1/ Wanting M4A is righteous & correct. Forcing the vote bc 'people are dying & can't wait' is empty rhetoric bc every rational person knows it won't pass. Doesn't mean forcing the vote is wrong but supporting it as if it will stop even 1 person from dying is grossly dishonest...
2/ The only other arguments I hear are essentially: a) this way we can figure out which Dems to primary (i.e., the ones who won't support M4A) and b) "we've tried it the patient way and it hasn't worked, so fuck it!" Let's look at these in reverse order...
3/ The "we've tried it your way" argument is vapid bullshit. First, the people saying that rarely have tried anything. They scream on Twitter & YouTube. They aren't organizers. They haven't run for office to try it that way. They're just pissed (rightly) and think rage = change..
4/ ...even though it doesn't (or at least not the kind of change you wanted). Maybe it's the internet era where people think change is supposed to happen as quickly as a retweet...
5/ ..or maybe it's bc they think longer term strategizing is inherently immoral bc people are dying, so any delay is immoral. But while that sentiment is 100% understandable, sadly, evil systems produce pain. The systems MUST be replaced, but systems are rarely replaced quickly..
6/...so unless you're ready to pick up a gun & start killing people in power (which would be entirely evil and aint no YouTube ranters or podcasters prepared to do it any damned way), you'll have to a) accept that things are awful and b) work to reduce harm...
7/ ...as you c) plan for long term change. Guillotine memes don't make you a fucking revolutionary, they make you the leftist equivalent of a 4chan troll, and indignation doesn't make a revolution...
8/ Additionally, the "we've tried it slow" folks seem to forget that even 12 years ago -- less than that -- even the idea of a public option was too 3rd rail for mainstream discussion. Shit, ACA was like pulling teeth...
9/ So the fact that we've had good movement towards M4A as a concept in polling and now virtually every Dem supports at least a public option means the tide is turning. And not that slowly, truth be told, in political terms -- though not fast enough to be sure...
10/ So in fact the slow steady drumbeat of support for a different health care system is making a difference. To say "we tried it your way and it didn't work" ignores that movement is happening and can continue, but may be derailed by showy doomed efforts to humiliate lawmakers..
11/ One could also note that the Sanders campaigns in 2016 and 2020 helped popularize the issue too, which is one of the lasting and positive legacies that even those who didn't support Bernie can be glad about. But that's the thing: those were campaigns with a viable candidate..
12/ ...pushing the issue on a huge national platform, through 2 presidential campaigns. That's "trying it the traditional way," and although he didn't win, that DID drive the shift to the left on health care. That shift isn't done, but it's farther along than it would have been..
13/ ...had the strategy been about shaming Dems on the House floor by forcing a vote on a bill everyone knows would fail...which brings me then to that rationale for doing so...shaming people so it becomes possible to know who to primary...
14/ As for forcing the vote to reveal who should be primaried, many are unprimary-able bc they are in districts where no leftist can win (swing districts where M4A isn't a winning issue). They can & will ignore you (and should if it would cost them the seat to a right winger)...
15/ Others might be capable of being primaried from the left but we already know who's been insufficiently progressive on this issue. Why not just go on and primary them if you have a good candidate? Why haven't they done it? No need to force the vote to reveal shit. Just do it..
16/ Leftists could file to run and start running NOW. Stop running your mouth on social and YouTube where most of the possible constituents are NOT hanging out, and start doing actual organizing, door knocking (or some pandemic era equivalent), and getting the word out...
17/ But few do this. Which is why forcing the vote feels more like performative shaming for its own sake. Not bc it will change anything, save 1 life or rescue anyone from medical bankruptcy but bc it will add to one's follower base & allow folks to feel righteous...
18/ I think lots of folks pushing this know good and well they and other leftists couldn't win a House election, not bc of the "power of big Pharma," but bc the voters in most districts they would target really don't support single issue voting and/or aren't that left, sadly...
19/ But rather than put their hat in the ring and take a chance (and hell, who knows, maybe win, which could be great), they'd rather just try and shame and embarrass people they think of as Neo-lib sellouts, just to feel morally superior, and perhaps drive their brand...
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