Why Democrats Pretend To Support Single-Payer

Jimmy Dore, Stef Zamorano, & Dave Dayen on this week’s Aggressive Progressives. The trio talk about single-payer healthcare, Dave’s article in The Intercept, and Prop 98. Ron Placone joins and Michael Lighty, Director of Public Policy from the CNA, skypes in to talk about the healthcare bill.

"Amid an uncertain future for U.S. healthcare, California’s overhaul attempt has galvanized the left and received national attention. But the peculiarities of state law and process remain a mystery, allowing advocates to create a serious gap between the expectations of supporters and the very real obstacles in the way.

There’s a reason that every California single-payer bill in the last 25 years — and there have been at least seven, two of which passed the legislature and were vetoed, so we in the Golden State have seen this movie before — never includes a funding mechanism. It’s not necessarily because of fear of voting for higher taxes, or even the two-thirds threshold to increase a tax in the legislature.

It’s because you can’t do the funding without help from the voters, because of California’s fatal addiction to its perverse form of direct democracy. The blame, in other words, lies with ourselves."*

[MountainMan]

Gephardt is conflating single payer with government run healthcare. They arent's the same thing. Single payer just means the govt handles the bookkeepping. Private companies would still be just as innovative - they'd just get paid by the govt, not the insurance industry. The insurance industry brings *nothing* to healthcare except excess costs.

[marijuanasaveslives]

Thank you Jimmy and TYT for providing great news.

[DBenfordMusic]

I wonder why no one asks our Representatives how much they've received in campaign donations from health/pharm companies, then ask them if they support single payer in town halls or discussion table settings.

[oxvjjdj]

Jimmy Dore is the best part of TYT by far. There's people on the right that love him because he's not partisan. Yea he has his opinions and you can disagree with him but he shows the corruption in the Democratic party even though he thinks they're better. That's great

[rangereric]

It's like that for a lot of issues with the entire Democratic party. They keep putting on the left blinker, while they turn to the right.

[justatiger]

Dayen is too smart for this show. This audience doesn't want to hear actual policy nuance.
I hope I didn't make too many of them cry, especially Jimmy :(

[DanielCalifornia]

If we pass single payer then insurance companies will go out of business. We gotta save the insurance companies because they have it so tough.

[imjustsayin]

He forgot to add that we have the greatest medical system in the world, but only if you can afford it.

[riversong_]

Come to Australia. Our healthcare rocks.

[crotchet]

From the UK and if was in the US could not afford health care. Not being able to afford health care is a REAL problem. The other thing is that people in the uk who are wealthy can still choose private health care.

[remoney]

Single payer is hilarious to them. People dying because of lack of single payer is hilarious. Pitchforks and Torches!!!

[PsoriasisChannel]

I subscribed to Jimmy Dore's channel.

[marklapworth]

Why does Rendon look like he is the prime suspect in a police murder interview down at the station?

Every congress person should receive the health insurance plan they vote for. Beware of the cook that won't eat his own food. Instead, they exempted themselves from this shit pot before they even got started. We all deserve the same insurance. SINGLE PAYER.

[lmenascojr]

CA should pass a single payer system via a state direct initiative by the initiative process that would become part of the CA state constitution via a state proposition- forget about trying to get around Gov Brown and the establishment Dems.

[Graywylfen]

Seattle fixed that by getting a new mayor and now they set a higher minimum in the city to reflect the higher cost of living. We have the highest minimum wage in the nation in Washington and have for a long time. Funny thing is we are doing great here.

[lanahanbrian]

Loving my healthcare here in Taiwan. Everyone in my family is covered and we have zero debt from medical bills.

[notaurusexcretus]

Just imagine how cheap the healthcare system would be if you didn't have to support billion dollar insurance companies as well probably not you would probably just have more doctors and hospitals the reason it would never pass is because he's paying politicians

[lumpy]

Thanks The Young Turks.☺ "One of the Existential Threats we Face in this Business." Does he mean like Single Payer is Competition?😁

[elizabethvanhalden]

It's my favorite TYT warrior Jimmy! I just saw his total domination of the gatekeeper Alex Jones and it was epic.