Sen. Bernie Sanders said Thursday he was not completely sure President Donald Trump would refuse to sign a Medicare for All bill, even as MS NOW host Chris Hayes questioned whether the proposal could become law.
“Health care is a human right,” Sanders said, adding that Medicare for All is supported by more than 60% of Americans and perhaps 80% to 90% of Democrats.
Hayes noted that polling support for the plan had increased. He also pointed out that Abdul El-Sayed faced criticism on many issues during his campaign, but Medicare for All was not among them. Still, Hayes said, the chances of Trump signing such legislation seemed low, given that it would need to pass both chambers of Congress.
Sanders pushed back, arguing that Trump could veto a bill but that lawmakers had a responsibility to pass it and show voters they wanted to replace what Sanders called a broken system.
“Donald Trump may be a bit crazy, but he is not stupid,” Sanders said, describing the president as a capable politician. If Trump saw broad agreement that the health care system was failing, Sanders said, he might ask himself what he had to lose by supporting a major change. “I am not absolutely certain that Trump would not sign it,” he added.
Regardless of Trump’s position, Sanders said, his own responsibility was to put the bill forward. If Trump vetoed it and Republicans backed the veto, voters would see where each side stood, he said.
Sanders has advocated for Medicare for All for years, and the idea has gained wider acceptance among Democrats.
Psychotherapist and author Jonathan Alpert said Sanders had been delivering “the same speech for decades.” He said Sanders was effective at speaking to public frustration, but argued that calling health care a human right did not necessarily make Medicare for All the right solution.
Alpert also said Sanders’ remarks about Trump appeared to recognize the president’s political skill. He described Sanders’ praise as a way of appealing to Trump’s ego and presenting support for the proposal as a chance for a historic political achievement.
Sanders made the comments after Democrats scored major victories in Tuesday’s midterm elections, regaining control of both the House and the Senate.
