Democratic Primaries

left-of-center2012

(34,195 posts) Thu Mar 12, 2020, 04:12 PM Mar 2020

A question about Sanders

I heard a Sanders' advocate say today on cable news that the first thing Bernie will do,
if elected president,
is to introduce a “Medicare for All” bill.

Bernie Sanders was first elected to Congress in 1990.
So, he’s been in either the House or Senate for 30 years.

In those 30 years, has he ever introduced a “Medicare for All” bill?
Or, is he waiting until the day he becomes president?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

9 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

A question about Sanders (Original Post) left-of-center2012 Mar 2020 OP

Simple answer? True Blue American Mar 2020 #1

The primary is over showblue22 Mar 2020 #2

Eye on a 4th house, maybe? n/t zackymilly Mar 2020 #4

He won't introduce it on his first day, either. Presidents don't introduce bills.... George II Mar 2020 #3

Yes and no. He intro'd a bill in 2017 that was a parallel bill to one intro'd by Conyers in 2003. TwilightZone Mar 2020 #5

S. 1129: Medicare for All Act of 2019 JaneQPublic Mar 2020 #6

That was a version of the 2017 bill, which was parallel to Conyers' bill from 2003. TwilightZone Mar 2020 #7

You mean Bernie didn't really "write the damn bill"? JaneQPublic Mar 2020 #8

Yep, same one. TwilightZone Mar 2020 #9

True Blue American

(17,985 posts)

1. Simple answer?

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2020, 04:13 PM

Mar 2020

No.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

showblue22

(1,026 posts)

2. The primary is over

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2020, 04:15 PM

Mar 2020

Bernie is not going to be president. We can speculate as to why they're acting like it's possible. Continuing donations?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

zackymilly

(2,375 posts)

4. Eye on a 4th house, maybe? n/t

Reply to showblue22 (Reply #2)

Thu Mar 12, 2020, 04:18 PM

Mar 2020

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

George II

(67,782 posts)

3. He won't introduce it on his first day, either. Presidents don't introduce bills....

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2020, 04:15 PM

Mar 2020

Representatives and Senators do.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

TwilightZone

(25,471 posts)

5. Yes and no. He intro'd a bill in 2017 that was a parallel bill to one intro'd by Conyers in 2003.

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2020, 04:19 PM

Mar 2020

John Conyers introduced a Medicare for All bill in the House 2003, which gained sponsors over the next 15 years.

Sanders introduced a parallel bill in the Senate in 2017, 14 years later after Conyers' bill.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_National_Health_Care_Act

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

JaneQPublic

(7,113 posts)

6. S. 1129: Medicare for All Act of 2019

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2020, 04:19 PM

Mar 2020

Details here:

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/116/s1129

and here:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/1129/text

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

TwilightZone

(25,471 posts)

7. That was a version of the 2017 bill, which was parallel to Conyers' bill from 2003.

Reply to JaneQPublic (Reply #6)

Thu Mar 12, 2020, 04:23 PM

Mar 2020

And related to HR 1384, introduced in the House in 2019 by Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). HR 1384 was a renumber of Conyers' bill.

They all essentially date back to Conyers bill in 2003.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_National_Health_Care_Act

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

JaneQPublic

(7,113 posts)

8. You mean Bernie didn't really "write the damn bill"?

Reply to TwilightZone (Reply #7)

Thu Mar 12, 2020, 04:34 PM

Mar 2020

I'm shocked!

Actually, the govtrack link in my post above cites the 2017 bill in its "History" section and provides a link to it:

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/s1804

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

TwilightZone

(25,471 posts)

9. Yep, same one.

Reply to JaneQPublic (Reply #8)

Thu Mar 12, 2020, 04:39 PM

Mar 2020

And, nope, he didn't write the damn bill! Pretty sure there's a fact check on the claim, but I can't find it at the moment.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

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