Medicare for All a Vote Loser in 2018 U.S. House Elections

[Gothmog]

54. Michigan Democrats show less enthusiasm for progressive policies

Link to tweet

Democratic enthusiasm to vote against President Donald Trump in the 2020 election could be matched by Republicans motivated to oppose a more progressive nominee.

At least that’s the historic argument for why a moderate Democrat could have the advantage in swing states, said Matt Grossman, director of Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. While Democrats consider which of their candidates is best positioned to beat Trump, recent polling suggests Democrats in Michigan and other general election battlegrounds are motivated to vote but less enthusiastic about progressive policy ideas.,,,,

A majority of Democratic voters in Michigan put Medicare for All at the bottom of their health care priorities, the KFF survey found. Union members have also expressed issues with losing health benefits they fought for over decades of negotiations with employers.
Candidates in the moderate lane like Biden and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg favor expanding coverage under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. Biden and Buttigieg support giving people the option of buying-in to Medicare but don’t want to expand it to everyone.

Biden’s campaign has come out swinging against Warren’s Medicare for All plan, saying it’s too costly and would hike taxes on the middle-class.

Trump and other Republicans call Medicare for All a “socialist" policy, portraying the plan as reckless and expensive. The “danger” of socialism is poised to get a lot of mileage in Republican campaign messaging during the next year, Grossman said.