership throws Donald Trump under the bus and enacts the 25^th Amendment, then blames Trump alone for the failure of the Iran War, subsequent rise in inflation, and the collapse of health care—all in the hope of salvaging their control of power. Trump is an easy target because he is guilty as charged. But We The People know the Republican leaders are complicit. This makes the midterm elections look very good for the Democrats. But Democrats are excellent at losing elections. They could use a positive campaign issue instead of always yelling about what the other side is doing wrong.

They need a hill to die on.

Health care is a major issue in this country. We have arguably the best health care in the world, if you can afford it. Even after the Affordable Care Act became law, insurance premiums with high co-pays and deductibles were the norm. If you are wealthy, cost doesn’t matter. But most Americans struggle to make their premiums and to pay their medical bills. The solution of taking out a loan to cover medical costs is no solution at all. By all global measurements, factoring in per person cost and healthcare outcomes, the United States ranks at or near the bottom among industrialized nations. I have seen an overall rank as low as 69^th in the world. Most surveys I have seen place us nearer to 37, which is still shameful for the richest country in the history of the world.

What’s different about all the other countries? They have universal healthcare. Everyone has access to equal treatment. There are problems, certainly, country by country, but the point is that healthcare is much more readily available, and democratic, elsewhere. We need Medicare for All.

But how? It should be simple. Consider. The average annual income for a family of four in the US is $106,000. I personally don’t know anyone in that bracket, but it takes a huge number of people making a whole lot less just to bring the average down from the billionaires and trillionaires. The average cost of insurance premiums for a family of four is between $18 and $27 grand. Even at the lower number, that’s 16% of that average income. Remember, there are a great many people making less than $106K who still have to pay that much in insurance premiums. I am not a math genius, but even I can see that killing private insurance and increasing the Medicare payroll tax from 3%, where it is now, to 8 or 9, or even 10% across the board, would save everybody money in the long run while at the same time providing better care for anyone who needs it.

It’s not like there are no models out there. Yes, the health insurance companies will balk, but how good are they at helping Americans? Maybe it’s time for them to go.

Remember, to whom much is given, much is expected. It also might be worth remembering that it takes a mighty work/consumer force to keep the wealthy afloat. But getting Congress to do anything close to this will take a long, long time and a great many down ballot changes. Still, for anyone who believes in helping our fellow citizens realize a better life, this is a hill worth dying on.

October 15, 2025: A Call to Concrete Action

 

Took a break, back and ready to conquer the world! Anything happen while I was gone?

It seems the Democratic Party decided it had to do something, and found a way to apply what little leverage they had. The Republicans have refused to talk, or even listen. The issue that the Dems finally decided was the right hill to die on is health care. All they are asking for is a push back on the various cuts to MediCare and Medicaid, and the threats to the Health Insurance exchange, brought on by the so-called Big Beautiful Bill. The Dems are fighting for us, trying to keep insurance premiums from skyrocketing and keep millions from losing coverage altogether.

Mike Johnson says that Republicans are the ones concerned with health care. Of course, he, as a member of Congress, has the best health care plan available. He doesn't have to worry. His fellow Republicans are poised to punish anyone and everyone who did not vote for Trump in 2024 by ensuring they struggle to meet the burdens of health care in the future. They also shout that what Dems want is to supply health care for illegals. That is simply, patently, a lie.

It gets me thinking. Always dangerous, I know. I support the Dems' attempt, painful as shutting down the government has been. I think that the petty and vindictive nature of the Trump administration will show more and more as the closure continues. But I think it is time for the Dems to stop reacting to Trump. It is time to present themselves as the Party with concrete ideas, and solutions, for the real problems facing average Americans today. While lofty ideals are grand, pragmatic solutions to nuts and bolts issues are where the Dems need to go. Reacting to Trump does nothing. Becoming a viable, in touch alternative to the chaos he presents may just win the House back in 2026 and the presidency in 2028. Don't just say, “I have a plan.” Tell us the plan. Tell us how you will get it done. And tell us, and tell us, and tell us.

Platform Idea Number One: make health care a real issue again. By this, I mean Medicare for All, or Universal Health Care. It is not a new idea, or really all that radical. Franklin Roosevelt called for it in 1945. Most modern countries have a form of it. You can call it socialist, but it is a social program paid for by capitalism. In fact, it would be paid for by taxes. I am not an expert, but I did some math to get started. I am on Medicare, which covers 80% of my medical. I also have a supplimental plan, which used to be my primary before I was forced into Medicare at age 65. It covers the other 20%, so I am out of pocket only for medications. Together, my wife and I pay about 15% of our monthly income to health insurance premiums. The federal Medicare tax rate is 1.45% on top of that. I would be willing, if it were properly explained to me, to pay 8 or 9% Medicare tax if it meant no more insurance premiums at all. I would save 6 or 7%, and have universal health care at any age.

Some Democratic Party member with a good head for figures ought to check it out, and tell Gavin to run with it.