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1/ America& #39;s $6.2 trillion response to
#COVID19 has exposed one of the worst lies in U.S. politics: the claim that we "can& #39;t afford" progressive reforms like #MedicareForAll or free college. As a businessperson, this is false & manipulative. Here& #39;s what it& #39;s really about...
#COVID19 has exposed one of the worst lies in U.S. politics: the claim that we "can& #39;t afford" progressive reforms like #MedicareForAll or free college. As a businessperson, this is false & manipulative. Here& #39;s what it& #39;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& #39;s 21 examples! http://inthesetimes.com/article/22336/debate-moderators-medicare-for-all-green-new-deal-jake-tapper-chuck-todd">https://inthesetimes.com/article/2...
3/ Of course you never see these questions about war or corp tax breaks. Why? It& #39;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& #39;t need it. But now there& #39;s a contagious pandemic that could hurt businesses (or spread to powerful people). Suddenly... we can afford to spend on a health crisis.
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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& #39;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& #39;re really asking is "why is this important enough?"
it?"... what they& #39;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& #39;t understand that expenditures yield benefits. In other words, you& #39;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& #39;s clear we always could have paid for these things. Some just didn& #39;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?
