Health insurance isn’t health care.
Via SF Gate:
A recent spate of hate-based violence is a reason to talk about prescription drug prices. President Trump’s desire to end birthright citizenship means it’s time to talk about preserving health care. In the home stretch of the campaign, Nancy Pelosi refuses to be dislodged from her message.
Trump has spent days tweeting about immigration to fire up his red base. He has ordered more than 5,000 active-duty military troops to the border, more than are serving in Syria, to meet a few thousand impoverished migrants who are weeks away from the U.S., and says he may increase that number to 15,000 soldiers. He’s suggested he would seek to issue an executive order to limit birthright citizenship, though legal scholars are mostly agreed that any change would require a constitutional amendment.
But Pelosi is signaling to her party: Don’t take the bait.[…]
President Trump’s new claim he can unilaterally end the Constitution’s guarantee of citizenship shows Republicans’ spiraling desperation to distract from their assault on Medicare, Medicaid and people with pre-existing conditions,” Pelosi said in a statement Tuesday.
In a “dear colleague” letter to Democrats on Monday “on protecting the American people from domestic terrorism,” Pelosi closed by pivoting back to the blueprint, saying, “By relentlessly driving home our For the People message of health, jobs and integrity in government will we win a better future for all Americans.”
The non sequiturs are no accident. Despite the midterm elections being framed in national conversation as a referendum on Trump, Democrats aren’t campaigning on him.
An analysis by the Media Project at Wesleyan University found that 54 percent of pro-Democrat ads this election cycle have mentioned health care, compared with just over 30 percent for Republicans.
The left-aligned Center for American Progress’ political arm commissioned polling in early September that validated the approach, according to a strategy document shared with The Chronicle. The party’s key talking points tested favorably and improved voters’ view of Democrats, the group’s research found.
Preserving health care was by far the most important issue for the swing voters, the center found.