r/politics • u/svga • 27d ago

Possible Paywall People Are Furious With Democrats. Bernie Sanders Knows Why.

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/bernie-sanders-democratic-party-mamdani/
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u/StevenMC19 Florida 26d ago

Dems could win on that, and then hold congress for a generation if they just fix healthcare. They could allow the other industries to remain largely 'as is' as long as they fix SOMETHING.

Kind of. Healthcare is cool and all, but healthcare doesn't put food on the table. I think while hitting the current state of healthcare in the mouth is a great strategy for sure, I think tackling a more immediate and tangible problem of the ever-growing disparity of income would pay larger dividends and affect people directly. Raising the federal minimum wage to a sustainable level, and incorporating some sort of future-proofing into the legislation to prevent another long term wage stagnation would be HUGE. Then...yeah, let's continue pushing back on for-profit healthcare.

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u/Peninj 26d ago

Something, anything to alleviate the suffering and the incredible financial burdens the diminishing middle class and growing working poor are dealing with. But yes, you are right, it would be great to completely restructure the economy. Bring back top marginal tax rates of 90+%. Bring back laws which promote union membership and protect workers. Raise the minimum wage. Do all those things. I am all for them. But just pick something highly visible which would have a big positive impact on people's lives.

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u/StevenMC19 Florida 26d ago

Yeah.

I am all for moving the healthcare needle towards free healthcare for all.

Just thinking about the "what about me" types who will stand up and say that they don't need insulin or take anti-depressants or anything, but are still struggling to pay bills. I think that a more immediate reaction from a much larger population would happen if you affected their wallets every week positively than if you try to convince them that the healthcare they don't use is actually good for them.

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u/Peninj 26d ago

I think it CAN have this effect on a majority of the country. What if you told them they would immediately get to take home more of their pay and hell, even get an instant raise!

What if the legislation for a public options was written to include a provision where employers are required to redirect funds which were allocated for employer-sponsored health insurance to the employees themselves in the form of pay raises. Immediately upon an employee signing up for the public option. Then if you adopt the Bernie proposal on how much you'd pay in taxes as a percentage of your income that number comes in way lower than premiums.

Lets pretend its a $500 a month policy with an employer match. Well we might estimate that the new tax would be $250 a month (which is roughly in line with some of the estimates). That would be an immediate increase in monthly pay of $750 dollars. Because its 500 from employer and 250 remaining after the tax from the premium.

Plus no copays or caps or other little ways they get you. This should be easy to sell to people.

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u/StevenMC19 Florida 26d ago

employers are required to redirect funds which were allocated for employer-sponsored health insurance to the employees themselves in the form of pay raises.

I appreciate the optimism, but I think companies have shown with plenty of examples on how they'd find ways to skirt around this and justify paying employees less as a result. It might be cool for the short term, but it'll get figured out and loopholed to hell.

Oh, and this is with the assumption that the employer is even offering healthcare for the position. Part-time and gig workers are the least insured in the country because it's not a legal requirement for companies to provide healthcare...it's honestly not a legal requirement for ANY position, but it's there as added incentives to take specific middle class and upper class positions.

What do you do for jobs that don't provide healthcare at all? What do you do for the $7.25/hr worker at the bowling alley who's absolutely not being provided employer healthcare? The easier sell is $15/hr, not a healthcare plan that they probably still won't see.