2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Why didn't Bernie get Vermont to pass single payer? [View all]DissidentVoice
(813 posts)I also find the Governor's reasoning of "we can't afford it" somewhat suspect.
My feeling is that there are RW elements in Vermont who probably had their "input" ($$$) into squashing it.
Vermont may not have the RW strength of somewhere like Indiana or Texas but they are all over, and Limbaugh and Fox are received in Vermont.
I have to say that the ACA may be a "start," but it simply does not go far enough.
President Obama disappointed me by caving to Max Baucus on the public option, which could have started the path to single-payer MUCH quicker. However, he didn't disappoint me as much as President Clinton did in 1994, when he just caved to the Republicans, lied down and let them kick him, and then jumped on their bandwagon on a lot of things.
The Republicans, despite what they say, are going to have to wait for the proverbial cold day in hell before they get the ACA repealed. Even in their most-conservative districts, there are going to be people who like and benefit from the ACA.
I really hope (probably in vain) that Bernie Sanders isn't poisoned by the DLC mindset and that he will push for single-payer if elected.