The chart above is from a recent Gallup Poll -- done between November 1st and 14th of a national sample of 1,015 adults, with a 4 point margin of error.
It shows a significant majority of Americans (63%) think the U.S. healthcare system is in a state of crisis and has major problems. Only 37% say it has only minor problems or no problems at all.
This is good for Democrats -- if they are smart. Americans want significant improvements to U.S. healthcare. They want lower costs (for doctors, hospitals, and drugs) and they want all Americans to have decent health insurance (that will provide preventative care and save them from bankruptcy). This would be a good issue for Democrats to campaign on in the general election.
But as much as I think the ultimate answer to our healthcare problems would be a single-payer, government-run system (like Medicare For All), the public is not quite ready for that. The public will support a public option for insurance that will cover everyone that wants it, but a large number of workers are not yet ready to give up their employer-provided private insurance.
Campaigning on an immediate Medicare For All system (eliminating private insurance) would scare a lot of people and make the healthcare issue work against Democrats.
I think Elizabeth Warren has the right idea. We need to create a public option that would cover those who cannot afford private insurance, and give others the option to buy into it. Once the public (and corporations) sees that it works (without massive taxes on the working and middle classes), then we can take the final step to Medicare For All.
Democrats have an issue that will work for them -- as long as they don't try to go too far too fast.
