Thread by @HoarseWisperer

Whenever I raise the point that Medicare for All is too far left for Republicans to ever vote for it, one of the reactions is always “You need to start off by asking for more than you want and negotiate to somewhere in the middle.”

1/

That is only true when both parties are required to negotiate and have no choice but to reach an agreement.

If you come up to me and say you want to buy my car for $1, I’m not required to make you a counteroffer. I can just say no.

2/

You aren’t going to get my car for a good price just because you want it and tried to negotiate with someone who has no interest in negotiating with you.

Republicans want to strip the healthcare we have. They have zero interest in volunteering to negotiate for more.

3/

Democrats can take any position they want.

If that position is a non-starter for the Republican votes we need to pass something, that isn’t opening a negotiation.

It’s stating a wish the other party has no interest in even discussing.

4/

I had one of these situations personally. A counter-party wanted to negotiate a deal. So they opened with a proposal that wasn’t even in the realm of reason. I didn’t make them a counteroffer. I just said no and told them to come back when they had something worth discussing.

5/

People really need to grasp this.

Medicare for All isn’t a starting point of a negotiation because the other party hates everything about it and has zero need to negotiate.

We can either come in with a viable position or win a senate super-majority. Those are the 2 options.

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