'If He Wants to Pass Trumpcare-for-All, I'm OK With It,' Says Medicare for All Champion Abdul El-Sayed

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senator-elect from Michigan who ran on a progressive platform with Medicare for All at its center, said Friday that he doesn't care what the policy is called so long as it passes, even during President Donald Trump's lame duck term, which will begin in January.

Appearing on Zeteo with editor-in-chief Mehdi Hasan, El-Sayed was asked if he agreed with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who a night earlier pronounced that he wasn't so sure that if Democratic majorities in the US House and Senate passed a Medicare for All Bill that Trump wouldn't sign it.

"If he wants to pass Trumpcare-for-All, I'm ok with it. He seems to like to put his name on things," said El-Sayed.

"That's a pretty good compromise—that's bipartisan," Hasan quipped. "You'll offer him the name and everyone gets healthcare?"

"Yeah," responded El-Sayed. "Donald, if you're watching, we'll put your name on it. You get to be the American president who finally guaranteed health care for every single American—met the unmet promise of America. You get to be that guy, so let's talk about it."

In Sanders remarks Thursday, which he made on MS-NOW with Chris Hayes, the Independent Senator from Vermont interrupted when Hayes tried to say that the chances of Trump ever signing Medicare for All into law were extremely low.

"Hold it, hold it, hooooold it," Sanders said, waving his hand. "Two points. Trump has the constitutional right to veto—if he wants to do it. But we have the constitutional right to represent the American people and to pass the damn thing and to show the American people that we are sick and tired of maintaining a broken [healthcare] system."

"Number two," Sanders continued. "Donald Trump may be a bit crazy, but he is not stupid. And he is a good politician. I mean this guy looks out all over the country and he says, 'Everyone knows this system is broken. You know what, what do I gotta lose?' So I am not absolutely certain that Trump wouldn't sign it. But whether he would or not, our job is to produce it. He wants to veto it and Republicans want to sustain that veto—that is their responsibility and the American people will see it."

Poll after poll have shown that Medicare for All—which would cover everyone in the country for less money overall than the current system dominated by for-profit insurers—is incredibly popular, not just among Democrats but also independents and increasing numbers of those who identify as Republican or conservative.

Many users on social media applauded the idea. "I just had this discussion with someone," said one user in response to comments separate Sanders made about the subject earlier in the week. "Call it Trumpcare-for-All, who cares as long as we get it. People around him have been taking advantage of his narcissism for years, he doesn't have any real beliefs himself, it's worth a shot."

In response to El-Sayed's strategic notion of renaming "Medicare to All" to "Trumpcare-for-All," Hasan admitted that while he thought it was a "good move," he himself would have a hard time seeking care if it meant invoking Trump's name at the doctor's office.

"I just want people to have healthcare," said El-Sayed.