07.27.17

Are Dems Really ‘Completely In Support Of Single Payer’?

Senate Dems Are Saying They’re ‘Completely In Support Of Single Payer,’ But How Will They Vote?

SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “One idea … from many other Democrats, is to quadruple down on Obamacare with a government-run ‘single payer’ system. It’s called ‘single payer’ because there is one payer, or insurer, the government. Nearly every health-care decision could be decided by a federal bureaucrat. Taxes could go up astronomically. The total cost could add up to $32 trillion, according to an estimate of a leading proposal. We’ll vote on ‘single payer’ this afternoon, and we’ll find out what support it enjoys in the Senate — especially among Democrats.” (Sen. McConnell, Press Release, 7/27/2017)

  • “Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) wants Democrats to show their cards on single-payer. The GOP senator has filed an amendment to implement a government-funded healthcare system in a political maneuver aimed at forcing Democrats to say whether or not they support the concept that is picking up steam on the left. A vote on the amendment has been scheduled for Thursday. … During the 2016 election, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) championed the idea...” (“GOP Senator Forces Dems To Vote On Single Payer,” The Hill, 7/26/2017)

More Liberals Are Calling For The Government To Initiate A Hostile Takeover Of The Healthcare System

THE WASHINGTON POST: “Obamacare looks shaky … This, in turn, has rekindled calls on the left to create a European-style ‘single-payer’ system, in which the government directly pays for every American’s health care.” (Editorial, “Single-Payer Health Care Would Have An Astonishingly High Price Tag,” The Washington Post, 6/18/2017)

  • “Democrats are increasingly committing to support single-payer healthcare, amid … pressure from their party’s left-wing base. What was once considered only a progressive talking point has gained traction as more Democratic candidates have been willing to embrace government-funded healthcare on the campaign trail and more House members have been signing onto the idea.” (“Single-Payer Healthcare Gains Traction With Dems,” The Hill, 7/09/2017)

More Senate Democrats Are Embracing Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Scheme

“Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) argued Sunday that it’s time for the Democratic party to take a ‘bold’ approach on economic issues, adding a single-payer health care system is ‘on the table.’” (“Chuck Schumer Says Senate Democrats Are Open To Single-Payer Health Care,” The Huffington Post, 7/23/2017)

  • SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): “[Obamacare] is far, far, far, from perfect legislation. And in my view, as you`ve heard me say many, many times… We have got to have the guts to take on the insurance companies and the drug companies and move forward to a Medicare for all single payer program. And I`ll introducing legislation shortly to do that.” (MSNBC’s “All In With Chris Hayes,” 3/24/2017)
  • “‘If you’re serious about real health-care reform, it has got to be on the agenda, and I would hope that as many Democrats as possible support it,’ Senator Bernie Sanders said in a recent interview… Senator Elizabeth Warren has called single payer ‘the next step’ for the party. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has publicly said that ‘we should have Medicare for all.’ Senator Kamala Harris … recently told a crowd in her home state of California that ‘as a concept, I’m completely in support of single payer’ …” (“Why So Many Democrats Are Embracing Single-Payer Health Care,” The Atlantic, 7/18/2017)

‘113 Sponsors Of Legislation’ For ‘A Government-Run, Single-Payer Plan’ In The House

“Not all the calls to repeal the Affordable Care Act are coming from Republicans. Three N.J. House Democrats are among 113 sponsors of legislation to replace the health care law… with a government-run, single-payer plan.” (“3 N.J. Democrats Also Want To Repeal Obamacare. But They Have A Very Different Solution,” NJ.com, 6/17/2017)

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): “My view is that this is really going to become the platform of the Democratic Party.” (“Why So Many Democrats Are Embracing Single-Payer Health Care,” The Atlantic, 7/18/2017)

Government Plan ‘Would Have An Astonishingly High Price Tag’ – ‘$32 Trillion’

THE WASHINGTON POST: “[T]he government’s price tag would be astonishing. When Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) proposed a ‘Medicare for all’ health plan in his presidential campaign, the nonpartisan Urban Institute figured that it would raise government spending by $32 trillion over 10 years, requiring a tax increase so huge that even the democratic socialist Mr. Sanders did not propose anything close to it.” (Editorial, “Single-Payer Health Care Would Have An Astonishingly High Price Tag,” The Washington Post, 6/18/2017)

“To realize the single-payer dream of coverage for all and big savings, medical industry players, including doctors, would likely have to get paid less and patients would have to accept different standards of access and comfort. There is little evidence most Americans are willing to accept such tradeoffs.” (Editorial, “Single-Payer Health Care Would Have An Astonishingly High Price Tag,” The Washington Post, 6/18/2017)

How Much Is $32 Trillion ($32,000,000,000,000)?

It’s nearly equal to the COMBINED size of the Gross Domestic Products (GDPs) of NINE of the top ten world economies following the U.S. in 2016: China, Japan, Germany, the UK, France, India, Italy, Brazil, and Canada. (“GDP (Current US$),” The World Bank, Accessed 7/10/2017)

It’s over EIGHT TIMES the ENTIRE spending of the United States budget in 2016. (“Net Budget Authority By Function, Category, And Program,” Analytical Perspectives, FY 2018 Budget, Office Of Management And Budget)

“The thickness of a single one dollar bills measures .0043 inches or .0000000679 miles…. The height of a stack of 1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) one dollar bills measures 67,866 miles. This would reach more than one fourth the way from the earth to the moon.” (“Grasping Large Numbers,” The Endowment for Human Development, Accessed 7/10/2017)

  • A stack of $32 trillion worth of $1 bills would more than EIGHT TIMES the distance between the earth and the moon.

“The length of a single one dollar bills measures 6.14 inches…. The length of 1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) one dollar bills laid end-to-end measures 96,906,656 miles. This would exceed the distance from the earth to the sun.” (“Grasping Large Numbers,” The Endowment for Human Development, Accessed 7/10/2017)

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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Related Issues: Senate Democrats, Health Care, Middle Class, Obamacare