- Position‹3 of 3
- Americans need someone who will do more
- Argument
Neither Donald Trump nor Joe Biden's proposals go far enough
Americans need a system of universal healthcare now more than ever. The global pandemic has left hundreds of thousands dead in the country, and rising unemployment has increased the number of the uninsured and vulnerable.
The argument
Bernie Sanders’ proposals of universal healthcare resonated with many young voters. Many democrats feel that Joe Biden’s policies do not go far enough and would like to see a more left-leaning stance on many issues, not least of which is healthcare. Donald Trump’s policies have lacked substance for many Americans, and his failure to replace the ACA during his time in office despite his promises has not gone unnoticed. On the democratic side, while democrats chose Biden over Sanders in the primaries, it is clear that this came at the cost of concessions and a more progressive stance on healthcare than Biden had originally intended. For many, this has not gone far enough. Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of universal healthcare and now up to 63% of the population believes it is the government’s responsibility to provide coverage for all.
Premises
Counter-arguments
But at what cost? Bernie Sanders outlined tax raised on the highest income earners and multinational companies, but these measures are unlikely to pass congress and become law. Should Americans content themselves with slower, but more certain changes, or attempt to overhaul the system and risk not accomplishing the developments that are desperately needed.
Rejecting the premises
[Rejecting P1] That a rival platform resonated with part of the electorate shows there is demand for it, not that the proposals on offer are inadequate — and primary voters, on the argument's own account, chose otherwise. [Rejecting P2] A failure to replace one law is a claim about a record, not a measure of sufficiency. The argument never states what an adequate policy would contain or by what standard either platform falls short of it. [Rejecting P3] The polling figure records agreement that government should ensure coverage, a goal a public option and a single-payer system could each satisfy, so it does not show either proposal is too modest. And as the counter-argument asks, a more ambitious programme that cannot pass Congress delivers less than a narrower one that can.