Democratic Strategy

With a dozen or so potential candidates for their presidential  nomination, all of whom are superior to Trump by an astronomically wide margin, the Democratic Party should have a sure road to the White House in next year’s election, but it would be folly for Democrats to be complacent about their prospects. 

Major missteps could lead to the catastrophe of Trump’s reelection, and one seems to be in the making. Bernie Sanders has introduced his Medicare-for-All bill. Its aim is worthy, but, to tens of millions of people who are satisfied with their present coverage, it’s likely to be alarming. Even more alarming is that Sanders doesn’t say how much his plan would cost, and how it would be paid for. 

What’s more, because the plan is so generous, it would be enormously expensive. In its present form it’s irresponsible, foolish, and highly vulnerable to effective political attack by Republicans. Promoting it would allow the Republicans pivot from playing defensive to coming out swinging: Save America from Socialism! 

Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and Kirsten Gillibrand have signed on as co-sponsors to Sanders’s plan. In doing so, they’ve done him a favor and themselves, the Democratic Party, and the country a disfavor. All policy proposals should include a realistic accounting of how they will be paid for.