Bernie supporters don't understand why Democrats won't choose Bernie if M4A is popular

[Macima]

The explanation is simple.
Obamacare is also popular, perhaps even more so, among Democrats.
Same goes for the public option.

Obamacare is like 55 favorable and 37% unfavorable in the last Kaiser poll I saw And that's with Republicans and Independents included.

One could argue that it would be incomprehensible for Democrats not to vote for Biden.in light of such numbers.

[NCProgressive]

1. It is very simple

If your dinner for 20 people is ready and an extra five guests show up, you don't throw what has been cooked in trash and start over. You just make a couple of extra dishes to have enough food to go around.

[msongs]

2. its not the message, it's the messenger nt

[PatSeg]

6. Agreed

Voters don't elect ideas to be president, they elect a person. All our Democratic candidates had good progressive ideas and any of them would have worked to bring us universal healthcare. In the end, it will be the person that voters trust the most who will be the nominee.

[relayerbob]

3. Even if we like the policies, doesn't mean we like the person pushing them

[napi21]

4. It's for sure what you said, but there's more. M4A would take years to implement. I think THAT

is the reason most turned against it. Might be different if there were no Obamcare and both ideas had to begin at zero, but will be much quicker to add to Obamcare and get it implemented. We already went through the battles with the Pubs, and the struggles getting a program that large to work.

[Aquaria]

5. Because we need more than shiny words

We need a workable plan, clearly spelled out, that explains what it will be and what it will cost.

Because if it's such a great idea that will do so much, where's your legislation, and what have you done to pass it?

Because M4A isn't the only important issue. Other things matter, too, and BS leaves a lot to be desired on several of those.

BS and his more rabid supporters don't seem to get any of that. Maybe if they did, BS would be doing better in the only polls that matter in the end: The voting booth.

[pnwmom]

7. And many of us think his version of M4A is pie in the sky.

There is no chance he would get it through Congress. We might get there eventually, but only if we take an incremental approach. That's how we got Medicare in the first place. And the Medicare we have today isn't nearly as expansive or expense free as the M4A he's been promising us.

[frazzled]

8. Most people don't really understand it

It sounds good, but they have never delved into the details to assess it. Partially because so many of the details, including cost and effects on health care in general, have never been fully disclosed and/or discussed. Partly because people don’t pay attention to these things anyway. It’s just a name, and they know grandma has “Medicare.”

[GulfCoast66]

9. M4A is popular. Until you tell people they will lose their employee based healthcare.

Which the ACA strengthened. No one will go for that. Well, some would. But few.

There are many was to getting to universal healthcare, which we all support. M4A will never win the voters. For good reason.

[radius777]

10. People don't truly understand what M4A is

and many think it is the same thing as the public option.

When voters are clearly told what M4A is (the nationalization of healthcare) it is very unpopular.

Americans generally like choices and don't like gov't control (to the extent that it limits choices) - why what works in Europe doesn't in America.

[showblue22]

11. Not many people believe Bernie can bring it to fruition.

It's just that simple. Bernie has not proven to voters that he has the skills to get complicated legislation passed.

[SergeStorms]

12. If we thought M4A was too expensive before COVID-19....

there's not a chance in hell we can afford it after COVID-19. The budget is going to be so out of balance by the time this is over we might even have to cut the Pentagon's budget!

[thesquanderer]

13. Simple. People vote on more than a single criteria. (nt)

[Just_Vote_Dem]

14. Obamacare saved my life

I'm reticent to go for a brand new system when the present one just needs some fine tuning.

[MineralMan]

15. It is popular with Sanders supporters.

It is less popular with others, actually. That is the nature of support for political candidates. Everyone thinks what they like is liked by everyone. That is almost never the case.

Sanders hit his ceiling of support from Democrats at somewhere around 30%. That is not, and never has been, a majority of Democrats. Once the field of candidates was thinned down, that became crystal clear. The majority wanted a nominee who was more moderate. Now, with only two candidates still in the race, Sanders is still holding at about 30%. Joe Biden has consolidated support from the rest of Democrats.

Majority rules in the Democratic Party.

[The Magistrate]

16. The Policy And The Man Are Different Things, Sir

People know, or strongly suspect, Sanders cannot deliver the policy. Approval of it, therefore, does not translate to, or equate with, backing Sanders' election to high office.


"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[gollygee]

17. I want something practical and possible

and I want people in charge who are flexible and will study and find the best solution instead of starting out with an solid inflexible demand.

[DrToast]

18. Because they know Bernie could never deliver M4A?

[Hav]

19. Exactly

The Bernouts on Twitter love to attack Biden that not everybody will be covered under his plan while ignoring that it will still be an immense help for many millions who will finally receive coverage and that BS' plan wouldn't kick in on day 1. Even if he'd get it through Congress, which he can't, it'd still be years away. It's easy to let pragmatic plans look lackluster against pie in the sky promises.

Biden expressed it perfectly in the debate when he said that the people don't need a revolution, they need help now. Those who depend on Biden saving and expanding Obamacare understand that. The so-called progressives who are happy to let Trump win don't get it.