More like Jimmy BORE
(argue in the comments, but like, the WWE equivalent of arguing)
In a more general way: the political arena during the last couple of months, was centered around the fight between the radical right and the centre. If we force a vote on medicare for all, we make it a fight between the left and the rest. That would be a fight on our terms, which is exactly where you’d want to be in the political arena: you want to set the terms of the debate.
How are we sure it’s going to end up as a big fight? If the vote actually happens couldn’t it just look like the co-sponsor list? The best case I see if it gets more votes than the co-sponsor list but does not pass the House as the Dems have a slim majority. You still don’t know if those votes are sincere or those are just votes to avoid a primary challenger when they know M4A isn’t actually passing
How are we sure it’s going to end up as a big fight?
Imagine the following situation: when Pelosi caves and allows a vote on M4A, AOC (and the other DSA-elected officials and progressives) immediatly announce they’ll endorse a primary challenger against every dem who votes against it. Then, they ask everyone to upload testimonials about why they need M4A, and contact their representatives about their need.
That’s just a scenario I came up with, you can imagine other ones. The point is, if they want to let it escalate in to a fight, it can excalate in to a fight. But the starting point is the will to do it.
Still, that’s not a guarantee of succes, but you’ll never have that. But given the fact that (a) they have leverage because of the way the election of speaker of the house works and (b) the fact that millions of people lost their health insurance during a pandemic, I don’t think there will be a more favorable balance of power for the left on the issue of medicare in the coming decade or so.
AOC (and the other DSA-elected officials and progressives) immediatly announce they’ll endorse a primary challenger against every dem who votes against it
This is already kind of the situation we live in. A lot of Democrats faced primary challengers this year, and with the presidential race out of the way I expect a lot more in 2022.
Best case I see for the M4A vote is all the cosponsors plus a few more vote yes. The Dems have a slim House majority, meaning a handful of conservative Democrats can kill the bill. The issue is you don’t know who actually supports M4A. Kamala Harris cosponsored M4A, if she was in the House she would vote for it and still change her position when it is time to run for President.
This is already kind of the situation we live in. A lot of Democrats faced primary challengers this year, and with the presidential race out of the way I expect a lot more in 2022.
In a certain way, but I’m saying we should intensify that situation, and put more pressure on the people who oppose us by forcing the vote.
Best case I see for the M4A vote is all the cosponsors plus a few more vote yes.
If progressive leaders in congress would act like I described, much more is possible.
I understand that you don’t feel a lot of hope, but the task of socialists is to create that hope, so that other people can look to our movement as their source of hope.
