10/21/2019
Last week’s Democratic presidential debate was frustrating. Firstly, three hours came and went without a single question on the climate crisis, perhaps the defining issue of our time. Secondly, questionable facts were on full display, as moderators took it for granted that automation was the primary driver of manufacturing job losses, when the truth is more complicated. But perhaps most maddening of all was the built-in right-wing bias when the discussion turned to health care.
One by one, the moderate candidates on stage joined the moderators in grilling Senator Elizabeth Warren, demanding to know whether her support for Medicare for All meant she was willing to raise taxes on the middle class. Senator Warren’s answer was simple: The overwhelming majority of families would save money under Medicare for All. She was making the point that the only reason people mind a tax increase is that it takes money out of their pockets.