House Democratic leaders gave their liberal lawmakers what they wanted on health care. Now they’re fighting to keep “Medicare for All“ from devouring the party.
Top Democrats feel the same way, with some dismissing the bill as a meaningless gesture that would divide the caucus and expose vulnerable swing-district members to a fresh wave of GOP attacks.
Meanwhile, House Republicans trying to recover from deep voter mistrust over their failed Obamacare repeal efforts are already trying to brand Medicare for All as the Democratic Party’s main health care vision. Top progressive leaders sought as well to prevent any rifts from bubbling up by showering praise on Democratic leadership following the bill’s introduction.
They've consciously tried to redirect the hype over single payer toward more the inclusive calls for “universal health care” that the party believes will play better in key districts. “There’s a lot of reality to come in terms of where the rubber hits the road — the practical, pragmatic approach to how we get from here to universal coverage,” said Rep. Ann Kuster , a co-chair of the New Democrats’ health care task force. “There’s not a switch in Washington, D.C., where we go from here to there.”
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