RandySF
RandySF's JournalGroup floats 'Medicare by Choice' as a Democratic health care alternative
A coalition of former congressional staffers and federal health leaders is putting forward a health care policy proposal around which it hopes Democrats will coalesce ahead of the 2028 campaign, a position it is calling “Medicare by Choice.”
“Medicare for All,” the proposed single-payer national health care system that would replace private health insurance, proved to be a politically testy item during the 2024 election. Former Vice President Kamala Harris left it off her agenda when she became the Democratic nominee for president, despite having previously pushed for such a system.
So a group of policy experts encompassing the Center for Health and Democracy (CHD), American Economic Liberties Project and a former head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is putting forth its policy proposal for Democrats, Medicare by Choice.
This proposal allows everyone the option of enrolling in traditional Medicare regardless of age, even allowing employers to select Medicare by Choice as their employees’ workplace benefit.
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5800964-medicare-by-choice-health-care-policy-democrats/
ME-SEN: Platner holds commanding lead over Mills in Maine Senate race: Poll
Progressive oyster farmer Graham Platner holds a commanding double-digit lead over Gov. Janet Mills (D) in the Democratic primary to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), according to a new poll.
An Emerson College Polling survey released on Thursday showed Platner leading Mills by about 27 points in the Senate Democratic contest, with Platner receiving 55 percent support while the Maine governor received 28 percent. A separate 17 percent said “someone else” or were undecided.
Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, noted that Platner enjoys an edge among both men and women voters over the Maine governor.
“Graham Platner has a significant lead over Governor Mills, which is outside the poll’s margin of error,” Kimball said in a release. “Male voters support Platner by a 41-point margin, 63% to 22%, while women support Platner by an 18-point margin, 50% to 32%.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5801426-platner-holds-commanding-lead-over-mills-in-maine-senate-race-poll/
NH-SEN: Pappas neck-and-neck with Sununu in New Hampshire Senate race: Poll
Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) and former Sen. John E. Sununu (R-N.H.) are neck and neck in the New Hampshire Senate race to succeed retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), according to a new poll.
An Emerson College Polling survey released on Thursday showed Pappas barely edging out Sununu in a hypothetical matchup for the Granite State’s Senate race, with the congressman receiving 45 percent while the former senator received 44 percent. A separate 11 percent said “someone else” or were undecided.
Because the polling falls within the survey’s 2.9 margin of error, the two men are essentially tied.
In a hypothetical matchup between Pappas and former Sen. Scott Brown (R-N.H.), the congressman widens his lead, with Pappas receiving 48 percent while Brown receives 39 percent. A separate 13 percent said “someone else” or were undecided.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5801430-pappas-neck-and-neck-sununu-in-new-hampshire-senate-race-poll/
Texas suburbs lead U.S. for population growth as international migration slows, census finds
Population growth in Texas is slowing amid a decline in immigration — but the state’s suburbs continue to boom and lead the nation in adding new residents.
Texas’ population, now over 31 million, grew by 391,243 or 1.2% between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, census data released Thursday show.
Much of the state’s growth in recent years has been in the suburbs outside Austin, Dallas, and Houston. Growth in the state’s most populous cities has started to slow, or in the case of Dallas County, decline.
Lloyd Potter, the state demographer, said a 45% decline in residents from abroad is hindering the once-rapid growth in the state’s urban areas, especially as people continue to move to the suburbs.
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/26/texas-population-census-migration-waller-county/
After past vetoes, Democratic-controlled legislature sends Virginia Equal Pay Act to governor
For years, Sen. Jennifer Boysko has returned to the same piece of legislation, Virginia’s proposed Equal Pay Act, pushing it session after session through a divided state government, only to see it stall or fall to a veto.
“This bill is the one that I’ve worked on longer than any other, because it was really my mom who was my inspiration for running,” the Fairfax Democrat said in an interview earlier this week, recalling how her mother faced wage disparity and wage theft while raising a family alone.
“Understanding that in this time of our history, we are still seeing that women and minorities are consistently paid less than their male counterparts has been very frustrating.”
Now, on Equal Pay Day — the annual marker of how far into the year women must work to earn what men did the previous year — Boysko’s proposal is closer than ever to becoming law.
https://virginiamercury.com/2026/03/26/after-past-vetoes-democratic-controlled-legislature-sends-virginia-equal-pay-act-to-governor/
ME-SEN: Mills releases another ad knocking Platner over sexual assault remarks
Maine Gov. Janet Mills’s (D) campaign put out another advertisement on Thursday, going after her progressive opponent Graham Platner over remarks on sexual assault.
In the ad, a woman named Betsy E. says she “proudly served in the United States Army, and I was raped.”
“For all women who have ever been raped, the pain never goes away. Graham Platner said women could avoid rape if they don’t ‘get so f—ed up they’ end ‘up having sex with someone they don’t mean to.’ Mr. Platner, I was not f—ed up,” the woman adds.
“Platner said women could avoid rape if they act like adults, ‘for f—’s sake,’ The rapists are to blame, not women like me.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5801420-maine-governor-mills-ad-sexual-assault/
State Supreme Court candidate Chris Taylor (D) diagnosed with kidney stones, debate postponed
The Wisconsin Supreme Court debate scheduled for March 25 between candidates Maria Lazar and Chris Taylor was postponed after Taylor’s campaign said she was diagnosed with kidney stones.
“This morning Judge Taylor visited urgent care after waking up feeling unwell,” said a campaign news release on March 25.
“This afternoon Judge Taylor was diagnosed with kidney stones and will rest and recover for the next couple days before returning to the campaign trail,” said an update later that day.
The statement said “we are committed to rescheduling today’s debate next week on a date that works for WISN, debate partners, and our opponent’s campaign. We appreciate everyone who has reached out to wish Judge Taylor well and we’re looking forward to a quick recovery.”
https://www.hngnews.com/leader_independent/news/local/state-supreme-court-candidate-chris-taylor-diagnosed-with-kidney-stones-debate-postponed/article_ed25fc01-238d-4081-88af-bffe84d19ab0.html
Maryland Senate leader calls latest redistricting effort from House a nonstarter
House Democrats vowed to press ahead with an amended Senate bill that is their attempt to salvage some type of legislative win on redistricting this session, even as a Senate leader says the effort is dead on arrival.
The issue could come to a head Thursday when House Republicans will try to derail the amended version of Senate Bill 5, a bill that would call for special elections to fill legislative vacancies instead of the current system of appointments.
The bill was quietly amended Tuesday to include language smoothing the way for future congressional redistricting efforts. The Senate sponsor of the bill said the House amendments will effectively kill the measure, but House lawmakers are not backing down.
“I know that people have theories and rumors about whether this is alive or dead, but this is 100% … a live bill, a live language and a live issue until sine die,” said House Majority Leader Del. David Moon (D-Montgomery).
https://marylandmatters.org/2026/03/26/senate-leader-calls-latest-redistricting-effort-from-house-a-nonstarter/
Idaho Senate approves bill creating May presidential primary election
The Idaho Senate on Wednesday cleared a hurdle toward reinstating a presidential primary election in May after it was unintentionally eliminated in 2023.
However, there’s a competing bill to reinstate a March presidential primary instead, with a much steeper candidate filing fee, that passed the House earlier this month, the Idaho Capital Sun reported.
McCammon Republican Sen. Jim Guthrie sponsored Senate Bill 1398, which would consolidate primary elections for the presidential nomination and down-ticket local and state races to the Tuesday following the first Monday in May. Under Guthrie’s bill, political parties would have the option to opt out of the presidential primary election, and use the caucus process instead.
Guthrie said the timing was selected to support higher voter turnout while selecting Idaho’s presidential nominees ahead of summer party national conventions.
https://idahocapitalsun.com/2026/03/25/idaho-senate-approves-bill-creating-may-presidential-primary-election/
Florida targets NFL's 'Rooney Rule' promoting minority coaches
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida is preparing to throw a challenge flag at the NFL’s longstanding “Rooney Rule” — meant to bolster the number of minority coaches and top executives in the league — as part of the state’s opposition to diversity hiring practices.
State Attorney General James Uthmeier warned NFL officials Wednesday that the Rooney Rule and other similar hiring policies are “illegal” under Florida’s civil rights laws. In a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell, Uthmeier pressed the NFL to confirm by May 1 it would no longer enforce its policies requiring teams to interview minority candidates, including women, or else the state could take “civil rights enforcement action.”
“NFL teams and their fans don’t care about the race of the coaching staff,” Uthmeier said Wednesday in a social media post. “They want a merit-based system that gives their team the best chance to win.”
The move by Uthmeier aligns with ongoing attempts by Florida’s conservative leaders to rid the state of diversity, equity and inclusion-aligned policies, from public schools to colleges and now even local governments. But taking on the NFL, which prides itself on diversity programs like the Rooney Rule, would be a significant escalation of that fight.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/25/florida-nfl-rooney-rule-00845217
Profile Information
Gender: MaleHometown: Detroit Area, MI
Home country: USA
Current location: San Francisco, CA
Member since: Wed Oct 29, 2008, 02:53 PM
Number of posts: 84,004