Op-Ed

Op-Ed
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 13: U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) (3rd L) speaks on health care as (L-R) Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) listen during an event September 13, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Sen. Sanders held an event to introduce the Medicare for All Act of 2017.

Op-Ed

Progressives should push proudly for Medicare for all

The smartest, savviest people in Washington will tell you Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare for all” idea is dead on arrival, a waste of time and energy. But since those same smart, savvy people told you Donald Trump didn’t have a prayer of becoming president, I’d advise keeping an open mind.

President Donald Trump during his arrival at Bismark Municipal Airport, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017 in Bismark, N.D.

Op-Ed

Trump, the Magic 8 Ball president

I say that because his responses to questions from the press are often distressingly short and vague. It’s like when I’d shake that dumb ball at a fifth grade sleepover hoping it would reveal if Allen S. was ever going to ask me to go steady. Sadly, all I got was “cannot predict now.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., center, accompanied by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., center right, speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, to unveil their Medicare for All legislation to reform health care.

Op-Ed

The Democrats have become socialists

WASHINGTON – When Bernie Sanders launched his bid for the Democratic nomination, he was often asked whether he, a democratic socialist, would actually become a Democrat. Now, more than a year after he ignited a movement with his unsuccessful bid, that question is moot. The Democrats have become socialists.

In this Sept. 6, 2017, photo, President Donald Trump pauses during a meeting with, from left, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other Congressional leaders in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, in Washington.

Op-Ed

Trump’s fickleness frightens his base – and could doom tax reform

Trump has demonstrated over and over that he cares nothing about the substance of any deal. He wants praise from whoever is in front of him at the moment and praise from the media, which despite his bashing, he desperately needs to tout his wonderfulness. Unfortunately, that does not work in politics, where the substance matters tremendously to politicians and their supporters. Trump has never been a “Republican” and indeed has never been shy about turning on a dime (e.g. on abortion) if he thought it would benefit him. As a result of his frantic, utterly unprincipled search for a deal, he has essentially convinced both sides that they cannot take him at his word.

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 13: Supporters of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) hold signs during an event on health care September 13, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Sen. Sanders held an event to introduce the Medicare for All Act of 2017.

Op-Ed

Sanderscare is all cheap politics and magic math

The goal should be universal health care, however we get there. And we’re much likelier to get there if we start from a baseline of reality than if both parties hand-wave away inconvenient truths. There is no courage in saying everyone should have health care. The courage is in staking out a plan to pay for it.

This July 6, 2015 photo shows a Wall Street sign near the New York Stock Exchange.

Op-Ed

The economy isn’t broken

In a well-functioning economy, workers are rewarded for their productivity. As output, jobs and hours worked rise, so does income. Over the past two years, that seems to be exactly what’s happening.

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