Former President Barack Obama endorsed Medicare for All in a speech in Illinois on Friday, calling it "a good new idea." (Photo: @THR/Twitter)
Sep 07, 2018
While progressives pointed out that it would have been worthy of more applause if the offer of support had come back when he had the actual power to do something about it, Medicare for All proponents applauded the huge paradigm shift denoted by the newest high-profile endorsement of the popular proposal: former President Barack Obama.
Speaking at the University of Illinois in his first explicit rebuke of President Donald Trump and what was seen as his first major campaign speech for Democrats in 2018, Obama said that progressives "aren't just running on good old ideas like a higher minimum wage, they're running on good new ideas like Medicare for all, giving workers seats on corporate boards, reversing the most egregious corporate tax cuts to make sure college students graduate debt-free."
\u201cObama endorses Medicare for all.\u201d— Dan Diamond (@Dan Diamond) 1536339510
The speech, noted journalist David Sirota, was a clear sign that in the two and a half years since Hillary Clinton predicted that single payer healthcare would "never, ever" happen, Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) and other universal healthcare advocates' efforts to push the Democrats to embrace the proposal have been a success.
Sanders himself expressed appreciation for Obama's support:
\u201cThank you President Obama for supporting Medicare for All. \n\nHis support takes us another step toward ensuring that no one in the richest country in the history of the world has to forego health care because they cannot afford it.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1536347542
New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also praised Obama's statement, and focused on what the endorsement means for the future of Medicare for All and the success of the grassroots groups that have led the charge demanding universal healthcare for decades--like Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and Healthcare Now.
\u201cThis headline would have been politically unthinkable just a few years ago. Grassroots organizing + kitchen table conversations have changed the tide on Medicare for All.\n\nThis is the power of movements: supporting change and advancing tenets of a modern + moral society.\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1536346270
But a number of progressives expressed deep frustration at the former president--who said in 2003, "I happen to be a proponent of a single payer universal health care program"--for casting Medicare for All as a "new" idea.
"Respectfully, Medicare for All isn't a new idea," tweeted Bonnie Castillo, executive director of National Nurses United (NNU). "Union nurses have been campaigning for universal health care for years, but we are thrilled that Medicare for All is a mainstream issue now."
\u201cYes, it's welcome development to hear former President Obama describe Medicare For All as "good new idea." But it's terribly frustrating that he sees it as "new" when his admin worked against it as President.\u201d— Kevin Gosztola (@Kevin Gosztola) 1536349891
\u201cObama calls Medicare For All a \u201cgood new idea,\u201d but it was one he said he supported before he was president and then actively worked against when he had the most power to potentially advance it.\u201d— Ben Spielberg (@Ben Spielberg) 1536342641
While working to reform the U.S. for-profit healthcare system as president--and with majorities in both the House and the Senate--Obama hastily rejected the possibility of adopting a single-payer plan, claiming it would "represent a radical shift" akin to right-wing proposals for all Americans to take on 100 percent of the responsibility of their healthcare costs. Medicare for All advocates have also argued that Obama and other Democratic leaders did not push hard enough for a public option to be included in the Affordable Care Act.
As Shane Ryan noted at Paste Magazine, Obama's vocal support Medicare for All comes after the majority of Americans have already expressed approval for the proposal. Two weeks ago, a Reuters poll found that 70 percent of all Americans now favor such a program, including nearly 85 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of Republicans.
"Look, sarcasm aside, this is fine--Medicare for all is a terrific policy, and maybe Obama's support will whip the last of the recalcitrant congressional Democrats into shape," wrote Ryan. "It would have been nice if he could lead from the front on an important issue, for once, but hey, that's life at the top of the Democratic party."
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
affordable care actbarack obamahealthcaremedicaremedicare for allnational nurses unitedphysicians for a national health program (pnhp)single-payer
While progressives pointed out that it would have been worthy of more applause if the offer of support had come back when he had the actual power to do something about it, Medicare for All proponents applauded the huge paradigm shift denoted by the newest high-profile endorsement of the popular proposal: former President Barack Obama.
Speaking at the University of Illinois in his first explicit rebuke of President Donald Trump and what was seen as his first major campaign speech for Democrats in 2018, Obama said that progressives "aren't just running on good old ideas like a higher minimum wage, they're running on good new ideas like Medicare for all, giving workers seats on corporate boards, reversing the most egregious corporate tax cuts to make sure college students graduate debt-free."
\u201cObama endorses Medicare for all.\u201d— Dan Diamond (@Dan Diamond) 1536339510
The speech, noted journalist David Sirota, was a clear sign that in the two and a half years since Hillary Clinton predicted that single payer healthcare would "never, ever" happen, Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) and other universal healthcare advocates' efforts to push the Democrats to embrace the proposal have been a success.
Sanders himself expressed appreciation for Obama's support:
\u201cThank you President Obama for supporting Medicare for All. \n\nHis support takes us another step toward ensuring that no one in the richest country in the history of the world has to forego health care because they cannot afford it.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1536347542
New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also praised Obama's statement, and focused on what the endorsement means for the future of Medicare for All and the success of the grassroots groups that have led the charge demanding universal healthcare for decades--like Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and Healthcare Now.
\u201cThis headline would have been politically unthinkable just a few years ago. Grassroots organizing + kitchen table conversations have changed the tide on Medicare for All.\n\nThis is the power of movements: supporting change and advancing tenets of a modern + moral society.\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1536346270
But a number of progressives expressed deep frustration at the former president--who said in 2003, "I happen to be a proponent of a single payer universal health care program"--for casting Medicare for All as a "new" idea.
"Respectfully, Medicare for All isn't a new idea," tweeted Bonnie Castillo, executive director of National Nurses United (NNU). "Union nurses have been campaigning for universal health care for years, but we are thrilled that Medicare for All is a mainstream issue now."
\u201cYes, it's welcome development to hear former President Obama describe Medicare For All as "good new idea." But it's terribly frustrating that he sees it as "new" when his admin worked against it as President.\u201d— Kevin Gosztola (@Kevin Gosztola) 1536349891
\u201cObama calls Medicare For All a \u201cgood new idea,\u201d but it was one he said he supported before he was president and then actively worked against when he had the most power to potentially advance it.\u201d— Ben Spielberg (@Ben Spielberg) 1536342641
While working to reform the U.S. for-profit healthcare system as president--and with majorities in both the House and the Senate--Obama hastily rejected the possibility of adopting a single-payer plan, claiming it would "represent a radical shift" akin to right-wing proposals for all Americans to take on 100 percent of the responsibility of their healthcare costs. Medicare for All advocates have also argued that Obama and other Democratic leaders did not push hard enough for a public option to be included in the Affordable Care Act.
As Shane Ryan noted at Paste Magazine, Obama's vocal support Medicare for All comes after the majority of Americans have already expressed approval for the proposal. Two weeks ago, a Reuters poll found that 70 percent of all Americans now favor such a program, including nearly 85 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of Republicans.
"Look, sarcasm aside, this is fine--Medicare for all is a terrific policy, and maybe Obama's support will whip the last of the recalcitrant congressional Democrats into shape," wrote Ryan. "It would have been nice if he could lead from the front on an important issue, for once, but hey, that's life at the top of the Democratic party."
While progressives pointed out that it would have been worthy of more applause if the offer of support had come back when he had the actual power to do something about it, Medicare for All proponents applauded the huge paradigm shift denoted by the newest high-profile endorsement of the popular proposal: former President Barack Obama.
Speaking at the University of Illinois in his first explicit rebuke of President Donald Trump and what was seen as his first major campaign speech for Democrats in 2018, Obama said that progressives "aren't just running on good old ideas like a higher minimum wage, they're running on good new ideas like Medicare for all, giving workers seats on corporate boards, reversing the most egregious corporate tax cuts to make sure college students graduate debt-free."
\u201cObama endorses Medicare for all.\u201d— Dan Diamond (@Dan Diamond) 1536339510
The speech, noted journalist David Sirota, was a clear sign that in the two and a half years since Hillary Clinton predicted that single payer healthcare would "never, ever" happen, Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) and other universal healthcare advocates' efforts to push the Democrats to embrace the proposal have been a success.
Sanders himself expressed appreciation for Obama's support:
\u201cThank you President Obama for supporting Medicare for All. \n\nHis support takes us another step toward ensuring that no one in the richest country in the history of the world has to forego health care because they cannot afford it.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1536347542
New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also praised Obama's statement, and focused on what the endorsement means for the future of Medicare for All and the success of the grassroots groups that have led the charge demanding universal healthcare for decades--like Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and Healthcare Now.
\u201cThis headline would have been politically unthinkable just a few years ago. Grassroots organizing + kitchen table conversations have changed the tide on Medicare for All.\n\nThis is the power of movements: supporting change and advancing tenets of a modern + moral society.\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1536346270
But a number of progressives expressed deep frustration at the former president--who said in 2003, "I happen to be a proponent of a single payer universal health care program"--for casting Medicare for All as a "new" idea.
"Respectfully, Medicare for All isn't a new idea," tweeted Bonnie Castillo, executive director of National Nurses United (NNU). "Union nurses have been campaigning for universal health care for years, but we are thrilled that Medicare for All is a mainstream issue now."
\u201cYes, it's welcome development to hear former President Obama describe Medicare For All as "good new idea." But it's terribly frustrating that he sees it as "new" when his admin worked against it as President.\u201d— Kevin Gosztola (@Kevin Gosztola) 1536349891
\u201cObama calls Medicare For All a \u201cgood new idea,\u201d but it was one he said he supported before he was president and then actively worked against when he had the most power to potentially advance it.\u201d— Ben Spielberg (@Ben Spielberg) 1536342641
While working to reform the U.S. for-profit healthcare system as president--and with majorities in both the House and the Senate--Obama hastily rejected the possibility of adopting a single-payer plan, claiming it would "represent a radical shift" akin to right-wing proposals for all Americans to take on 100 percent of the responsibility of their healthcare costs. Medicare for All advocates have also argued that Obama and other Democratic leaders did not push hard enough for a public option to be included in the Affordable Care Act.
As Shane Ryan noted at Paste Magazine, Obama's vocal support Medicare for All comes after the majority of Americans have already expressed approval for the proposal. Two weeks ago, a Reuters poll found that 70 percent of all Americans now favor such a program, including nearly 85 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of Republicans.
"Look, sarcasm aside, this is fine--Medicare for all is a terrific policy, and maybe Obama's support will whip the last of the recalcitrant congressional Democrats into shape," wrote Ryan. "It would have been nice if he could lead from the front on an important issue, for once, but hey, that's life at the top of the Democratic party."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.