1/ America's $6.2 trillion response to
#COVID19 has exposed one of the worst lies in U.S. politics: the claim that we "can't afford" progressive reforms like #MedicareForAll or free college. As a businessperson, this is false & manipulative. Here's what it's really about...
#COVID19 has exposed one of the worst lies in U.S. politics: the claim that we "can't afford" progressive reforms like #MedicareForAll or free college. As a businessperson, this is false & manipulative. Here's what it's really about...
2/ Throughout the 2020 primary, every debate seemed to include a somber moderator (usually a Beltway pundit) scolding candidates about cost anytime they backed bold reforms to help young or less well-off Americans. Like clockwork. Here's 21 examples! inthesetimes.com/article/22336/…
3/ Of course you never see these questions about war or corp tax breaks. Why? It's about choices & priorities. The U.S. can afford big things - we have the world’s reserve currency & we print it. So the question is: What do we want to spend on? And WHO do we want to spend on?
4/ Why can we afford corporate welfare without explanation but always have to itemize & justify reforms for everyday Americans? Those with power & influence benefit from the former but not the latter. The #COVID19 situation is similar...
5/ Despite most Americans wanting (and needing) it, #MedicareForAll is a no-go because those in power don't need it. But now there's a contagious pandemic that could hurt businesses (or spread to powerful people). Suddenly... we can afford to spend on a health crisis.🤔
6/ Let me be clear: This spending is the right thing to do. Few question where the money is coming from. So why do they question when it's for other health emergencies like millions dying or going bankrupt because of our broken system?
7/ The point is we can "afford" to be bold in this country. We just make decisions on what & who deserves it. So the next time a politician or TV host asks "how are you going to pay for
it?"... what they're really asking is "why is this important enough?"
it?"... what they're really asking is "why is this important enough?"
8/ As a businessperson, another big hole in the “We Can’t Afford It” camp is they don't understand that expenditures yield benefits. In other words, you're not just spending & getting nothing back! The cost of #Medicare4All = trillions $ of benefits from folks not being sick.
9/ Money spent in education = smarter workforce = more productivity.
Money spent on food for kids in poverty = healthier adults + less cost for health care system.
Money spent on transportation infrastructure = money earned from more efficient economy.
We can go on & on.
Money spent on food for kids in poverty = healthier adults + less cost for health care system.
Money spent on transportation infrastructure = money earned from more efficient economy.
We can go on & on.
10/ The point is: We wasted months of this primary season arguing how to pay for popular measures that would have saved millions of lives & thwarted tons of financial suffering. And weeks later, it's clear we always could have paid for these things. Some just didn't want to.
11/ So the next time a progressive gets asked, "How are you going to pay for it?" The answer is simple. The same way we pay for war, tax cuts, stimulus & bailouts. When this nation identifies a priority, it can afford it.
The real question is: What & whom do you prioritize?
The real question is: What & whom do you prioritize?
