Democratic Civil War, Continued

Oh, Democrats. How divided are thee? Let me count the ways…

The latest issue dividing the already-broken Democratic Party is the hot-button issue of single-payer healthcare.

There is a split happening among left-of-center folk over health care. On the one hand, the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is pushing the party to make support for single-payer health-care — often referred to as “Medicare-for-All” — a litmus-test issue. On the other hand, both policy and political concerns about the feasibility of Medicare-for-All are spreading, even among highly self-conscious progressives.

Given that single-payer healthcare is currently destroying Britain’s National Health Service, overwhelming hospitals and leaving patients to wait, it’s no wonder Democrats try to peddle it as “Medicare-for-All.” The ones who support it, that is.

With primary season in full-swing, Democratic candidates face the problem of trying to garner support from the party’s far-left base, while simultaneously not moving too far to the left themselves, lest the broader electorate hold them accountable for it in November.

The combination of these factors has led to one dreary outcome for Democrats: their ongoing civil war is starting to get a whole lot messier.