Thread by @SallyAlbright

Thread: As the campaigns heat up for 2018, here's a reminder of how GOP will exploit Berners and their insistence on a single payer litmus test to destroy us if we let them.
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First, let's talk about "Bernie's bill" m4a. It's not legislation, it's a campaign document. Yes, it was introduced and has cosponsors, but it has no funding mechanism. Meaning, there's nothing in it that addresses how to pay for it.
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The Senators who cosponsored m4a are politically brilliant. It appeases the litmus test crew and while costing them nothing. Even if it were a real bill, cosponsoring isn't binding. It means nothing beyond, "I like this idea." They all still support fixing ACA (except Bernie)
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For the purposes of this exercise, let's pretend Bernie has an actual bill with a funding mechanism. GOP would embrace it, make noise like they support it, Berners will believe it because, well, they're Berners.
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We all know not only has Bernie never gotten a bill through Congress, he's never even had a hearing. This will be his first.

And the Berners will say "Sally was wrong!! Bernie's bill got a hearing!! Ponies for EVERYONE!!"

So y'all enjoy that. While it lasts.

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Because they won't really be hearings. They will be three-ring circuses with Mitch McConnell as the Ringmaster.

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Our side will be the freaks. They will call the craziest, far-left cast of characters they can find. We'll have fake, easily discredited policy "experts" and pretty much anyone who will say insane things to make us look bad. And lots of airtime for Bernie.
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Their side is the Big Cats. They'll have dignified bold face names come in to pontificate that a single payer plan will crash our economy, put millions out of work, and taxes Taxes TAXES. The VT initiative that failed estimated a 9% income tax increase. They'll say it's more.
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Then when all is said and done Mitch will say implementing "socialized medicine" costs too much. So that will be that

But it's all on tape. Clips from the hearing will go into commercials, and everything said about "socialized medicine" will be deployed against our candidates
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So in addition to memorizing a thorough, nuanced, easily digestible explanation of the true meaning the word "jihad" (Thank you Linda Sarsour 🤬) every single one of our vulnerable Members and candidates will have to answer for the scariest soundbites they can splice together
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GOP mantra will be "Democrats want SOCIALISM!! We must reject the party of Crazy Bernie and Fidel Castro" (because that'll be a thing by then)

And we will lose.

So no House. No Impeachment. No voting rights. No M4A. No #BSRevolution. No ponies.
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And that, my friends, is what we call BUST.

But hey, Bernie got a hearing. They can add it to the comprehensive listicle of his accomplishments. Right after the Post Offices.

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